Shareholder

Was checking seating charts on two domestic flights I have next week to see how open F cabin was for upgrade potential. However, I noticed that in both cases on 738s where I had selected 14D, both 14E and 14F were now showing as occupied. I find this odd since both rows 13 (on both sides) and 14 (on the A,B,C side) were showing available, as were three other rows further up of extra legroom seats.

Is AA now blocking seats for ExecPlats on these exit rows or what?

On Wednesday's flight there are 3 open F seats, Thursday's return 5, so I expect upgrades to clear in both cases (not many ExecPlats likely on this route even if my spend is low for the quarter).

JDiver

Given AA changed its seat assignment algorithms on 30 August (e.g. upgrades no longer being auto-assigned from the aft seats in the new cabin) it's possible? We'll have to see from members' experiences, IMO. Let us know if your seat had blocking or if you're being auto-stalked. (I'd also assume if the aircraft fills those blocks will disappear.)

Shareholder

"Auto-stalked"? Will post what happens (and understand any blocking will vanish if the load dictates. Just figured two other people would not pre-select seats next to anyone when the cabin is so wide open. Wasn't aware of a change to algorithms other than the new priority for upgrading.

whimsey21

It would be a nice benefit if it turns out to be policy. BA has had something similar for a while (see the very extensive thread in “theoretical seating”) in that forum, and I’ve been lucky enough to have an empty seat next to me on almost all of my BA long haul flights since becoming OWE, even on very full flights. It may be the thing I miss most when dropping down in status, since the empty seat makes coach so much more bearable. BA only implements the block at T-72, since they limit advance seat assignments to elites or paid seating.

enviroian

I also agree it's a nice benefit but don't see how it's humanly possible. It's 2017, not 2001. I can't remember the last flight i took where there wasn't one seat unsold.

whimsey21

it all depends on where you’re flying. I only remember one transatlantic segment in my last year of flying that was 100% full in Y. That said, the BA seat blocking applied for olci and is visible to the agents at the airport, but they can and do override it in very full flights to fill the plane as needed. It isn’t a guarantee, just a way to improve your odds of having an empty seat next to you by keeping people from being able to select it while there are other options available.

Shareholder

Agree most flights go out these days 100% but often there are open seats. Such a provision would keep the seat next to an unupgraded ExecPlat blocked until there are no more open seats to be released by the gate agent. These are going to be centre seats for the most part, the least desireable albeit in the front vs rear of the plane.

What really turned me off flying AC as a SuperElite (its top tier) was flying too many times in the front part of economy and having the centre seat next to me assigned by a gate agent but finding many open centre seats further back on the plane. Supposedly the front rows were to be open just to elites but always in-filled immediately prior to boarding by non-elites. If there are open seats, the ones next to elites should be the last ones to be assigned.

Gig103

The idea is that it's blocked, either until OLCI, or until the gate agent starts filling in the basic economy and standby assignments.

JDiver

I'm only speculating about the blocking, and suggesting they might have a,tested more than the upgrade seating logic. We'll see... good luck.

RDUflyer2

I was on a short hop from RDU to CLT on Thursday sitting in the exit row.
I had 14D and we went out with the other two seats next to me empty. The plane was quite full to the extent that they ran out of overhead bin space as usual.

Typically this is a very popular and full flight and while I usually sit in this row, this is the first time I can remember in a long time that the other seats were empty.

Not sure if this was coincidental or not.

CloudCoder

I can't remember how many years ago it was, but AA used to block the coach seat next to EXPs. Those were the good old days.

It's not unusual for people to avoid Row 13. (superstition)

Shareholder

Just received upgrade cleared email on the Thursday return, which i expected to at some point before OLCI. Seat chart now shows the entire row 14 empty. (Outbound will be tight, though lots of Y9 subsets according to ExpertFlyer and the seat chart. 14E/F still showing "occupied".)

Madison Guy

Are you using the AA seat chart or a tool like EF that will show the difference between a block and actually occupied. (I'm guessing the former based on your careful phrasing.)

ijgordon

IIRC, when AA did actually do auto seat blocks next to elites (was it just EXPs or Plats too?), they would show up as blocks on ExpertFlyer, not occupied seats. But it would just be the one seat next to the pax, not the whole row.

jacobguo

I remember this. The good ol' days of flying when entire rows would go out unsold.