Jul 31, 2014, 8:50 am
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Eligibility for Seat assignments are based on booking class and route length. In general, if you book a Y B M U H X Q V fare (or business or first class), you can get a free seat assignment on any ticket stock. If you book lower economy fares, you have to pay for seat assignment. In either case, you need to pay for a seat with extra leg room. See Lufthansa Seat reservations for Economy Class travelers for more specific conditions.
LH can't process payments if your ticket is not booked with LH stock, so if your seat assignment would require a payment, you simply can not get an advance seat assignment if you book through United (or any airline other than LH). Tickets booked on 016 stock appear to be able to get a seat assignment with payment, if the flight is booked on the LH flight number (but not if booked as a UA codeshare), but it may require calling to get this.
Even when eligible, seat assignments are not usually available on the LH website due to perpetual "technical difficulties" however they can be reserved by calling LH at either 800-645-3880 or 866-846-4283.
There have been reports that any change in the ticket may cause the seat assignment to be cleared. Therefore, it is recommended to check seat assignments if something is done to the reservation.
In LH forum -- Seat Reservations on LH flights when booked through UA [merged]
LH can't process payments if your ticket is not booked with LH stock, so if your seat assignment would require a payment, you simply can not get an advance seat assignment if you book through United (or any airline other than LH). Tickets booked on 016 stock appear to be able to get a seat assignment with payment, if the flight is booked on the LH flight number (but not if booked as a UA codeshare), but it may require calling to get this.
Even when eligible, seat assignments are not usually available on the LH website due to perpetual "technical difficulties" however they can be reserved by calling LH at either 800-645-3880 or 866-846-4283.
There have been reports that any change in the ticket may cause the seat assignment to be cleared. Therefore, it is recommended to check seat assignments if something is done to the reservation.
In LH forum -- Seat Reservations on LH flights when booked through UA [merged]
No Advance LH Discount Economy seat selection & other seating issues w/ UA Tkts (016)
Sep 12, 2014, 9:31 am
#106
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: BRI
Programs: UA Premier Gold, DL FO, DL MM, Marriott Gold, Hyatt platinum
Posts: 914
If you do get a seat assignment, keep checking to make sure it holds. I got the J seat I wanted recently, but the LH system somehow kept moving me to different seats that, from my perspective, were far less desirable
Sep 12, 2014, 9:48 am
#107
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 290
i've been able to get seat assignments in LH Economy on an award ticket as recently as this week by calling in (to LH). also, you might try pulling the reservation up on Austrian (not sure if this only works if you have OS flights in the itinerary), but note you are only allowed to do it ONCE. once you select seats you can't do it again via their website.
Sep 16, 2014, 3:41 pm
#108
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 3
Long-time lurker who just registered today to contribute to this thread since it helped me. I don't have big news, but just confirming what some others have said. I have United rewards tickets, flying from CDG-FRA-IAD on LH (fare class X). I've been checking in to see if I can get seat assignments on-line, but nothing doing. So I just called the toll-free number and was on the phone for less than 5 minutes with a very nice gentleman who assigned seats for both legs. I had an email confirmation in less than a minute. I will check back, though, since others have noted seat changes, but I was glad this was so easy.
Sep 22, 2014, 4:33 pm
#109
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: ORD
Programs: UA Gold, WN A+, WN CP
Posts: 12
Long-time lurker who just registered today to contribute to this thread since it helped me. I don't have big news, but just confirming what some others have said. I have United rewards tickets, flying from CDG-FRA-IAD on LH (fare class X). I've been checking in to see if I can get seat assignments on-line, but nothing doing. So I just called the toll-free number and was on the phone for less than 5 minutes with a very nice gentleman who assigned seats for both legs. I had an email confirmation in less than a minute. I will check back, though, since others have noted seat changes, but I was glad this was so easy.
