Seat Assignments & Online Check in
Jul 16, 2003, 11:00 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Richmond, VA
Programs: AA (Gold)
Posts: 302
Seat Assignments & Online Check in
Do the coach seat assignments that are held aside for elites (e.g. the bulkhead, first couple rows of Y) open up at the 30-hour window when you can do online check in? Or are they only available to reserve at the airport?
I have a very short connection (20 minutes) in DTW and would like to try to snag a bulkhead seat on the first flight, if possible. The closer to the front, the better!
I have a very short connection (20 minutes) in DTW and would like to try to snag a bulkhead seat on the first flight, if possible. The closer to the front, the better!
Jul 16, 2003, 11:07 am
#2
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Norman, Oklahoma
Programs: Southwest A List Preferred, Bonvoy Platinum, Hyatt Globalist, American Airlines Gold
Posts: 694
The seats are available when you check in, even 30 hours out.
Jul 16, 2003, 11:27 am
#3
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Pleasant Prairie, WI USA DL FO (until 2/04), NW silver '03, NW gold '04+'05 Plat '06+ (thanks, Leo!), DL SkyClub
Programs: DL Plat/ Million Miler, AS, Hilton, Marriott Bonvoy, Piggly Wiggly Pig Points
Posts: 2,233
I'd call NWA ASAP and see what you can do. If they're in a good mood they may take care of you.
Jul 16, 2003, 4:23 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Richmond, VA
Programs: AA (Gold)
Posts: 302
No dice with an agent helping. She said that she couldn't assign any seats farther forward than where I am, but to check again at the airport. I think I'll try early online checkin to see Iif I can snag one.
Jul 16, 2003, 6:08 pm
#5
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: SAN Diego (Hillcrest); formerly LEXington, KY; still like the nym
Programs: DL Platinum; Marriott Lifetime Platinum; married to Hilton Elite
Posts: 3,028
We have had success switching to bulkhead on-line several times after the thirty hour check-in begins. Try it! (Just don't do it on MY flights, okay?)
Jul 16, 2003, 7:34 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Richmond, VA
Programs: AA (Gold)
Posts: 302
LexPassenger: I will try it at work tomorrow where I have a printer. I don't think you have to worry about me taking your bulkhead seat...unless you're flying between STL and DTW Friday morning!
Jul 16, 2003, 7:48 pm
#7
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Las Vegas, NV USA
Posts: 748
"Select Seating" (normally the first 5-8 rows of the Y cabin are not available online (at least according to what we are told) are not available to non-elite or non-premium far customers when checking in online or on the e-kiosk. Effective next week (the 22nd if I remember correctly) they will be made available 2 hours before flight to all customers. A few months ago, the programming was changed to omit "Select Seating" as an option to non-elite and non-premium customers...this turned out to cause some problems...we'll see if the "fix" next week will solve them.
Jul 16, 2003, 7:51 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Richmond, VA
Programs: AA (Gold)
Posts: 302
Thanks, Vegas Agent. I know that in the past (now, we're talking about 18 months ago...since I moved to STL, I've been a mainly- AA customer!) I could switch to bulkhead at the airport via the kiosk. Apparently this is no more?
Jul 17, 2003, 7:18 am
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Richmond, VA
Programs: AA (Gold)
Posts: 302
Just checked in online this morning and it allowed me to choose 5A (on a DC-9) as a seat assignment. We'll see if it actually holds through until tomorrow morning! Thanks for the tips, all!
Jul 17, 2003, 7:31 am
#10
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Norman, Oklahoma
Programs: Southwest A List Preferred, Bonvoy Platinum, Hyatt Globalist, American Airlines Gold
Posts: 694
I am elite, but there are seats we can't pre-select. Specifically, there is no way to get exit row seating on Pinnacle in advance (you can get exit row on Mesaba by calling). I have always been able to get exit row on Pinnacle when checking in on line 30 hours out. That's why I said yes previously.
Jul 17, 2003, 2:18 pm
#11
Join Date: May 1999
Location: CVG
Programs: DL DM 4MM, Lifetime Marriott Plat Elite, HH Diamond
Posts: 1,429
Many times the "Premium" inventory includes seat tagged with the wheel chair icon. During reservation, you cannot select an exit or one of these seats flagged with the wheel chair.
