Ned69

Do FAs know what's involved in getting seat assignments? Do they realize certain seats are only offered to elites or higher paying fares? I've had a couple of times when the FA requested a seat change for various reasons, and believed the FA expected me to give up a desirable seat for one not so, in order to accommodate travelers together, a dead-head, or for whatever reason.
Most of my flights are on CRJs and that's where the FA appears to be unaware that most of the forward seats were assigned based on a FF with elite status. If push comes to shove, and I indicate I'm not volunteering to move...I suppose the FA can direct a seat change that must be complied with. If that's the case, any comp if I end up with a crappy seat. Oh yea, on a CRJ, for someone that's tall, any seat except the front bulkhead row is crappy. Thanks.

MikeMpls

Depends ... I would imagine that if you have scoliosis, a matching window seat might be a good fit.

Last time I flew on Pinnacle (after DL cancellation so I had to take the one seat that was left), I offered my window seat to the equally big guy next to me, but he wasnt' interested.

Mike in Mpls.

Apologist at Large

MSPFlyGuy

One of the many joys of CRJ flying is that the TonkaJet is very weight sensative. If the flight is not full, the pilots mandate that so many passengers be allocated in "zones" for takeoff. (2 in Zone A, 5 in B, etc) Yes, it is a pain for you and the regional FA's are very aware of the inconvenience. It would be nice if this was disclosed to you all before hand.

As for mainline flying; summer and the holidays are a nightmare thanks to internet check in and a flush of families. Obviously, you would not want to sit next to an unattended 6 year old in 5C while mom is in 17 B and dad is back with lil' sis in 81A and D. Flight Attendants try and make the best of it and respect your status while seating families. Naturally, they have no idea who is assigned to what seat untill that Customer gets there. Sometimes it does not work out for everyone, but such is life. I can assure you it is not personal.

MikeMpls

This is another benefit of elite preboarding -- you can get to your seat first before mommy wants to put her kid in it.

I try to be really diligent about reaching the gate in time for elite preboarding whether I'm in F or Y. I never have these hassles.

Mike in Mpls.

Apologist at Large

SpinzCity

>>>>>Obviously, you would not want to sit next to an unattended 6 year old in 5C while mom is in 17 B and dad is back with lil' sis in 81A and D.

My last MEM-MKE flight I had an unattended 8-year old sitting next to me in 3C, with the rest of the family in 81ABC and DEF, etc. I learned the entire family history, saw all the Disney pictures on her digital, read her entire future life history that she had written out (including future children's names and their interests), read about the different fashion labels and lines she would be designing, actually got to TRACE some original designs of hers on a clean sheet places atop her notepad, was asked my entire life history, showed her pictures of my cajun country vacation on my digital, helped her get pictures of the FA with a tray full of nuts, and got a lovely pencil-drawn-portrait in the bargain! The flight went very quickly. She liked first class a lot.

themicah

I've found that many FAs know very little beyond the scope of their own jobs. They tend to focus on on-board safety and service, and often don't know much about fares, the mileage program, elite benefits, or the website. Of course there are plenty of exceptions, but generally FAs focus on doing their job well rather than knowing everything there is to know about the airline.

As for switching seats on a CRJ, unless you're in a bulkhead or have an empty seat next to you, all the rows on a CRJ are pretty much the same--aside from distance from the door. While I generally prefer row 3 over row 11, I'd be willing to switch if it meant a family could sit together. I took way too many trips as a child where other pax were willing to accommodate my family of six for me to be a jerk about it now.

MSPFlyGuy

Sitting next to unattended kids CAN be a trip...I have met some well-behaved, intelligent kids out there. I did not mean to imply that sitting next to 'junior' was slow boat to hell. But I have noticed that many people who plan on working (or drinking) get a little bent out of shape over it.

As far as flight attendants only knowing the scope of their jobs, I would like to speak to that. Being a former FA who did take the time to learn policies and functions beyond the cabin, I was a hit with frequent and not-so-frequent Customers. However, when someone went out of their way to write a commindation latter, I was reminded by management that my duties were safety and service, period. In so many words I was advised "we dont pay you to think". One of the many embeded dysfunctions of the industry that have gotten them into the state they are in now.

nwstew72

While this is not entirely true, it does merit some recognition. In a previous life at a previous airline, I was a Cust Svc Mgr. I do know how and why seats are assigned the way they are. True, being a WP member has its privies, so does advanced seat assignments and advanced booking and early check-in. The problem with all of these is that the computer system only allows a certain % of seats to be pre-assigned and it waits and allows a certain amount more each day until day of departure. And even then, it still holds a certain amount that only an agent can assign and/or release to be used by internet check-in or an e-kiosk.

FA's constantly receive info from the company informing us about WP programs and bennies. We also are the ones that give feedback from WP members about service and other items regarding the WP program to the company that gets changes made to the program or to the service.

Please keep a few other things in mind when you have a seating issue; on the a/c, we (FA's) have 0-ZERO access to the computer or an agent, and more often than not, we cannot get off the a/c to check on seating problems as we are 99.9% of the time limited by FAA minumum crew (FAR 121.391 and 121.393) and we all have to be on the a/c. Also, most flights are worked with only 1 agent, sometimes 2, and they cannot leave the gate area.

My suggestion to those of you who dread having SpinzCity's POSITIVE experience, look at this way; that kid/old lady/sweaty guy next to you could be you or yours one day, and just stop and think about how you would want to be treated or have your family member treated when they are flying alone.

JohnnyFlies

Some know more than others.
Every once in a while, a FA will give me special service because they know I'm a plat. Not on domestic flights, as I'm in 1st 99% of the time anyway, but on international flights in coach, they must have some kind of manifest that tells them a little about who's whom. I have had a FA on her own retrieve some red wine from the business class section (instead of simply giving me the coach stuff), and another did something else along those lines years ago. I don't expect it at all, so it's always a pleasant surprise when it happens.