Sep 2, 2016, 11:05 am
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
No E- seats available but E+ has seats, what will happen? Short answer: You will be assigned a seat at check-in, potentially in E+.
At times, those in non-Economy Plus (nicknamed E- on FT) will find nothing available for advance seat assignments. This could be for a couple of reasons, such as Silver elites have booked E- seats or UA may be blocking E- seats for gate assignments, especially to address family groups. Also the sales profile for E+/E- does not match the physical seatmap. UA sells economy as a single cabin, with E+/E- having the same fare classes. So UA will manage all economy sales as a single cabin and those without seat assignments will be handled at the Gate. If needed, seats in the E+ section will be used, at no additional cost, to seat the passenger.
Does this mean those without seat assignments are guaranteed or even most likely to get "free" E+? While may happen, it is far from a guaranteed. There are many reasons that E- seats will become available at the gate
Does it make sense if E- looks full (and E+ is open) not to make an seat assignment in hopes of getting "free" E+?
This may work but the risk is E- seats do open up at the gate and you get a terrible E- seat assignment. Of course, if your choice is already bad E- seats then there's much less downside.
How will the overflow (if that happens) be seated in E+ ?
There is no know proscribed process. Many GAs will fill E+ starting at the front and working back. Some, if there is enough space, will leave middles open. But there is nothing one can be guaranteed. Some passengers may try to request certain seats, including exit rows.
Preferred Seats
Preferred seats are free access at booking for all elites and certain corporate partners. That seating become free to anyone at check-in
At times, those in non-Economy Plus (nicknamed E- on FT) will find nothing available for advance seat assignments. This could be for a couple of reasons, such as Silver elites have booked E- seats or UA may be blocking E- seats for gate assignments, especially to address family groups. Also the sales profile for E+/E- does not match the physical seatmap. UA sells economy as a single cabin, with E+/E- having the same fare classes. So UA will manage all economy sales as a single cabin and those without seat assignments will be handled at the Gate. If needed, seats in the E+ section will be used, at no additional cost, to seat the passenger.
Does this mean those without seat assignments are guaranteed or even most likely to get "free" E+? While may happen, it is far from a guaranteed. There are many reasons that E- seats will become available at the gate
- Some E- passengers at check-in may take up UA’s E+ offer.
- UA Premier Silvers elites can move from E- to E+ for free at check-in.
- Preferred seating opens up to everyone at check-in
- No shows for personal reasons or disrupted travel plans will free up seats.
- If UA was blocking E- seats, they will become available at the gate,
Does it make sense if E- looks full (and E+ is open) not to make an seat assignment in hopes of getting "free" E+?
This may work but the risk is E- seats do open up at the gate and you get a terrible E- seat assignment. Of course, if your choice is already bad E- seats then there's much less downside.
How will the overflow (if that happens) be seated in E+ ?
There is no know proscribed process. Many GAs will fill E+ starting at the front and working back. Some, if there is enough space, will leave middles open. But there is nothing one can be guaranteed. Some passengers may try to request certain seats, including exit rows.
Preferred Seats
Preferred seats are free access at booking for all elites and certain corporate partners. That seating become free to anyone at check-in
No E- seats available but E+ has seats, what will happen?
Jan 9, 2022, 9:55 am
#391
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 59
So, you mean there is an actual chance they would split us up completely 1+1+1? or just that we would be split 2+1 with either myself or my wife with our infant? Considering he'll be in a car seat and needs one of us next to him, what would happen in a world where they truly only have scattered individual seats left in the plane? We'd have to switch flights? Or just not travel?
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Jan 9, 2022 at 2:10 pm Reason: removed duplicate post
Jan 9, 2022, 9:59 am
#392
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So, you mean there is an actual chance they would split us up completely 1+1+1? or just that we would be split 2+1 with either myself or my wife with our infant? Considering he'll be in a car seat and needs one of us next to him, what would happen in a world where they truly only have scattered individual seats left in the plane? We'd have to switch flights? Or just not travel?
Jan 9, 2022, 10:04 am
#393
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 59
The gate agent will try to accomodate, but cannot guarantee any seats together. If there are no seat pairs and nobody is willing to move, you would have either of those options. If you really need to fly (high-demand destination, holiday weekend, short notice), it's best not to play seat roulette.
Got it - so the return flight literally has only single seats and then one row of economy plus .. in this case you'd say either pay up for economy plus or find a different flight?
Jan 9, 2022, 10:17 am
#394
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Jan 9, 2022, 10:39 am
#395
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 59
Thanks - big surprise - when I went through to book the flight a row of 3 seats magically appeared when I got to the seat selection screen. Fwiw I called United before I booked to ask about this and the agent said that given the age of my child I can book the flight without selecting seats and then call them back and they would assign seats to us now rather than chancing it at the gate.
Jan 9, 2022, 11:16 am
#396
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They will not expect a 1yr old to sit alone. It will be arranged so that at least one parent is seated next to the child. If the child is in a child seat, that seat will have to be a window seat.
Mar 14, 2022, 5:22 pm
#397
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Denver
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Posts: 425
Only Economy Plus seating available...
My wife and I are flying DEN - SEA on United with tickets purchased through the cruise line for our trip in early May. We got the confirmation and went to reserve seats and the only ones available are a single (free) seat at the rear of the plane in economy along with almost all Premium Economy seats ($70/each). What will happen if I wait until the day of the trip to select seats?
Mar 14, 2022, 5:38 pm
#399
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: HNL
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My wife and I are flying DEN - SEA on United with tickets purchased through the cruise line for our trip in early May. We got the confirmation and went to reserve seats and the only ones available are a single (free) seat at the rear of the plane in economy along with almost all Premium Economy seats ($70/each). What will happen if I wait until the day of the trip to select seats?
Mar 14, 2022, 6:35 pm
#400
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 843
For DEN-SEA, premium economy will not be an option (even if flown by a widebody with PE seats). E+ would be the only thing officially sold. Haven’t looked at the schedule, so I don’t know if there would even be any widebodies on that route (which are the only places with actual PE).
Mar 14, 2022, 6:48 pm
#401
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For DEN-SEA, premium economy will not be an option (even if flown by a widebody with PE seats). E+ would be the only thing officially sold. Haven’t looked at the schedule, so I don’t know if there would even be any widebodies on that route (which are the only places with actual PE).
Mar 14, 2022, 6:59 pm
#402
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Mar 15, 2022, 9:15 am
#404
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If you do not purchase a seat assignment in Economy Plus, you will be assigned seats at check-in, or potentially at the gate.
If there are only E+ seats remaining at this point, you could be assigned them free of charge. However, Premier Silver members will be able to move into E+ at check-in and there is often a decent amount of churn close to departure, so there is a significant probability of being assigned two random seats in the back.
If there are only E+ seats remaining at this point, you could be assigned them free of charge. However, Premier Silver members will be able to move into E+ at check-in and there is often a decent amount of churn close to departure, so there is a significant probability of being assigned two random seats in the back.
Mar 15, 2022, 9:25 am
#405
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