FlyingDutchman22

Hi there,

I've a question regarding the way seat assignment works for Lufthansa and Brussels Airlines flights.

Before check-in time, you can of course select a seat and pay for the seat selection.
23 hours before the flight, check-in opens. Some airlines don't assign seats automatically and they let you choose at the moment you check-in (online). Some airlines assign seats automatically, so at check-in you may only switch to the seats that were not filled automatically.

What approach does Lufthansa and Brussels Airlines take? (both flights to and from the USA)

Reason for my question, when airlines do not automatically assign seats it may be wise to set an alarm and be the first to pick the seats you like. This way you avoid costs for seat selection, but have a pretty reasonable change you end up in the seats you want (if those were still available > 23 hours before the flight). Especially if you travel with your family (4 person) and have a connection flight , the seat assignment can get pretty expensive (4 legs..).
On the other hand, if seat assignment is done automatically, the changes that your seats (in the same booking) are assigned together by the system would be higher is my assumption.

Thanks for your help!

oliver2002

SN & LH use Amadeus Altea DCS' theoretical seating, so you already have a seat assigned to you (together with anyone in your party). Once the checkin opens (officially at T-24h, sometimes already the day before departure) that seat is shown to you in the online checkin (web, app etc) process. If you have others travelling with you on the same intenary but on different reservations, you can add them to your checkin process and pick seats together. During that process the system lumps you and the other party together and lets you pick seats together. This link however is lifted So if there is a change in aircraft etc the seating will be allocated again, but not together with the party in the other booking.

FlyingDutchman22

Thanks Oliver, that is very helpful.

chowdarygm

Is it same for Swiss flights as well?

oliver2002

Yep, SN/LX/OS/LH/4Y.

tods27

Just a data point, but for SN, they claim you can change your seat at check-in, but there may still be charges for some seats. We came across this in our trip to Africa in PE where we wanted to change seats during on-line check-in and it insisted on charging our non-status son $50 to get a different seat. YMMV

the810

LH Group charges for seat selection even at check-in if you're on a Light fare. Other fares get free seat selection at all times.

tods27

It was a regular premium economy fare on the outbound, and an economy fare on the return with a cash buy-up to premium economy. The issue seemed tied to status as my wife and I, both *G, could change for free, but our son could not. The flights were JFK-BRU-KIG and KIG-BRU-IAD.

Adstring

We are a party of 6 of which 2 are young kids (aged 4 and 6). What do they do if we dont pay for seat selection on a Lite fare? Assume the kids have to be sat next to at least one of us?

Ta
A

the810

The entire party will normally be seated together, if such seats are available at time of check-in, provided that they are either on the same PNR, or check-in together.

photojojo

This is interesting. I'm furious with the changes DL recently announced and since a majority of my travel is to/through FRA and MUC I thought I'd look at status matching to either UA or LH. I'm acquainting myself with the online reservations system and simply don't see seat maps or seat selections which makes me a little nervous. I didn't want to go all the way through the booking process without buying a refundable fare, but is there no way to see what seats are available until 24 hours before departure?

SK AAR

Well, unless you pay for ASR you are not going to know where you will be seated until checkin opens. I believe that is the point of purchasing a seat in advance.

photojojo

I didn't see an option to do so, but I'll tinker around again (and/or call in to talk to someone) when I get to the hotel tonight. I have to book a trip to KTT via MUC by the end of the weekend so I might as well jump from DL now and see what's what.

tods27

The LH.com booking process used to show you a generic seat plan for the type of plane, but it looks like it doesn't even show you that when you are booking until later in the booking process. If your concern is what seats might be available, if you were to choose an ASR, then you may need to use an additional tool to see that. If you have an itinerary booked, and want to see the seats available, you used to be able to go into the ASR process and see the options, then just cancel out - I can't confirm if this has changed, but was definitely the case on my last LH group flights earlier this year.