I booked a ticket to Madrid through AA codeshare, can't seem to get a seat beforehand. It is booked in I through AA codeshare and I have their booking code but the website says the code is invalid. When I called AA, they asked for 25USD to get a seat...is that a common practice to charge 25USD for business class seat assignment???

Ooh...you're in for a good time.

As I recall, AA and IB have a special rev system that is very ancient and so it somehow works without an Amadeus number. I would just try calling back and forth between them until you can get an acceptable reference number.

Here are some references. Personally, I don't know if I think all the trouble of the calls is worth $25, but I was also quite indignant at the same situation.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/onewo...y-updates.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/iberi...lection-3.html

thanks! I was having exactly the same issue, so I am giving up! WIll be careful in the future!

I just tried calling IB to get a seat reservation on an IB metal AA ticket flight. I was told that I had been allocated seats already (not great ones) and that I couldn't change them until airport check in (no 6 digit IB PNR possible, so no OLCI)

Same thing happened to me on a reservation I booked via AA to Madrid. I was auto-assigned the first row center seats, which is a bit too close to the galley for my taste.
Will I be able to do OLCI for this or will it need to be done at airport?
If can do OLCI - can I change seats if available at that time?

I'm on a flight LAX-MAD, AA codeshare operated by Iberia. I have a business class ticket and am OW Emerald. On my first call to Iberia, they told me I had to select a seat on the website. However, the website asks for payment. I called back and spoke to a different agent. I explained that I had a business ticket and was OW Emerald and didn't understand why I couldn't get a seat assignment for free. He checked with a supervisor and pre-reserved a seat for me. My booking now shows that a balance is due for the seat selection. The agent said not to worry about it and when I do online check-in (or at the airport), the seat will still be held for me and I won't be charged. He apologized for the clunky work around but said my seat will be reserved this way.

Hoping when the departure day arrives, I'll still have the seat I requested.

J ticket itself doesn't necessarily mean free seat selection, OWE does.

Three hours wasted so far - IB can't add FQTV to booking
Other recent thread data point on AA not sending to IB the FFP# preventing free seat selection

Strange. I have a Business Ticket and OWE and the system let me select a seat for free, but I believe I had to enter my AA FF# into IB's system and then re-login for it to recognize it. The have to select online was the same thing I was told, and it did show a cost until I got the FF# in there.