Seat Assignment Got Changed by TAP with NO valid reason
Aug 3, 2019, 9:04 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 118
Seat Assignment Got Changed by TAP with NO valid reason
HI fellow FTers,
Hope I can get some sound advice from you on what to do.
I am booked on a the TP213 OPO-EWR flight in September . This would be a flight operated by the new A321 Neo aircraft and I had picked seat 4B (one of the four famous single/"throne" seats) as soon as the seat map was uploaded. Unfortunately, when I looked up my reservation last week, my seat 4B was changed to 5C. So now I have 5C which is a standard aisle seat with a window seat next to me. Unfortunately the other 3 throne seats have been occupied. I am disappointed that no one at Tap has informed me about this involuntary seat re-assigment.When I called theTAP reservation desk inquiring what happened, they advised me that 4B is blocked with no occupant. If this is a technical issue I cannot accept since there is plenty of time to repair before my flight in early Sep. I hope it is not the case where I was bumped off for a flyer with higher status wanting this seat. I wrote to customer service a couple of times and have not heard back.
Any advice? Thanks!!!
Hope I can get some sound advice from you on what to do.
I am booked on a the TP213 OPO-EWR flight in September . This would be a flight operated by the new A321 Neo aircraft and I had picked seat 4B (one of the four famous single/"throne" seats) as soon as the seat map was uploaded. Unfortunately, when I looked up my reservation last week, my seat 4B was changed to 5C. So now I have 5C which is a standard aisle seat with a window seat next to me. Unfortunately the other 3 throne seats have been occupied. I am disappointed that no one at Tap has informed me about this involuntary seat re-assigment.When I called theTAP reservation desk inquiring what happened, they advised me that 4B is blocked with no occupant. If this is a technical issue I cannot accept since there is plenty of time to repair before my flight in early Sep. I hope it is not the case where I was bumped off for a flyer with higher status wanting this seat. I wrote to customer service a couple of times and have not heard back.
Any advice? Thanks!!!
Aug 3, 2019, 11:37 pm
#2
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: San Francisco
Programs: UA 1K/AS 100K …Bonvoy Titanium..Hertz Presidents Club
Posts: 1,115
LOL. The same thing happened to me on their SFO-LIS flight a few weeks back. They changed my assigned seat without any notice. Sounds like your out of luck. I learned a lot about TAP after that flight.
Aug 4, 2019, 7:08 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 118
Ugh I am finding out more and more about their substandard service lol. Thx for your reply!
Aug 5, 2019, 9:41 am
#4
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
You are never guaranteed a specific seat on any airline, unfortunately. Though you may book a specific seat there are many reasons you might be moved. This is not specific to TO, and most airlines’ conditions of carriage are clear about passengers not having the “right” to specific seats.
On flights to or from the USA, it’s also possible you lost your preferred seat to a Federal Air Marshal; a “throne” seat would be preferable to a FAM because of the easy aisle access. If so, the airline is forbidden to disclose that reason; they would provide you with rubbish answers.
On flights to or from the USA, it’s also possible you lost your preferred seat to a Federal Air Marshal; a “throne” seat would be preferable to a FAM because of the easy aisle access. If so, the airline is forbidden to disclose that reason; they would provide you with rubbish answers.
Aug 5, 2019, 3:12 pm
#7
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: IAD/DCA
Programs: Bunch of mid-tiers
Posts: 1,034
Keep checking back - there's always a chance something will change or open up (you're likely not the only one getting randomized).
It may be a coincidence, but I had a seat in row 4 (on a 332) that I would select, get confirmed, and then overnight it would un-assign the seat. I tried this several times before picking a different one. Weird.
It may be a coincidence, but I had a seat in row 4 (on a 332) that I would select, get confirmed, and then overnight it would un-assign the seat. I tried this several times before picking a different one. Weird.
Aug 5, 2019, 8:48 pm
#8
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Vancouver
Programs: Aeroplan, Mileage Plus, WestJet Gold, AMEX Plat
Posts: 2,026
You are never guaranteed a specific seat on any airline, unfortunately. Though you may book a specific seat there are many reasons you might be moved. This is not specific to TO, and most airlines’ conditions of carriage are clear about passengers not having the “right” to specific seats.
On flights to or from the USA, it’s also possible you lost your preferred seat to a Federal Air Marshal; a “throne” seat would be preferable to a FAM because of the easy aisle access. If so, the airline is forbidden to disclose that reason; they would provide you with rubbish answers.
On flights to or from the USA, it’s also possible you lost your preferred seat to a Federal Air Marshal; a “throne” seat would be preferable to a FAM because of the easy aisle access. If so, the airline is forbidden to disclose that reason; they would provide you with rubbish answers.
Aug 5, 2019, 11:57 pm
#9
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: San Francisco
Programs: UA 1K/AS 100K …Bonvoy Titanium..Hertz Presidents Club
Posts: 1,115
On flights to or from the USA, it’s also possible you lost your preferred seat to a Federal Air Marshal; a “throne” seat would be preferable to a FAM because of the easy aisle access. If so, the airline is forbidden to disclose that reason; they would provide you with rubbish answers.
