UA Seat Blocking FAQ (for those with disabilities, ...) [Consolidated]
 

So, United blocks 2-6 seats on many flights for assignment to disabled customers. Sometimes these are good seats. You can't put yourself in these seats until OLCI.

A couple times, when I've called to change flights, even though it's before OLCI time, a phone agent has offered to put me in these seats. They've always given me a disclaimer about maybe needing to move to accommodate disabled pax.

So, here's my question: have people had success just calling and outright asking to be put in blocked seats?

I've never encountered blocked seats for disabled passengers.

What aircraft types are you experiencing this on?

I have -- when on crutches for a few months last year and I believe it was the Airbus that had blocked bulkhead seats -- I was calling to re-used a cancelled credit (due to the injury) and intial the agent offer a middle E+ and when i mentioned the injury, the agent offered the bulkhead seats stating that we blocked until T-24. PMUA had this policy also
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...cked-a319.html

UA is currently blocking J exit rows on old config ps. But since these are exit rows, should not be used by disabled pax.

E170 3CD and possibly 3AB.

7DE on pretty much every Airbus and 737...I check in right at T-24 to get 7D on those flights

6AB on the UA 777

I'm sure there are others

Some 752's as well. (UA 55 on September 7 is a good example).

Don't believe 3A/B are blocked. I've always been able to select them at booking. C/D may be because of a third oxygen mask for lap-held kids..

8 D / E on the pmCO 757

Yes, they are extremely common. If folks haven't noticed them, it's because they haven't been looking (or don't know how to look). In addition to the good ones in E+ mentioned above, there's often one or two pairs in E-.

So, has anyone ever got them by calling in with no good reason? :D

I've got this problem with a couple of flights to/from Asia - I can put myself in them on the site, but when I hit "continue", they bounce back. I called and they were unable to put me in the seats. Going to try again pretty soon...

No, they aren't. Those seats are only available to Gold members and above. If logged in as such, they are available (or already taken).

I guess I am lucky I don't fly regional jets.

Makes me wonder if this is a post-merger issue. I never had a problem booking those seats on UA when UA was UA.

No, those are pilot rest seats.

Re 6A+B on 777. I thought so too, but they become available a few days before and I always get one of them. Can't watch them on EF becasue they don't even exsit -- have to do it the old fashioned way. I believe the pilots get FC?

They are not supposed to give you the blocked seats over the phone. The seats ARE blocked for disabled passengers. I sometimes travel with a disabled relative and know this for sure. If you happen to get in a blocked seat, you will be moved if a disabled person needs the seat. You may be moved to the last row on the plane.

Go ahead and select from the available seating in advance and talk to the GA about when they will release the seat before flight closure & ask for that seat if they release it.

Domestically, at least, the seats get released at OLCI. I'm well aware of the issue of being moved, but it's not a very serious concern for me, because I've rarely seen a seatmap with no good seats available close to go-time, for the routes I fly. (See also, the Silver experiences thread.)