Jan 4, 2015, 2:37 pm
Last edit by: sexykitten7
Archive thread - Random seat changes to UA itineraries after they are booked & purchased [ARCHIVE]
Potential causes {draft list -- needs work}
Potential causes {draft list -- needs work}
- Aircraft equipment changes (appears can be an issue even if the new aircraft is the same type)
- Computer "glitch" -- common explanation, real source unknown
- Weight & Balance issues
- Federal Air Marshal {FAM}
- Seats needed for passenger with medical / disability / .... issues {particularly a bulkhead issue}
- Pet in cabin {no bulkhead}
- Accommodating an high elite or VIP {somewhat unlikely, not standard company policy, and more likely to occur in a premium cabin}
- Accommodating a family group {not very likely and not standard company policy}
Random seat changes to UA itineraries after having an assigned seat [Consolidated]
Sep 25, 2023, 8:59 pm
#361
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,471
I just wanted to report my experiences so far with United Polaris - and we are not even off the ground yet. I am Delta Platinum and past Diamond Medallion - I thought I knew how things worked....
We booked tickets (full fare) on United IAD - BRU as one leg of our journey. I have zero status on United, but I expected that paying full price (I admit they were really cheap though) and picking my seats in May would mean something. Apparently not. 3 of us on the same itinerary all picked window seats in a row on the A side. We have been moved around many times. Each time we discover we call United. One person says they can't do anything, often times their supervisor says no way "operations did this we can't change it" - but if you call back and get a helpful person, they will fix it again.
We got to the point that we were checking our seats every day - yes I know first world problems - but I don't want to sit near the bathroom or galley. The seats are not broken or out of service. I suspect we are getting move for someone with status. I have never experienced a seat change on Delta after I booked my seat. Is this common with United? Even paying on full price on United.com is no guarantee of your seat assignment in Polaris?
Really frustrated and half the people we talk to don't seem to care. Had to vent and share my experience. We have had our seats moved 5 times since May - and not because of equipment changes.
We booked tickets (full fare) on United IAD - BRU as one leg of our journey. I have zero status on United, but I expected that paying full price (I admit they were really cheap though) and picking my seats in May would mean something. Apparently not. 3 of us on the same itinerary all picked window seats in a row on the A side. We have been moved around many times. Each time we discover we call United. One person says they can't do anything, often times their supervisor says no way "operations did this we can't change it" - but if you call back and get a helpful person, they will fix it again.
We got to the point that we were checking our seats every day - yes I know first world problems - but I don't want to sit near the bathroom or galley. The seats are not broken or out of service. I suspect we are getting move for someone with status. I have never experienced a seat change on Delta after I booked my seat. Is this common with United? Even paying on full price on United.com is no guarantee of your seat assignment in Polaris?
Really frustrated and half the people we talk to don't seem to care. Had to vent and share my experience. We have had our seats moved 5 times since May - and not because of equipment changes.
I noticed on a recent roller-coaster of tail swaps that every time a new tail was loaded, my partner and I got sent back to the original seats (randomly assigned, for us — we didn't pick during purchase). They weren't particularly desirable seats, so I had to baby sit it, reselecting the desired seats each time, and ultimately I wound up losing out for one of us (me) when there was one last swap an hour before departure under gate control.
Sep 25, 2023, 9:08 pm
#362
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Atlanta Metro
Programs: DL , AC, BA, Hhonors Gold, IH Platinum, Bonvoy Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 2,360
In my experience, this happens much more frequently on United. They once moved me from my carefully selected aisle seat LAX-SYD . . . to a middle seat.
Sep 25, 2023, 11:42 pm
#363
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Original Poster
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....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.
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.
That was also a "full price" P fare. I think I had UA*S on the booking. My companion was AC*G.
I know it sucks. I'd just be happy that the Polaris seats are all roughly the same. You have aisle access. No one needs to step over you. Sure, there's a window or not. And the odd/even row differences (but if you had 3 window seats in a row, that seems less important to you). I'd certainly write in about this, but likely not until after the flight. Just keep monitoring until then.
And if it makes you feel any better, my experiences on Delta have been substantially more frequent (3 of my 5 lifetime one-way trips), and worse (the new seat was in a different cabin, and I'd paid what you would call "full fare" for the highest cabin (equivalent of a UA P fare for those who are debating the jargon)) than your United experience.
Sep 26, 2023, 12:50 am
#364
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.997MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,859
In essentially 2 Million Miles (BIS, not credit card bonus) I had no seat changes expect for equipement changes, so agree they are no common
Then if needed the thread for you will be Delta changed our seats--more than once - FlyerTalk Forums
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Sep 26, 2023 at 12:57 am Reason: IME
Sep 26, 2023, 6:22 am
#365
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Saipan, MP 96950 USA (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands = the CNMI)
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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.
Many FlyerTalkers routinely "baby sit" their seat assignments on the United App.
Sep 26, 2023, 6:45 am
#366
Join Date: Mar 2005
Programs: UA 1K and PP, AA PPro (3MM, former CK), Marriott Ambassador and LTT, Uber One
Posts: 1,349
Although it may not be official policy, on occasion, UA does change seats to accommodate elite/VIP customers. I am not saying this happens often, but it does happen. Many posters seem to be outright dismissing that as a possibility, and although it may not be likely, it is possible.
