Random seat changes to UA itineraries after they are booked & purchased [ARCHIVE]
May 3, 2012, 5:47 pm
#91
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: HNL
Programs: United 1P
Posts: 7
Seating Problem
Last July I used miles to get tickets for my parents to fly from New York to Honolulu for their grandson's graduation from high school in a few weeks. They are flying Flight 15 later this month, which is the 10 plus hour non-stop from EWR to HNL. Of course at the time I obtained the tickets I also reserved them 2 seats, an aisle and a window together. It wasn't hard since seats were wide open 10 months before the flight. UA has changed the itinerary several times since the reservation was ticketed, mostly for the return flights to New York. But when I last checked in March, they still had seats K and L together on Flight 15.
Imagine my surprise when I checked the reservation again today and found that instead of K and L together, the K seat had been changed to the L in the row behind. So now they're not sitting together any longer, they're both sitting in window seats one behind the other. On a 10 hour flight. And of course now the seat map doesn't show any more two seats together on the side. So I called UA and was informed that it must have happened because of a schedule change. The only schedule change to Flight 15 since ticketing that I am aware of is that the flight time was moved up one hour. There has been no change to the equipment or the Flight Number. It makes absolutely no sense whatsoever that the seats in a reservation would be changed like this because of a minor schedule change. From my experience, even when there is an equipment change the system default position is to keep two people on a reservation together unless it is impossible for whatever reason. I mean given a choice who in their right mind would put passengers flying together behind each other in different rows?
After being told that the only way they could sit together would be in a middle seat and an aisle seat, I asked to speak with a Supervisor. Following an extensive time on hold, a Supervisor came on and informed me quite forcefully that no one who flies UA has a guaranteed seat assignment and that UA can put its passengers, even Global Service members (which I am a long way from), in any seat United wants to. She claimed that their computer must have switched the seats when they did the schedule change. I told her how irrational that explanation was, and pointed out that there was another more likely explanation which is that a UA employee made the change to accomodate someone else. I once had that done to me on another airline in a very obvious manner to accomodate an airline employee who wanted an empty seat next to her in first class. She acknowledged that was certainly a possibility while becoming increasingly hostile, and she refused to consider any accomodation (like a re-routing) other than keeping the seats they have or moving together into center and aisle seats.
So I guess that's it unless someone has any suggestions. The friendly skies sure aren't what they used to be.
Imagine my surprise when I checked the reservation again today and found that instead of K and L together, the K seat had been changed to the L in the row behind. So now they're not sitting together any longer, they're both sitting in window seats one behind the other. On a 10 hour flight. And of course now the seat map doesn't show any more two seats together on the side. So I called UA and was informed that it must have happened because of a schedule change. The only schedule change to Flight 15 since ticketing that I am aware of is that the flight time was moved up one hour. There has been no change to the equipment or the Flight Number. It makes absolutely no sense whatsoever that the seats in a reservation would be changed like this because of a minor schedule change. From my experience, even when there is an equipment change the system default position is to keep two people on a reservation together unless it is impossible for whatever reason. I mean given a choice who in their right mind would put passengers flying together behind each other in different rows?
After being told that the only way they could sit together would be in a middle seat and an aisle seat, I asked to speak with a Supervisor. Following an extensive time on hold, a Supervisor came on and informed me quite forcefully that no one who flies UA has a guaranteed seat assignment and that UA can put its passengers, even Global Service members (which I am a long way from), in any seat United wants to. She claimed that their computer must have switched the seats when they did the schedule change. I told her how irrational that explanation was, and pointed out that there was another more likely explanation which is that a UA employee made the change to accomodate someone else. I once had that done to me on another airline in a very obvious manner to accomodate an airline employee who wanted an empty seat next to her in first class. She acknowledged that was certainly a possibility while becoming increasingly hostile, and she refused to consider any accomodation (like a re-routing) other than keeping the seats they have or moving together into center and aisle seats.
So I guess that's it unless someone has any suggestions. The friendly skies sure aren't what they used to be.
May 3, 2012, 6:13 pm
#92
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: SAN
Programs: UA 1K MM, HH Silver, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 221
The last agent I spoke to suggested that I wrote to customer service, but that seems like a waste since so far I have not received ANY response from them.
May 3, 2012, 6:35 pm
#94
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Illinois.
