paid ASR and seat blocking [for *G on LH]
Jan 19, 2015, 1:59 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: OSL/IAH/ZRH (time, not preference)
Programs: UA1K, LH GM, AA EXP->GM
Posts: 38,265
paid ASR and seat blocking [for *G on LH]
- *G are not eligible for free ASR
- *G are eligible for the mythical seat blocking privilege
- *G get to pick far from good seats during check in for free
This sounds easy and innocuous. And my naive approach was that when seating is scarce (seat map filled up, only higher fare buckets), I paid the advanced ASR for a decent (but not extra legroom) aisle seat.
Meaning whenever I paid for the ASR, it was on a service that was quite full ... and every time I did so, the seat next to me was empty.
And on the flights, I did not pay but picked a far front seat, I had a neighbour.
So my competing hypotheses are:
- meaningless stochastic variation
- far front seats a spill seats for the most clueless of travellers who also show up late at the airport
- LH privileges good customers who pay extra for their ordinary seat - paired with Gold giving seat blocking super power
With your experiences ... is #1 really all that likely?
Jan 19, 2015, 11:03 am
#2
Join Date: Aug 2005
Programs: UA*G(1K), PC Diamond Amb, Marriott Titanium, Accor Platinum
Posts: 4,672
Jan 19, 2015, 6:57 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: OSL/IAH/ZRH (time, not preference)
Programs: UA1K, LH GM, AA EXP->GM
Posts: 38,265
Jan 19, 2015, 6:59 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: OSL/IAH/ZRH (time, not preference)
Programs: UA1K, LH GM, AA EXP->GM
Posts: 38,265
Statistically, I myself had a lot more luck with seat blocking as UA*G than as SEN ... but then that is me
Jan 20, 2015, 12:44 pm
#7
Join Date: Aug 2005
Programs: UA*G(1K), PC Diamond Amb, Marriott Titanium, Accor Platinum
Posts: 4,672
HTB.
Jan 20, 2015, 9:37 pm
#8
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Munich, Algarve, Sussex or S.F Bay Area
Programs: Mucci, BA Gold, A3*Gold, AA Plat, HH Gold, IHG Plat Amb, Marriott Plat
Posts: 4,164
However, I do tend to believe some of this seat-blocking theory for *G. I usually pay ASR and the only time the middle seat has been taken has been on fully booked flights, normally it stays empty.
Jan 21, 2015, 10:46 am
#9
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: OSL
Programs: SK Diamond, LH SEN, KL Ivory, AY Basic, OZ silver
Posts: 1,103
So my competing hypotheses are:
With your experiences ... is #1 really all that likely?
- meaningless stochastic variation
- far front seats a spill seats for the most clueless of travellers who also show up late at the airport
- LH privileges good customers who pay extra for their ordinary seat - paired with Gold giving seat blocking super power
With your experiences ... is #1 really all that likely?
I'm not sure if LH actually goes the extra mile for paying customers who also have *G. I haven't seen LH go any extra mile for anyone recently, actually...
Jan 21, 2015, 1:28 pm
#10
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: BKK
Programs: BRK-B
Posts: 580
About #2: I've been told a few times by ground staff that people who don't choose and pick their own seat get it assigned. The assignment starts from the front-ish to the back-ish of the plane. So chances should be bigger to get an empty middle seat in the back of the back of the bus.
I'm not sure if LH actually goes the extra mile for paying customers who also have *G. I haven't seen LH go any extra mile for anyone recently, actually...
I'm not sure if LH actually goes the extra mile for paying customers who also have *G. I haven't seen LH go any extra mile for anyone recently, actually...
Jan 21, 2015, 6:26 pm
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: OSL/IAH/ZRH (time, not preference)
Programs: UA1K, LH GM, AA EXP->GM
Posts: 38,265
But regarding agents: when I was still SEN and asked if my neighbour seat is blocked, I was always told something like "not on this flight" or "we don't do this anymore" and on the phone I was assured that *Gs also get it.
Admittedly a very weak argument but paired with my experience, I never doubted it.
About #2: I've been told a few times by ground staff that people who don't choose and pick their own seat get it assigned. The assignment starts from the front-ish to the back-ish of the plane. So chances should be bigger to get an empty middle seat in the back of the back of the bus..
Jan 7, 2023, 12:35 pm
#13
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: London
Programs: Qantas; Virgin Australia; Le Club Accor; Marriott
Posts: 117
Lufthansa - Blocked Seat because of infant or Star Alliance Gold
First Lufthansa flights ICN - MUN & MUN - LHR
Usually OW flyer but as recently status matched with Turkish Airlines to Star Alliance Gold thought I’d give Lufthansa a try.
Great experience and got a spare seat on “full” flights. So the question is would we have gotten the spare seat as travelling with an infant or Star Alliance Gold?
Either way I think I will be booking more Lufthansa Flights when timing or costs suit.
Usually OW flyer but as recently status matched with Turkish Airlines to Star Alliance Gold thought I’d give Lufthansa a try.
Great experience and got a spare seat on “full” flights. So the question is would we have gotten the spare seat as travelling with an infant or Star Alliance Gold?
Either way I think I will be booking more Lufthansa Flights when timing or costs suit.