Sep 26, 2023, 7:12 am
#367
Join Date: May 2010
Location: AVP & PEK
Programs: UA 1K 1.9MM
Posts: 6,362
I did have a seat change on SK after check-in where they accommodated a family and moved me away from a J window seat. (I've only ever flown SK a handful of times, so I am at 20% seat changes on SAS)
Sep 26, 2023, 7:15 am
#368
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OP also mentioned having booked the trip through an agency.. I wonder if it's possible that some kind of conflict between the computer systems resulted in the agency constantly messing with the assignments.
Sep 26, 2023, 9:01 am
#369
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: anywhere and everywhere
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It would be helpful in this thread to post aircraft type/route. Movements for FAMs domestically happen, and 1A to 2B sounds maybe like that....but not international.
Sep 26, 2023, 9:09 am
#370
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Join Date: Apr 2013
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Sep 26, 2023, 9:09 am
#371
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: anywhere and everywhere
Programs: UA GS, AS MVP 100K, DL Diamond, Marriot Lifetime Titanium, AmEx Centurion
Posts: 5,528
Constructive advice for the OP when working with UA: don't stress the "full fare" argument, because while I've no doubt the tickets were a big expenditure to you, using this lingo is unfortunately tied up with a sense of entitlement you deserve something others don't. Your "full fare" if you saw the rest of the flight would come behind people who paid J/C/D-fare ($8-10,000+ to Europe), elite members who paid the same as you, and possibly even some elite members on lower fares. Focus on the fact that what happened to you is not right, and not that you're entitled to be treated better because you're not an upgrader.
Nov 3, 2023, 9:44 am
#372
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: SFO
Programs: AS 75K (OW), SK Silver (*A), UR, MR
Posts: 3,347
At the gate
Made a reservation a few months ago, noted our seating in the middle of economy in a big aircraft. Reviewed the seating at checkin and noticed we had moved to the next-to-last row in a smaller aircraft. Received no email or text about the change and also noticed that app push notification had been disabled. Is this common?
Then at the gate when one agent scanned my boarding pass when boarding, she passed it on to the other agent for clarification, but otherwise let me through. Going through the jetway I was momentarily puzzled why the boarding pass listed my seat as E. Verifying my wife’s boarding pass, we soon sat down in the A and B that we remembered from before the gate.
Then a man arriving for C was with his wife who he said was to be in my B. I made the dilemma known to a flight attendant, and when I checked my boarding pass in the app, my seat has moved four rows up, in E. Something that must have happened when we waited at the gate, my guess that the man in C requested to sit with his wife, the agent complied and broke up my wife and me in the process.
I received no notification whatsoever of this change, not from any gate agent and not even when my boarding pass was scanned and both agents were looking at it. Is this common?
Then at the gate when one agent scanned my boarding pass when boarding, she passed it on to the other agent for clarification, but otherwise let me through. Going through the jetway I was momentarily puzzled why the boarding pass listed my seat as E. Verifying my wife’s boarding pass, we soon sat down in the A and B that we remembered from before the gate.
Then a man arriving for C was with his wife who he said was to be in my B. I made the dilemma known to a flight attendant, and when I checked my boarding pass in the app, my seat has moved four rows up, in E. Something that must have happened when we waited at the gate, my guess that the man in C requested to sit with his wife, the agent complied and broke up my wife and me in the process.
I received no notification whatsoever of this change, not from any gate agent and not even when my boarding pass was scanned and both agents were looking at it. Is this common?
Nov 3, 2023, 9:48 am
#373
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,419
Made a reservation a few months ago, noted our seating in the middle of economy in a big aircraft. Reviewed the seating at checkin and noticed we had moved to the next-to-last row in a smaller aircraft. Received no email or text about the change and also noticed that app push notification had been disabled. Is this common?
This is one of the risks of a mobile boarding pass. With a paper boarding pass, at least they have to print out a new one, so it becomes obvious when you've been moved.
Last edited by Ocn Vw 1K; Nov 4, 2023 at 9:30 am Reason: To avoid undue personalization per FT Rule 12.
Nov 23, 2023, 8:42 am
#374
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 157
Lost seat assignments?
I had 9A and 9L on my upcoming EWR-LHR flight on Saturday and sometime between yesterday and today I lost my seat assignments. I selected the best available seats, but of course no odd number window seats are available. The support line “made a note for the flight attendants”. Is there anything else I can do to get a better seat back? I’m pretty frustrated this happened as I booked early to ensure I got a good seat. Support is telling be the system will just randomly unassign you?
Nov 23, 2023, 8:50 am
#375
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Chicago
Posts: 1,163
I had 9A and 9L on my upcoming EWR-LHR flight on Saturday and sometime between yesterday and today I lost my seat assignments. I selected the best available seats, but of course no odd number window seats are available. The support line “made a note for the flight attendants”. Is there anything else I can do to get a better seat back? I’m pretty frustrated this happened as I booked early to ensure I got a good seat. Support is telling be the system will just randomly unassign you?