Programs: Switched from UA 1K to AA so I could earn EQD's on partners. Mid-tier on most major hotel programs.
Posts: 542
So I called UA and was informed that it must have happened because of a schedule change. The only schedule change to Flight 15 since ticketing that I am aware of is that the flight time was moved up one hour. There has been no change to the equipment or the Flight Number. It makes absolutely no sense whatsoever that the seats in a reservation would be changed like this because of a minor schedule change.
A similar situation happened to me. The flight times changed by just a few minutes, with no aircraft or other changes. Suddenly, my aisle seat was a middle seat with no aisles open. Fortunately, there was yet another random set of changes and I was able to select an aisle a few days later, but still. . .
May 3, 2012, 6:43 pm
#95
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Benicia, California, USA
Programs: AA PLT,AS,UA PP,J6,FB,EY,LH,SQ,HH Dmd,Hyatt Glbl,Marriott Plat,IHG Plat,Accor Gold
Posts: 10,820
Last July I used miles to get tickets for my parents to fly from New York to Honolulu for their grandson's graduation from high school in a few weeks. They are flying Flight 15 later this month, which is the 10 plus hour non-stop from EWR to HNL. Of course at the time I obtained the tickets I also reserved them 2 seats, an aisle and a window together. It wasn't hard since seats were wide open 10 months before the flight. UA has changed the itinerary several times since the reservation was ticketed, mostly for the return flights to New York. But when I last checked in March, they still had seats K and L together on Flight 15.
Imagine my surprise when I checked the reservation again today and found that instead of K and L together, the K seat had been changed to the L in the row behind. So now they're not sitting together any longer, they're both sitting in window seats one behind the other. On a 10 hour flight. And of course now the seat map doesn't show any more two seats together on the side. So I called UA and was informed that it must have happened because of a schedule change. The only schedule change to Flight 15 since ticketing that I am aware of is that the flight time was moved up one hour. There has been no change to the equipment or the Flight Number. It makes absolutely no sense whatsoever that the seats in a reservation would be changed like this because of a minor schedule change. From my experience, even when there is an equipment change the system default position is to keep two people on a reservation together unless it is impossible for whatever reason. I mean given a choice who in their right mind would put passengers flying together behind each other in different rows?
After being told that the only way they could sit together would be in a middle seat and an aisle seat, I asked to speak with a Supervisor. Following an extensive time on hold, a Supervisor came on and informed me quite forcefully that no one who flies UA has a guaranteed seat assignment and that UA can put its passengers, even Global Service members (which I am a long way from), in any seat United wants to. She claimed that their computer must have switched the seats when they did the schedule change. I told her how irrational that explanation was, and pointed out that there was another more likely explanation which is that a UA employee made the change to accomodate someone else. I once had that done to me on another airline in a very obvious manner to accomodate an airline employee who wanted an empty seat next to her in first class. She acknowledged that was certainly a possibility while becoming increasingly hostile, and she refused to consider any accomodation (like a re-routing) other than keeping the seats they have or moving together into center and aisle seats.
So I guess that's it unless someone has any suggestions. The friendly skies sure aren't what they used to be.
Imagine my surprise when I checked the reservation again today and found that instead of K and L together, the K seat had been changed to the L in the row behind. So now they're not sitting together any longer, they're both sitting in window seats one behind the other. On a 10 hour flight. And of course now the seat map doesn't show any more two seats together on the side. So I called UA and was informed that it must have happened because of a schedule change. The only schedule change to Flight 15 since ticketing that I am aware of is that the flight time was moved up one hour. There has been no change to the equipment or the Flight Number. It makes absolutely no sense whatsoever that the seats in a reservation would be changed like this because of a minor schedule change. From my experience, even when there is an equipment change the system default position is to keep two people on a reservation together unless it is impossible for whatever reason. I mean given a choice who in their right mind would put passengers flying together behind each other in different rows?
