jsloan

If the tickets were "really cheap" you did not pay "full fare."

Oh, how I wish I could just go onto the seat map and move you! I must not know the right people at United. [/s]. (No, this is not happening).

Yes, extremely so.

You didn't "[pay] full price," nor should that matter one iota, but, no, it's not.

No, because the ticket for a sports event, concert, or theater is a contract for that seat. The ticket for UA Polaris is a contract for that cabin. As UA does not charge for seat reservations in Polaris, there are no damages incurred when they move you.

They will not be able to give you a reason, particularly when you've rejected the most likely reason out of hand -- equipment changes. (Not necessarily passenger-visible equipment changes). If you'd like to call it "bad back-end IT," feel free (although the UA app is much nicer than the DL app, IMO, so it's not bad IT throughout the entire company).

Sure you do. You have plenty of options. Some of them require connections. That doesn't mean there's not an option.

No, of course not.

No; for most passengers who would pay the kind of prices they want for last-minute travel -- actual full fare -- the specific seat available doesn't matter nearly as much as the schedule.

The relevant thread has over 300 posts: Random seat changes to UA itineraries after having an assigned seat [Consolidated]

And here is the applicable rule in the Contract of Carriage, which you agreed to when you purchased the ticket: https://www.united.com/en/us/fly/con...ge.html#rule-4 (note item D):
I'm sympathetic -- I was livid when AA took away my exit row seat a few weeks ago, and then the agents lied to my face and told me I'd never had one -- but you're off-base here. I've had my seat assignment on UA change also, more than once. It's not about status, or trying to move passengers around for more money, or anything else. It might be about needing to seat a passenger with a minor child (less likely in A) or needing access to a bassinet; it might be an accommodation needed for someone who called the accessibility desk; it might be a Federal Air Marshal (in which case, they couldn't tell you anyway). The most likely thing, though, is that there have been multiple equipment swaps, and UA does a really poor job of putting people back into similar seats.

ironmanjt

....what is it? "Full" fare/price or "really cheap?" FYI "full" fare to Europe is usually over $10,000...

That said, IAD-BRU has been on the 777-300ER for a long time now, so I doubt this is due to a plane change. I've had 1K or GS status with United for over 20 years, and never once have they agreed to move someone for me. The only people that they might do this for are Federal Air Marshalls (uncommon international) or maybe Tom the guy with 20,000,000+ lifetime UA miles

They just don't unseat people for no reason, and sounds awful this keeps happening to you. Plane change would be the most common, but that's unlikely since this route has had the same plane since way before you booked.

That said: I've done over 500 transatlantic flights with United since 2010, and never once have they changed my seat except for an aircraft change. Something strange is going on with your reservation. I wish I had an answer, but don't. Unfortunately, United like most other companies doesn't have great customer service anymore...it's a sign of the times we live in.

chromedome00

I didn't see the thread you referenced or I would have posted there. I booked on United in advance, but regardless of your opinion I paid full fare - no discounts, specials, miles, points - booked 3 tickets expected to still have my seats. As I mentioned above - Delta Diamond/Platinum for years, 1M miles, etc - not my first rodeo, but the first time i have been moved 5-6 times with no reason why and no attempt to keep our party together or anything else.

I see now this is a known issue - I don't agree that I am off base - changed once for a valid reason I get, but changed multiple times - come on. I won't fly AA due to being bumped for a pilot one time - no choice. So in terms of US air carriers, I guess i have to stick with Delta and pay a premium.

IAH-OIL-TRASH

You buy transportation from an airline, not a specific seat. This is true of all airlines and it is spelled out in the contract of carriage you agree to when you purchase tickets from any airline. At a sporting event, you are actually buying a specific seat. Your example is not relevant. Your seat choice is preference which usually holds unless an aircraft is swapped. Seats do not change 1:1 necessarily. No, United does not move people to give them to status passengers and, no, they do not move them to make better seats available for other buyers. I can understand your annoyance, but no need to accuse UA of targeting you and your seats on purpose.

jsloan

No worries -- the only way that I can find threads here is that I know what they're called already.

