Collierkr

When this type of thing happens automation takes over and we all get screwed. The re-seating is automated (and apparently has no sensible rules applied). When you try to complain loudly, UA will gladly remind you that seat assignments and specific seats are not guaranteed.

findark

While true, getting scattered away from your family and losing companion E+ benefits is pretty bad. ymmv, but I would certainly at least try to get some apology miles out of it, and I don't complain very much.

eisejm

I was actually sitting in 22 K&L right next to the original poster with my wife for our honeymoon. I am 1K and booked everything under my account using miles back in November. After the flight number and plane changed, I accepted the changes and booked 22 K&L. I checked the reservation from time to time making sure there were no shenangins, and sure enough, as I'm waiting to board a flight to Austin, noticed that my seats had automatically been changed to 20 K&L.

I called the 1K line and the initial representative got me on the line with a supervisor (who was very nice). After hacking away at the computer for 20 minutes and saying "you're 1K, no one should be able to touch your seats", she was able to get our originals back. She said it was a computer glitch and for some reason this happens all the time.

oopl

On a 739 I had 9F in E+ but after checking just now UA moved me to 9E.

TWA Guy

I purchased IAD-BCN for September on the B764 and chose 3B, friend of mine selected 3A, checked yesterday morning and was moved to 6K for some reason. I called and they just said "operational reasons." I prefer Row 3 - better chance of getting first meal choice and I find service from the rear galley is just not as good. My friend was able to move to 6L so at least we were able to stay together

Kacee

Around 30 days out "operational reasons" typically means FAM.

Feel your pain . . . they did this to me in April, after all the decent seats had been selected on the 744.

TWA Guy

Thanks, that's what I assumed...

fgirard

I just encountered that a few days ago where I had selected 1A and the person that I'm traveling with was in 1B on UA65. I periodically check the reservations for other issues, but this time, I scrolled down to see where I was moved from 1A to 5B, yet my companion is still in 1B. So, I moved us to 2A and B, which will hopefully stick.

And, two weeks ago, I was on ONT-DEN, where I had selected 8F, and in fact, when I did the OLCI, I was still in 8F. When I reprinted my BP at the airport, I was still in 8F. Yet, my name was paged and was told that my seat was changed to 22F, which I was able to switch for 11F. Apparently a couple was assigned 8D and 8F, with 8E empty, and I did manage to glance at their boarding pass, which showed Group 3 (they had to stow their carry-on over 21). The more interesting story was that they had overbooked F and needed 2 volunteers to downgrade (aircraft was an A320, and didn't change), which they found after offering $400 ECVs for each person, so a couple downgraded and ended up taking 10D and 10F, with 10E is empty. Naturally, the GA cleared standbys into 11D and 11E, even though 7B, 8B, 10B, 10C and even 21B, 21C, 21D were available.

elitefreak

Sorry but what does FAM stand for?

goalie

Federal Air Marshal

AtlLhr

my husband and I are flying on Tues Sept 19 ATL-ORD-LHR and I seen to have lost my seat in First on the ATL-ORD leg.
My husband has his seat, but I am in limbo. There are no more first class seats on this flight. I am on hold with United right now.
What is my best course of action on this issue?

cfischer

keep calm. Breath in/out ... repeat.

Seats don't always show available till check-in depending on the aircraft type. If they downsized the plane they might be happy to put both of you on another connection to LHR if that is what you desire.

sfo789

Were you in 2B, 2E? Possibly a FAM. Otherwise, was there an aircraft swap (ex. A320->319) which decreased the number of F seats?

You want to ask the agent to check if the F cabin is overbooked, and if so request preemptive rerouting. You would be free in that case to pick any reasonable connection depending on your aircraft/seating/connection/flight time preferences.

Good luck!

mahasamatman

Do nothing. It's a weekend. Don't worry about anything until Sunday night at the earliest.

LIH

This has happened to me on very rare occasions even without an aircraft swap. United almost never over-sells the FC cabin but they do it occasionally. In the two recent instances of this the GA had to bump a Platinum to coach from an UDU'd seat. In the other, there was a no-show and they gave me that seat. In both instances, the agents really couldn't figure out why the cabin had been overbooked.

In the instance of an aircraft swap (which it doesn't sound like, presuming your husband and you were sitting next to each other) you can be more out of luck/subject to generally paltry downgrade compensation.