i'm traveling on nw 302 to PHL from MSP in a few weeks with parents and we don't have seats for that flight. the rest of the seats are either premium, coach choice, or handicapped. i have called, emailed and no luck. I even told them my mother had back surgery (she really did) and asked for handicapped seats because her doctor said she has to sit in a seat while flying that she can stand up and they wouldn't give it to us. the seats left are : 13e and f, 16b, 17 a-f, 18 a,b,e,f, 19c,e,f, 20 a,b,e,f, 21 a and b, 22 a,b,e,f, 25 a,c,d,f, 26a-f, 27 a-f, 28 c and d.
19c, 25 a c d f, 27 c d, 28 c d- coach choice.
13 e f, 17 b c d e- handicapped.
16 b- exit.
17 a f, 18 a b e f, 19 e f, 20 a b e f, 21 a b, 22 a b e f, 26 a-f, 27 a b e f- premium. Now i dont qualify for any of those. what should i do?

Coach Choice are for sale. you will need to pay extra.

Exit/Premium are reserved for elites until checkin time. You will have access to them at that time.

If you request an handicap seat it will be hard to justify an exit seat.

A few days before the flight, NW will upgrade roughly 16 elites to First Class and that will open up some seats -- I suggest checking then.

Bob H

i'll try those. anything else i should try? can anyone give me some tips on how to get upgraded to first class without paying or using miles?

Easy. Fly enough to earn elite status, then keep flying.

If you are not elite and wont pay for FC, then no, it is highly unlikely you can talk your way into FC. There are too many elite flyers in line for those seats.

Best time to check for open seats online (or on phone) is EXACTLY 23 hours and 59 minutes before the flight leaves. I mean exactly.

Regarding the handicap, you should have a written doctors note (not just a "he said"), but a actual written prescription to present to the GA. This is often called a "FIT TO FLY DOCTOR'S LETTER". It should be clear as to what the handicap is and what is required medicalwise. As previously stated, this will negate any possibility of exit row. They do have handicap seating in certain rows reserved, but I've found its mostly up to the GA's to assign them at the last minute.

As mentioned here, be ready and available to go online exactly at the 24-hour mark, where P and Exit row seats should become available to you.

Of course, if you don't get something you really like, you should keep checking throughout the last 24 hours since elites will not always get upgraded at 23:59, but sometimes 20 hours out, sometimes 16 hours out, sometimes only two hours out. Once you check-in, it's difficult to change your seat yourself. You'll usually have to call NW or do it at the airport with the assistance of a gate/ticket agent.

This is somewhat misleading. NW does NOT always let non-elites select P and E seats at the 24 hour mark. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the more full a flight is, the more likely the seats will be released right at 24 hours. But I've never seen a thread confirming the exact criteria. There are many threads on this subject.

For the OP, this is still the best course of action. In my experience, I've never seen a non-elite denied access to those seats at the 24-hour mark. Not saying it doesn't happen, but I've never experienced it. However, I'll edit my post accordingly.

Now, if it is a connecting itinerary, you cannot select P and E seats for the connecting flight until you are within the 24-hour period for that flight's departure. For example, if you are scheduled to leave PHL at 6am and connect in MSP onward to SEA at 9am, you could select P and E seats at 8am the day before for the PHL-MSP leg, but not the connecting leg.

GPSFlyer, she does have a note stating that she needs certain seats. I'll try all those things. I'll make a post from my vacation spot telling how the tips worked. thanks for all the help. If anyone else knows any other tips to get seats, please feel free to post.

Have to agree with gpsflyer. Wait until the first minute after the 24 hour mark and then pick better seats and print your boarding passes.

Except that if it won't let you choose better seats, do NOT check in. Just stop there and try again a few hours later, as the P seats may then open.

well, now there's only 1 row with 3 seats together and that's row 27. i hope my parents and i get seats together as we are a little under 8 days til the flight.