After being told that the only way they could sit together would be in a middle seat and an aisle seat, I asked to speak with a Supervisor. Following an extensive time on hold, a Supervisor came on and informed me quite forcefully that no one who flies UA has a guaranteed seat assignment and that UA can put its passengers, even Global Service members (which I am a long way from), in any seat United wants to. She claimed that their computer must have switched the seats when they did the schedule change. I told her how irrational that explanation was, and pointed out that there was another more likely explanation which is that a UA employee made the change to accomodate someone else. I once had that done to me on another airline in a very obvious manner to accomodate an airline employee who wanted an empty seat next to her in first class. She acknowledged that was certainly a possibility while becoming increasingly hostile, and she refused to consider any accomodation (like a re-routing) other than keeping the seats they have or moving together into center and aisle seats.
So I guess that's it unless someone has any suggestions. The friendly skies sure aren't what they used to be.
The only things I can suggest are:
1. To keep checking the seat map to see if anything satisfactory opens up.
2. Shell out $10 for a month's subscription to Experflyer.com, which among other things has a function that sends you an email alert if the seats you're seeking open up.
Hope it all works out.
May 3, 2012, 6:58 pm
#96
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: SEA/YVR/BLI
Programs: UA "Lifetime" Gold, AS MVPG100K, OW Emerald, HH Lifetime Diamond, IC Plat, Marriott Gold, Hertz Gold
Posts: 9,490
Encountering the same problem
I've been riding herd on somebody else's res because I sponsored a SWU.
Not only has that not cleared (with C seats mysteriously disappearing) but his window seat keeps getting changed back to a middle seat on the TATL leg. I've called the Premier Line four separate times in the past 24 hours after he and I have changed it ourselves repeatedly and agents have acknowledged there are "issues."
On the most recent call the agent put me on hold and checked thoroughly, taking 20 minutes or so. She says there are problems in the system but believes the pax is now definitely in the window seat.
I have no confidence, of course, but at least the employees have been friendly and responsive. That'll be of little consolation if a husky 1K is stuck in a middle seat for a 10-hour flight.
Not only has that not cleared (with C seats mysteriously disappearing) but his window seat keeps getting changed back to a middle seat on the TATL leg. I've called the Premier Line four separate times in the past 24 hours after he and I have changed it ourselves repeatedly and agents have acknowledged there are "issues."
On the most recent call the agent put me on hold and checked thoroughly, taking 20 minutes or so. She says there are problems in the system but believes the pax is now definitely in the window seat.
I have no confidence, of course, but at least the employees have been friendly and responsive. That'll be of little consolation if a husky 1K is stuck in a middle seat for a 10-hour flight.
May 3, 2012, 8:54 pm
#97
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 537
Originally Posted by goalie:18504482
Ugh! Seat changed from 3E to 1F on A320 IAD-SFO tomorrow. What makes it even worse is that the new person in 3E was an upgrade per the mobile site. Thanks Cha, C for taking my seat! I can understand aircraft swap, Air Marshal, Family, VIP, but come on. I have a paid A ticket and get bumped from an upgrade. Off to the window seat for me...
, I think that you very well might have been FAM'd as on a 320, the pair will generally take 2 aisle left side and 3 aisle right side and "the seat change" will generally happen at T-24/48 plus there's the route you are on 
.So, back to blaming United shenanigans.
May 3, 2012, 9:01 pm
#98
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: SEA/YVR/BLI
Programs: UA "Lifetime" Gold, AS MVPG100K, OW Emerald, HH Lifetime Diamond, IC Plat, Marriott Gold, Hertz Gold
Posts: 9,490
After the earlier situation I posted above, we reviewed our own seat assignments for upcoming flights. We discovered I've been moved downstairs out of the UD next to Mrs. Fredd SFO-SYD, from forward-facing UD aisle to rear-facing lower deck window. We selected those seats in February.
The woman at the Premier Line was sympathetic but said there was nothing she could do. She muttered something about the computer changing seats.
The woman at the Premier Line was sympathetic but said there was nothing she could do. She muttered something about the computer changing seats.
May 3, 2012, 9:16 pm
#99
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 57,603
Did Shares do this to pmCO customers? I find it hard to fathom why, in 2012, United can't seem to deploy a PSS that can't protect passenger seat selections.