Aug 6, 2019, 9:55 am
#10
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
I though US Federal Air Marshals only operated on US flag operators. When the whole Air Marshal thing was started, Air Canada and the Canadian authorities needed to create a similar role in the RCMP to handle the Air Canada flights into Reagan National Airport. I believe it only applied to that one airport. Does Portugal even have the concept of an Air Marshal?
Unfortunately, too many airlines will move paying passengers for friends, “VIPs”, traveling employees, you name it. But honestly, in 70 years of flying, I’ve never found an airline you can rely on to 100% respect and honor your seat choice 100% of the time. Some are better, some worse.
Aug 7, 2019, 6:57 am
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 118
Thanks for clarifying.
Unfortunately, too many airlines will move paying passengers for friends, “VIPs”, traveling employees, you name it. But honestly, in 70 years of flying, I’ve never found an airline you can rely on to 100% respect and honor your seat choice 100% of the time. Some are better, some worse.
Unfortunately, too many airlines will move paying passengers for friends, “VIPs”, traveling employees, you name it. But honestly, in 70 years of flying, I’ve never found an airline you can rely on to 100% respect and honor your seat choice 100% of the time. Some are better, some worse.
Jan 7, 2020, 8:59 am
#12
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: Bay Area
Programs: UA Gold, AS, Marriott Gold, IHG Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 37
I had something similar happen to me. I booked SFO-LIS economy with them for me, my wife, and my kid. At booking time (June), I paid for seat selections for all three of us to be sure we could sit together. A week before my flight (in November), I found out they had dropped my wife's seat assignment. I called customer service and pleaded my case with the rep. She said there was nothing she could do unless I paid for the seat selection AGAIN. She directed me to their website to submit customer service complaints.
Following our flight, I have submitted numerous emails on this with complete documentation: clear receipts from them showing the original seat assignment charge and the second seat assignment charge. The first 3 times they responded by explaining dynamic pricing to me. Not at all relevant to my situation. Finally I used google translate to send my complaint in both English and Portuguese. That helped the rep understand my complaint, but they still insist that the duplicate charge never happened, in spite of my providing their two receipts that clearly showed that there was a duplicate charge.
Is there a language barrier here? A cultural barrier? Or is the airline in such a dire financial situation that they will blatantly cheat their customers? I feel like as poor service as I've received at times on UA, DL, or AA, refunding a duplicate charge would be a no-brainer for them.
I agree with OP, I'll not fly with them again.
Following our flight, I have submitted numerous emails on this with complete documentation: clear receipts from them showing the original seat assignment charge and the second seat assignment charge. The first 3 times they responded by explaining dynamic pricing to me. Not at all relevant to my situation. Finally I used google translate to send my complaint in both English and Portuguese. That helped the rep understand my complaint, but they still insist that the duplicate charge never happened, in spite of my providing their two receipts that clearly showed that there was a duplicate charge.
Is there a language barrier here? A cultural barrier? Or is the airline in such a dire financial situation that they will blatantly cheat their customers? I feel like as poor service as I've received at times on UA, DL, or AA, refunding a duplicate charge would be a no-brainer for them.
I agree with OP, I'll not fly with them again.
Jan 7, 2020, 3:14 pm
#13
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: PEK
Programs: A3*G, UA Gold EY Silver
Posts: 8,949
I had something similar happen to me. I booked SFO-LIS economy with them for me, my wife, and my kid. At booking time (June), I paid for seat selections for all three of us to be sure we could sit together. A week before my flight (in November), I found out they had dropped my wife's seat assignment. I called customer service and pleaded my case with the rep. She said there was nothing she could do unless I paid for the seat selection AGAIN. She directed me to their website to submit customer service complaints.
Following our flight, I have submitted numerous emails on this with complete documentation: clear receipts from them showing the original seat assignment charge and the second seat assignment charge. The first 3 times they responded by explaining dynamic pricing to me. Not at all relevant to my situation. Finally I used google translate to send my complaint in both English and Portuguese. That helped the rep understand my complaint, but they still insist that the duplicate charge never happened, in spite of my providing their two receipts that clearly showed that there was a duplicate charge.
Is there a language barrier here? A cultural barrier? Or is the airline in such a dire financial situation that they will blatantly cheat their customers? I feel like as poor service as I've received at times on UA, DL, or AA, refunding a duplicate charge would be a no-brainer for them.
I agree with OP, I'll not fly with them again.
Following our flight, I have submitted numerous emails on this with complete documentation: clear receipts from them showing the original seat assignment charge and the second seat assignment charge. The first 3 times they responded by explaining dynamic pricing to me. Not at all relevant to my situation. Finally I used google translate to send my complaint in both English and Portuguese. That helped the rep understand my complaint, but they still insist that the duplicate charge never happened, in spite of my providing their two receipts that clearly showed that there was a duplicate charge.
Is there a language barrier here? A cultural barrier? Or is the airline in such a dire financial situation that they will blatantly cheat their customers? I feel like as poor service as I've received at times on UA, DL, or AA, refunding a duplicate charge would be a no-brainer for them.
I agree with OP, I'll not fly with them again.
Jan 7, 2020, 3:22 pm
#14
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Join Date: Sep 2009
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