Sep 22, 2014, 4:55 pm
#110
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: CO
Programs: UA OG-1K, Marriott Plat, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,360
Long-time lurker who just registered today to contribute to this thread since it helped me. I don't have big news, but just confirming what some others have said. I have United rewards tickets, flying from CDG-FRA-IAD on LH (fare class X). I've been checking in to see if I can get seat assignments on-line, but nothing doing. So I just called the toll-free number and was on the phone for less than 5 minutes with a very nice gentleman who assigned seats for both legs. I had an email confirmation in less than a minute. I will check back, though, since others have noted seat changes, but I was glad this was so easy.
Oct 6, 2014, 8:41 am
#111
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 3
Oct 6, 2014, 9:00 am
#112
Join Date: Jun 2014
Programs: UA MM
Posts: 4,133
Similar situation on LH subsidiary OS. Made seat assignments by phone and was given bulkhead J (award) on A321 a few months ago. Just found out today that I was kicked out of row 1. Called OS and was told those are "airport checkin only". Ummm, must have been a technical glitch that allowed the prior CS agent to assign those seats to me.
Oct 9, 2014, 10:20 am
#113
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Fremont, CA
Programs: UA *1K
Posts: 18
My question is, can you call LH on a *Gold award ticket and get Economy+ seat assignment? Has anyone been able to do that? I am flying SFO-FRA-BOM in a few days and would like to get Economy+ on the LH segment (duh!).
Oct 9, 2014, 10:59 am
#114
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: WAS/ BOM
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold
Posts: 1,567
They dont have an Economy + on LH flights. They just introduced Premium Economy which is true Premium Economy and not what UA has. So to answer your question - No as they dont have what you seek.
Oct 9, 2014, 12:50 pm
#116
Join Date: Feb 2014
Programs: UA Gold, WN A-List, Marriott Plat, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 68
I was able to select seats on my LH segment (X fare) without issue through the Thai Airways website (the subsequent leg is on Thai, though). I can view the selection when I search for my reservation through TH, UA, and LH now, so I assume it's good. But perhaps you can only use the Thai seat selection tool when you have a Thai segment on the same reservation. I was able to select an LH seat through LOT.com (Polish) for a while, though, despite not having any segments on it.
Oct 26, 2014, 6:39 pm
#117
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: SLC
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 493
So it looks like after a string of pleasant LH TATL experiences (744 first, business on both 747's) I'm going to have my first experience in the back of the bus. Despite my suggestions otherwise my hosts for an upcoming trip booked me on ORD-FRA (the earlier flight) in early Nov in the "T" booking code. I will be connecting from A UA domestic feeder flight.
My question is whether there is a checkin strategy I can adopt that will actually give me SOME level of control on my seat selection for this flight. My understanding is that seat selection is still available (whatever is left) at checkin. If my originating flight was LH that would be great and I'd plan to checkin online as close to T-23 as possible. With my first flight on UA, though, is there anything I can do? Is it possible to still use online checkin for the LH segments, either before or after checking in for the UA flight? Or maybe a phone all to LH after I've checked in through UA?
Any suggestions appreciated. I'm just hoping to be able to avoid a randomly assigned middle seat in the last row...not expecting anything too spectacular!
My question is whether there is a checkin strategy I can adopt that will actually give me SOME level of control on my seat selection for this flight. My understanding is that seat selection is still available (whatever is left) at checkin. If my originating flight was LH that would be great and I'd plan to checkin online as close to T-23 as possible. With my first flight on UA, though, is there anything I can do? Is it possible to still use online checkin for the LH segments, either before or after checking in for the UA flight? Or maybe a phone all to LH after I've checked in through UA?
Any suggestions appreciated. I'm just hoping to be able to avoid a randomly assigned middle seat in the last row...not expecting anything too spectacular!
Oct 27, 2014, 1:04 pm
#119
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Orlando
Programs: DL 4MM/PM, UA 1MM/Gold, AA Paper
Posts: 1,386
I have the same issue as eflyte on an LH flight this Sunday. Depending on how it works out will depend if I book anymore UA code shares on LH. In the meantime if anybody has any check-in strategies I would appreciate you posting them.