It has been my experience that the "wheel chair" seats become available in the 30 hour check in window. However, you cannot snag a designated exit row. A phone call, or airport check in are the only ways to get those seats.
On another note, Vegas Agent writes:
"Effective next week (the 22nd if I remember correctly) they will be made available 2 hours before flight to all customers. A few months ago, the programming was changed to omit "Select Seating" as an option to non-elite and non-premium customers...this turned out to cause some problems...we'll see if the "fix" next week will solve them."
I grow concerned that the priority seating will now get more crowded as non-elites are allowed to select seats in those areas. Frankly, I like the exclusion becuase it frequently results in a seat open next to me. I hope their programming fix returns their ability to select seats, but limits them to only non-"elite" seats.
It has been my experience that the "wheel chair" seats become available in the 30 hour check in window. However, you cannot snag a designated exit row. A phone call, or airport check in are the only ways to get those seats.
On another note, Vegas Agent writes:
"Effective next week (the 22nd if I remember correctly) they will be made available 2 hours before flight to all customers. A few months ago, the programming was changed to omit "Select Seating" as an option to non-elite and non-premium customers...this turned out to cause some problems...we'll see if the "fix" next week will solve them."
I grow concerned that the priority seating will now get more crowded as non-elites are allowed to select seats in those areas. Frankly, I like the exclusion becuase it frequently results in a seat open next to me. I hope their programming fix returns their ability to select seats, but limits them to only non-"elite" seats.
Jul 17, 2003, 8:07 pm
#12
Guest
Posts: n/a
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by DL Platinum:
It has been my experience that the "wheel chair" seats become available in the 30 hour check in window. However, you cannot snag a designated exit row. A phone call, or airport check in are the only ways to get those seats.
</font>
It has been my experience that the "wheel chair" seats become available in the 30 hour check in window. However, you cannot snag a designated exit row. A phone call, or airport check in are the only ways to get those seats.
</font>
the reason i ask, is that on my nrt-sfo leg, i was able to select an exit row seat through the online check-in...
Jul 18, 2003, 6:49 am
#13
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Norman, Oklahoma
Programs: Southwest A List Preferred, Bonvoy Platinum, Hyatt Globalist, American Airlines Gold
Posts: 694
You most definitely can select an exit row using online check-in (unless it is a very recent change). Also, as an elite, you can always get an exit row in advance, by phone, on NW, CO, KL, and Mesaba. You can't get handicap seating, and you can't get exit row seating on the phone on Pinnacle for some reason (but you can checking in online).
Jul 18, 2003, 9:18 pm
#14
Join Date: May 2003
Location: MCO (well, actually DWS, but that airport hasn't seen a landing in a long time)
Programs: Formerly Worldperks, now Skymiles ... no status to speak of
Posts: 181
I'm not an Elite. I usually try for a bulkhead seat when I do the online check-in. I've been about 95% successful so far. In the cases where I wasn't able to get it, I ended up speaking with an agent at the airport, and got either a bulkhead or exit row seat roughly 90% of the time. (maybe I just have good luck, or maybe I'm flying non-crowded routes)
Aug 15, 2003, 11:19 am
#15
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: PHX
Programs: AS MVP Gold, HH Diamond
Posts: 1,509
The programming has been changed.
My non-elite brother flew here Aug 4, and I was able to check him in online 24+ hours before departure and score bulkhead seats. His return is tomorrow, and now the "Change Seats" function on nwa.com online check-in looks similar to when one buys tickets online - the good seats are marked "P" and are not available to non-elites.
Mixed emotions here - the change keeps non-elites from scoring our beloved Premium seats in the event we don't get upgraded. However, it sucks for getting my non-elite family members good seats. Ah well, life is full of good and not so good things. This is a minor issue in the big picture.
My non-elite brother flew here Aug 4, and I was able to check him in online 24+ hours before departure and score bulkhead seats. His return is tomorrow, and now the "Change Seats" function on nwa.com online check-in looks similar to when one buys tickets online - the good seats are marked "P" and are not available to non-elites.
Mixed emotions here - the change keeps non-elites from scoring our beloved Premium seats in the event we don't get upgraded. However, it sucks for getting my non-elite family members good seats. Ah well, life is full of good and not so good things. This is a minor issue in the big picture.