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)
Apr 19, 2015, 9:10 am
#166
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Denver, CO, USA
Posts: 255
Selection Appears Bucket-Based
Last week flew FRA-DRS (Dresden) on LH after/before FRA-US return on UA metal. Bought FRA-DRS-FRA separately and later on united.com (priced same as LHusa.com). Purchased as LH 210 and 211 .bomb, not code-shares. Went to LHusa for seats. Outbound in H, no charge; inbound T with charge. Plastic accepted by LH (have LH account, not M&M though). No problems.
Apr 19, 2015, 3:29 pm
#167
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS/EAP
Programs: UA 1K, MR LTT, HH Dia, Amex Plat
Posts: 32,048
Last week flew FRA-DRS (Dresden) on LH after/before FRA-US return on UA metal. Bought FRA-DRS-FRA separately and later on united.com (priced same as LHusa.com). Purchased as LH 210 and 211 .bomb, not code-shares. Went to LHusa for seats. Outbound in H, no charge; inbound T with charge. Plastic accepted by LH (have LH account, not M&M though). No problems.
Apr 20, 2015, 7:22 am
#169
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 14,889
No Lufthansa Advance Economy Seat Selection on United Ticket Stock
Interesting, that now you can select seats/pay for them on infra-EU flights. A year or so ago, this was not possible on LH, even if you wanted to pay.
Apr 20, 2015, 3:26 pm
#170
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: 4éme
Posts: 12,042
May 18, 2015, 8:11 pm
#171
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 553
I have a flight booked on UA stock -- UA flight connecting to LH. When I enter the LH confirmation number on LH's site and try to select seats, all the seats are shown as selected (which seems unlikely, since the flight is in December). So there's nothing to select (and I can't pay even if I wanted to).
Does anyone have recent experience in this situation? I'm going to call but wanted to check to see if anyone had insight into this before I do that.
Does anyone have recent experience in this situation? I'm going to call but wanted to check to see if anyone had insight into this before I do that.
May 18, 2015, 8:39 pm
#172
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: 4éme
Posts: 12,042
I have an upcoming UA trip that is on 016 stock that has 2 LH segments with one being a L fare and the other being a V fare. I was able to select seats on the LH website for both segments. I had to pay for my selection for the L fare but the V fare selection was free. I booked this trip about a month ago.
May 20, 2015, 10:04 am
#173
Join Date: May 2004
Location: US
Programs: UA Lifetime Gold, IHG Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 973
I have the same question, my first flight is on UA metal and the second on LH metal. Will I be able to get seat assignment upon check-in (if it is outside the 23 hr LH flight window, but within the 24 hr UA window).
May 20, 2015, 2:37 pm
#174
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 553
I called LH, and the agent saw the same thing I did -- all seats blocked and unable to make a selection. She wasn't sure why some codeshare flights were like this and why people are able to pre-book seats with others. Might try again as the flight gets closer -- it's a few hours and would be nice to not be near the lavs!
And since it might make a difference, this is on the outbound segment of the trip -- it's a UA flight connecting to an LH flight (with a UA flight number, but it's operated by LH).
If anyone else has any other tips or insight, it'd be helpful.
And since it might make a difference, this is on the outbound segment of the trip -- it's a UA flight connecting to an LH flight (with a UA flight number, but it's operated by LH).
If anyone else has any other tips or insight, it'd be helpful.
May 29, 2015, 9:58 pm
#176
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,455
An award ticket (fare class X) still gets advance seat assignment (where available).
Suggest you read the wiki.
May 29, 2015, 10:12 pm
#177
Join Date: Dec 2008
Programs: UAL 1K, SPG Plat, Hilton Gold, GHA Black, Hertz 5*
Posts: 57
I'm traveling on 016 stock UA IAD to FRA, LH FRA to BCN with my family which includes two kids age 9 and 11 in Aug. I cannot get advanced seats, either via UA or LH, website or by phone, even if I'm willing to pay more. I'm concerned that at 24 hours there will no longer be 4 seats together (or maybe even 2 sets of 2). Does LH really expect my two kids to sit by themselves on the first trip to Europe? It seems that *G means nothing anymore. What good is *A?
May 31, 2015, 4:29 pm
#178
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: BOS
Programs: UA Platnium, TK Elite Plus
Posts: 134
So I'm traveling in a few days on: BOS-ORD-FRA-DUB on UA tickets. The over water and inside Europe flights are on LH. Will I be able to select LH seats at UA checkin (I doubt it)? If not how can I go about selecting the seats I want for the LH flights? Thanks.
May 31, 2015, 4:51 pm
#179
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: 4éme
Posts: 12,042
You can access your reservation on the LH site and I believe you can select your seats at T-24.
I find it interesting that LH will show your UA seats and apparently let you select UA seats on their site but UA can't do this for LH flights.
May 31, 2015, 4:53 pm
#180
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: BOS
Programs: UA Platnium, TK Elite Plus
Posts: 134
Yes it is interesting that LH allows you to choose seats on UA but you don't have to pay to select seats on UA outside of the checkin window.