That's very true. AA gets seats literally at the extreme rear of the plane (assuming Economy Class). And the two computer systems (AA and IB) do not speak to each other.

I have award tickets with one segment on IB, Nov. 7 2012 IB 3107 LIS-MAD. When I view my ticket online on AA.com I see that I have been assigned seat 3F. My husband is on the same flight with a different ticket and his seat is unassigned.

I wonder why only one of us has a seat assignment and if it is even valid?

And watch out if you have a connection that you don't make. Not only are you at the extreme back of the plane, you will be put on the last flight out of the day.

I found that thread but that is not what is written on their website. The procedure as mentioned on their site is the exact same as for BA.

(I'm AA PLAT)

I'm AA PLT as well and they wouldn't let me choose a seat for free. Even though it is supposed to be a benefit of One World Sapphire. This was in October, haven't flown an AA coded flight on IB since then. I got so frustrated calling both airlines about it, searching flyertalk for the answer i wanted, and eventually resigned to a standard coach seat. I wasn't pleased but I got over it. Just another reason for me to try and book BA metal on TATL trips.

Last remark before I resign.
I contacted my travel agency, AA & Iberia.
Travel agency : has no access to the seat maps, can't do anything.
AA : The agent told me she could book seats but they would charge a fee to take over the reservation as it wasn't made with them. 25usd per person.
Iberia : Told me they couldn't reserve seats as it was a codeshare with AA.

Here it stops, as Iberia is my return flight I will try my luck at the airport when I'm there for the outgoing flight.

Just to provide some additional information.

I booked a ticket with both IB code and operated flight as well as IB code but AA operated flight.

I had no problem assigning seats on the IB coded and operated flight in advance as an EXP. In fact, the website allowed me to assign any seat I wanted, including exit rows, free of charge.

I was unable to assign seats on the IB coded but AA operated flight on iberia.com. I called EXP desk and they were unable to assign it either even though it's AA operated. EXP agent and her help desk explained that the computer was pulling up the flight as if it's operated by IB

I decided to call IB and asked if they could help. They agent initially told me to call AA since it's operated by AA After telling her it's IB coded and AA was unable to assign seats, the agent put me on hold to check. She came back and told me she could access to only a limited section of seat map (it sounded like non-elite section only) and was able to assigned me whatever seat I wanted that was not in the elite section, despite me being an Oneworld Emerald EXP. I checked expertflyer and saw the seat I chose as confirmed.

So, at least it is possible to assign seats, albeit non-elite, on AA metal even if you book it as IB coded.

Of course the first point does not differ from what others have stated, i.e., there is NO seat selection prior to 24h of the flight for non-elites. What I found interesting was how it worked.

1. Bought TKT on AA.COM, AA codeshare of IB operated flights RT JFK-MAD
2. Could not select seats on AA.COM
3. Went to IBERIA.COM, record locator not recognized.
4. Proceeded thru phone contacts and various hassles described by others previous posters, problems with the 5 digit booking code....
5. 24H prior to flight, went to online check-in on AA.COM, fully expected it NOT to work, but it did, and I got an aisle seat in the center section of the A340, ended up with empty seat next to me.
6. On the return, 24H prior to flight AA.COM indicates they cannot check me in, go to IBERIA.COM.
7. NOW THE AA.COM record locator IS recognized by IBERIA.COM, I select a similar seat and had no one next to me on the return.

What is most odd to me is that the same record locator is NOT recognized by IBERIA.COM initially, but by the return flight it was. Oh well, the situation was not nearly so bad as I expected it to be. Of course, I was a solo traveler, but I did see many rows of 4 with NO seats selected at both check-ins.

Anyway, my two cents and this was just this past weekend.

Note: FYI, for a IB codeshare, IB ticket and AA flight, I could e-mail AA's web reservations support, give them my flight number, date, name, I got a reply within 12 hours with my record locator which allowed me to change my seats online.

Did you have problems getting mileage credit for Iberia coded AA flights?

I had my AA frequent flier number on my ticket (it says my status on the ticket) but it's been over a month with no credit. I booked it in O class so I should get miles. I have requested miles from AA a couple days ago, no response yet.

Any data points?

Thank you.

I just spent an hour on the phone, trying to choose an IB seat after booking the flight as an AA codeshare.

Simply put, this is not possible any more.

AA's record locator does not work on the IB website, and the EXP desk at AA can not give me the Iberia locator. The AA desk only has a five digit code, which is really a oneworld code, and not an AA or IB code.

I tried to play stupid with Iberia, as suggested above, and they could not even find my name on my flight, until I gave them the AA record locator. Then they found my reservation, but told me there was NOT an Iberia Reservation Code assigned to my ticket.

I'm going to try the 24 hour suggestion above for On Line Check In, but I really think I'm going to have to beg at the airport for my seat of choice two hours before the flight.

Makes me want to pass on code shares from now on...

I have found that you can use the BA website to obtain Iberia.com record locators. Try this:

Look up your AA record locator on BA.com and make a note of the BA record locator number indicated for Iberia flights. BA and IB share record locators so you should not have any issue, the BA site will show your IB flights.

take the BA record locator and input this on IB website.

Worked for me on IB LHR - MAD - ORD

Good luck

That didn't work for me.....

But an update.....

Within the 24 hour period, I went to aa.com and checked in, and was redirected to the iberia website, where the AA locator worked.

By the way, turns out it was Much Ado About Nothing, because the Iberia A330 in business is actually 1 2 1 staggered seating, and real lie flat seats, MUCH nicer than the AA 767 I am used to.

Too bad seatguru doesn't have that seatmap.

In economy it doesn't make much difference as even on an IB coded flight seats often do not stick - even if assigned.

Your best bet is to call IB to ask for record locator and check-in on-line 24 hrs before the flight.

That didn't work for me either, unfortunately. Apparently, when you book via AA on Iberia as a codeshare, Iberia books the flight with a "generic" 5-character code that is associated with OneWorld in general.

No valid Iberia record locator is issued-- all you get is an AA record locator that doesn't work on the Iberia web site. I guess you have to hope the AA desk can get access to the Iberia seating plans via their system and assign you a seat when you book the ticket or wait until 24 hours prior to the flight and try then-- and of course, pray that the seating assignment sticks.