May 3, 2012, 9:19 pm
#100
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: SEA/YVR/BLI
Programs: UA "Lifetime" Gold, AS MVPG100K, OW Emerald, HH Lifetime Diamond, IC Plat, Marriott Gold, Hertz Gold
Posts: 9,490
May 3, 2012, 9:54 pm
#101
Join Date: May 2006
Location: DC
Programs: AA Exec Plat, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plat
Posts: 597
This is a good UA seat switch. IAD-FRA last week, SWU from B to F cleared a week in advance. Reserved 2A. Showed up ad they had me re-seated in the pilot's sleep seat--the one with the big blue curtain. F was also full. The attendant took my ticket, disappeared for 15 minuted, came back and whispered something to the lady in 3E, she got up ad I got get seat. Totally funky. How could their computer even put me in the pilot sleep seat to begin with?
May 3, 2012, 10:27 pm
#102
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 31
Outbound to Singapore 4/5/2012 (LAX-NRT-SIN), my C seat that had been selected online and reserved for a month and a half had been inexplicably changed when I went to OLCI. Still in C, still an aisle seat, but moved from 9C to 10H...Since I ended up in an aisle seat anyway, I wasn't overly worried, but I would have been severely chapped if I had been arbitrarily moved from my chosen seat into a middle seat or into an aisle seat next to the lavatories...
May 6, 2012, 8:52 am
#103
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 10,969
Losing 17C on Old 777 Config - Why? / ACI/Res Show Different Seats
I am checking in for a trip I booked a while ago. For the longest, I have 17C for the intra-Asia segment. This morning, it moved me to 23C.
17C is still available and the system lets me move back to it. The agent also sees it. However, when I go back to it online, it shows the new 23C.
I know the new 77Qs do not have 17C but the equipment still shows 777 both online and ualcargo.com
I called again and the agent said they have been having problems and went off to look at "the manifest" She came back after a long time and said their was an aircraft change. Then she said she was looking at the wrong flight and there was no aircraft change. She said my 17C was no longer available and put m in 17G. I logged off and logged back online and it still shows the 23C assignment
When I tried to check in, I was able to grab 17C. However, I also got the "This is Not a Boarding Pass" message at the end due to the international nature of the flight.
I thought on SHARES, there is no more difference between the Reservation side and the Departure Management (DM) side - the ACI part is part of the reservation system? How come I got moved and why they seem to be out of sync now?
Thanks.
17C is still available and the system lets me move back to it. The agent also sees it. However, when I go back to it online, it shows the new 23C.
I know the new 77Qs do not have 17C but the equipment still shows 777 both online and ualcargo.com
I called again and the agent said they have been having problems and went off to look at "the manifest" She came back after a long time and said their was an aircraft change. Then she said she was looking at the wrong flight and there was no aircraft change. She said my 17C was no longer available and put m in 17G. I logged off and logged back online and it still shows the 23C assignment
When I tried to check in, I was able to grab 17C. However, I also got the "This is Not a Boarding Pass" message at the end due to the international nature of the flight.
I thought on SHARES, there is no more difference between the Reservation side and the Departure Management (DM) side - the ACI part is part of the reservation system? How come I got moved and why they seem to be out of sync now?
Thanks.
May 8, 2012, 7:52 am
#104
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: where the chile is hot
Programs: AA,RR,NW,Delta ,UA,CO
Posts: 41,700
Is this how the upgrade process works now?
I usually fly PMCO international itineraries, so I don't have much experience with domestic upgrades (plat status).
I checked my domestic itinerary this morning (flying on Friday). My seat assignment for the first leg was gone and there were no seats left in coach. All other seat assignments were the same.
I tried selecting a seat in business and it appears to have been accepted (although now I'll have to keep checking to make sure it doesn't disappear again).
Is this how the system worked on PMUA? is it how it works now?
I checked my domestic itinerary this morning (flying on Friday). My seat assignment for the first leg was gone and there were no seats left in coach. All other seat assignments were the same.
I tried selecting a seat in business and it appears to have been accepted (although now I'll have to keep checking to make sure it doesn't disappear again).
Is this how the system worked on PMUA? is it how it works now?
May 9, 2012, 4:32 pm
#105
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: SFO, BDL
Programs: UA 1K, AA Plat, CX GR, Hilton Diamond, Global Entry
Posts: 963
Had my seat changed from 1B to 2B on a 737-700 flight. Weird thing is that it seems like throughout the day the changed seemed to filter thru the system, i.e. beginning of the day some screens said 1B, others said 2B. By the end of the day 2B everywhere. I am thinking I got FAMed...just a feeling, no way to support my theory.