It's not an opinion. You did not book "full fare," Full fare is a term of art in the industry which refers to an unrestricted, generally fully-refundable ticket that can be used on any flight with that airline provided that there's a seat available. Most full fare tickets are very expensive -- multiples of what you likely paid.

I'm not saying you should be happy with the service you've received. I'm just saying that your reasoning comes off as something akin to "let those lousy cheapskate upgraders move around, I paid for my ticket!" In reality, UA treats people who have paid cash and people who have upgraded more-or-less equally. You could argue that's more-or-less equally poorly, but it's still more-or-less equally.

One they start swapping a flight around, it often seems to get additional attention... like one disruption is a magnet for the next or something.

narvik

Having United change someone's seats so often is rare. Very rare. It can happen occasionally though for various reasons as described in several replies in this thread.
Maybe you were so unlucky on this flight, that you had multiple of those scenarios occur?

It's a definition issue. Your fare class was already discounted, and it wasn't a full fare ticket class.
It's something like this:

• J Full Fare Business
• C Discount Business
• D Discount Business
• Z Deep Discount Business
• P Deep Discount Business

Furthermore, the service you receive (meals, seat selection, etc.) is identical whether you paid for the ticket (and fare class is also irrelevant) or used award miles, or an upgrade instrument.
And AFAIAC, that is also exactly how it ought to be.

DLATL777

re: the term "full price"-I gotta assume here he just meant paid business, and didn't secure business through an upgrade instrument or otherwise. I think "full price" in the modern area to many who aren't familiar with J/C/F etc just means they paid for the product outright.

chromedome00

I did mention further down in the thread that I see that some of the seats I or my family members were moved to are still open now that I have been moved back - and that it may be a glitch in the system as a rep mentioned.

You are entitled to your opinion - I have been flying for 20 years - I have never experienced this. So yes, my initial impulse is to make an assumption when the CSR has no knowledge of anything.

And yes, my example is not 100% relevant - but if there is no plan to honor the seat you pick, then let us choose SWA style and line up early. Why not make everyone enter Thunderdome then?

I posted because I was annoyed - I know there is nothing anyone can do here, and I know I was using my own theories as there are no facts shared by United. But no one here can prove that my seats were not taken by someone with status. Yeah, flame me about proving a negative, i know.

And yes - full price - no miles, credits, coupons, specials - advertised cash price on United.com. I said it was cheap because it was a fraction of Delta and others - maybe it was mispriced. But it was United's advertised fare.

Thanks for the constructive comments and commiseration for those that replied. Will see if my seats change again tomorrow.

EDIT: I just reviewed the random seat assignment thread - It is not a sticky (maybe it should be) so I started this new thread. I see this issue has been going on for years. I guess I will have to cautious flying United if I care about the seat I select.

jackk763

What’s being described is extremely rare.

chromedome00

23 pages of people dating back years until a few days ago - many with no equipment swap. It doesn't look that rare - and it has happened to us 5 times alreay - 4 times outbound, 1 time on the return - only the international flights.

Kacee

Agreed.

Random seat changes are less common than they used to be but they do happen. What's extremely unusual is to have it happen multiple times on a single reservation. I can't recall any reports, ever, of random seat changes 5-6 times on a single UA reservation.

jp12687

required seating for deadheading crew? I think they can only sit in certain seats

mduell

Regardless of what you paid or think you paid, yes, this is unfortunately an issue on UA with some frequency.

IAH-OIL-TRASH

Another irrelevant fact / I know people who have been flying 30 years that are clueless.

The reality is the vast majority of United customers end up in the seats they’ve chosen. If you think your version of how UA works is reality, there are other choices. No point in supporting an airline that you think is moving everyone around all the time.

jackk763

Ever changing seat assignments is not part of what one usually experiences on UA. Bad food? Yes. Surly FAs? Yes. But you are so exceptionally unlucky on this itinerary that you should probably buy a lottery ticket.