Is United now actively trying to block party of two, window+aisle bookings?
Apr 3, 2021, 3:37 pm
#211
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: JAX
Programs: UA Plat MM, AA Gold MM, Marriott LTT, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 3,770
I check my seat assignments periodically to make sure they have not been changed involuntarily, and I have found our aisle and window occasionally have been changed to aisle and middle. But once I change back, then the assignments stayed.
Apr 3, 2021, 9:05 pm
#212
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Saipan, MP 96950 USA (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands = the CNMI)
Programs: UA Silver, Hilton Silver. Life: UA .57 MM, United & Admirals Clubs (spousal), Marriott Platinum
Posts: 15,058
I have a four-segment one-way award trip via NRT with my wife in ten days that I booked a month ago as a Premier Silver.
We have aisle-aisle preferred economy seats and so far none of them have moved. I check the Android app every few days (noting the so-far plentiful availability of E+).
We have aisle-aisle preferred economy seats and so far none of them have moved. I check the Android app every few days (noting the so-far plentiful availability of E+).
Apr 23, 2021, 4:57 pm
#213
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Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Danville, CA, USA;
Programs: UA 1MM, WN CP, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Gold, IC Plat
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Oops, I did it again (thank you Brittney!)
Just checked September flight, sure enough UA moved me from an aisle to a middle with my son staying on the window. All fixed now.
It's really unfortunate that I have to watch all my rez like a hawk. Thankfully there are not too many yet...
Just checked September flight, sure enough UA moved me from an aisle to a middle with my son staying on the window. All fixed now.
It's really unfortunate that I have to watch all my rez like a hawk. Thankfully there are not too many yet...
Apr 24, 2021, 4:17 pm
#214
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: JAX
Programs: UA Plat MM, AA Gold MM, Marriott LTT, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 3,770
This is a real pain in the a**. It appears that the day before flight, 24-48 hrs is a critical window that seat assignment may be changed.
Apr 24, 2021, 4:37 pm
#215
Join Date: Feb 2015
Programs: united
Posts: 1,636
This is a must these days. My wife's seat assignment got changed last night from window to middle next to my aisle for tomorrow's 2 flights. I changed them back to window before checking in. This afternoon, I saw the connecting flight seat assignment was changed again to middle, so I had to call 1K desk to change the seat (since I couldn't make the change in the app). The worst part was itinerary showed window seat, but seat map showed window open and middle occupied, and boarding pass showed middle seat. So just checking itinerary isn't sufficient.
This is a real pain in the a**. It appears that the day before flight, 24-48 hrs is a critical window that seat assignment may be changed.
This is a real pain in the a**. It appears that the day before flight, 24-48 hrs is a critical window that seat assignment may be changed.
Apr 24, 2021, 5:28 pm
#216
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Location: Danville, CA, USA;
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May 1, 2021, 1:27 am
#217
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Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Danville, CA, USA;
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3 weeks after my last post, I get a "change notice". The only change was the flight number. But sure enough, I have been moved from an aisle to a middle seat. (Sigh) This is getting tedious.
May 5, 2021, 8:52 am
#218
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: ORD
Programs: Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 211
When are basic economy seats allocated? My partner and I reserved a window and an asile towards the back of economy. No one has taken the middle yet. There are maybe 4-5 other middles in economy, a handful of preferred window seats, and a bunch of E+. Are we likely to have a seat mate?
also, do I have to worry about UA switching us to a middle and an aisle at T-24? That’s happened whenever our reservation was changed and I personally prefer window to aisle.
also, do I have to worry about UA switching us to a middle and an aisle at T-24? That’s happened whenever our reservation was changed and I personally prefer window to aisle.
May 5, 2021, 10:55 am
#219
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: IAH
Programs: UA1K, AS Gold 75K, HH Diamond, MR Titanium LT Gold, IHG Platinum, HZ PC, CLEAR
Posts: 341
When are basic economy seats allocated? My partner and I reserved a window and an asile towards the back of economy. No one has taken the middle yet. There are maybe 4-5 other middles in economy, a handful of preferred window seats, and a bunch of E+. Are we likely to have a seat mate?
also, do I have to worry about UA switching us to a middle and an aisle at T-24? That’s happened whenever our reservation was changed and I personally prefer window to aisle.
also, do I have to worry about UA switching us to a middle and an aisle at T-24? That’s happened whenever our reservation was changed and I personally prefer window to aisle.
1st answer second: IME UA assigns BE at T-48 but, you have to remember, UA keeps selling BE up to time of departure. When you look at fare class availabilty, it usually states N9 even when there are no other Y fares available.
These are reasons my wife and I now only reserve aisle across aisle, usually exit row.
May 5, 2021, 11:17 am
#220
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: ORD
Programs: Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 211
2nd answer first: yes, UA might give your partner a middle seat next to your aisle seat and put a BE pax in window. That has happened to me several times. I, 1K, reserve aisle, my wife, Gold, reserves window weeks in advance. At T-1 UA moves my wife to middle and gives window to BE, non-elite Y, or non-rev.
1st answer second: IME UA assigns BE at T-48 but, you have to remember, UA keeps selling BE up to time of departure. When you look at fare class availabilty, it usually states N9 even when there are no other Y fares available.
These are reasons my wife and I now only reserve aisle across aisle, usually exit row.
1st answer second: IME UA assigns BE at T-48 but, you have to remember, UA keeps selling BE up to time of departure. When you look at fare class availabilty, it usually states N9 even when there are no other Y fares available.
These are reasons my wife and I now only reserve aisle across aisle, usually exit row.
May 5, 2021, 11:24 am
#221
Moderator: Budget Travel forum & Credit Card Programs, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: YYJ/YVR and back on Van Isle ....... for now
Programs: UA lifetime MM / *A Gold
Posts: 14,429
May 5, 2021, 12:25 pm
#222
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: IAH
Programs: UA1K, AS Gold 75K, HH Diamond, MR Titanium LT Gold, IHG Platinum, HZ PC, CLEAR
Posts: 341
Numerous friends and family of airline employees will be on standby for MCO, grabbing any remaining seats available, during boarding.
One idea: upgrade to F, where there are no middle seats. To save money/miles, only upgrade your flight segment to MCO, leaving all other segments in E+.
I did this for my upcoming LAX-MCO, knowing that even my 1K status will probably not get me a CPU to MCO.
Last edited by Guate87; May 5, 2021 at 12:31 pm
May 5, 2021, 12:59 pm
#223
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Under the Cone of Silence
Programs: UA Gold; AA Dirt; HH Diamond; National Emerald; CONTROL SecretAgent Platinum; KAOS EvilFlyer Gold
Posts: 1,499
Data point from 2 weeks ago. Party of 2 travelled ORF-DEN-SFO // SFO-IAD-ORF.
All except SFO-IAD were 3x3 seating. Reserved aisle/window on other 3 flights.
Outbound no issues at all, seats unchanged and middle stayed empty. 3 days before the return, IAD-ORF moved to middle/window. No change to flight number/times/etc. that I recall.
I changed it back to aisle/window. No further issues, ended up being upgraded about 12 hours out so issue became moot.
All except SFO-IAD were 3x3 seating. Reserved aisle/window on other 3 flights.
Outbound no issues at all, seats unchanged and middle stayed empty. 3 days before the return, IAD-ORF moved to middle/window. No change to flight number/times/etc. that I recall.
I changed it back to aisle/window. No further issues, ended up being upgraded about 12 hours out so issue became moot.
May 5, 2021, 1:17 pm
#224
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: IAH
Programs: UA1K, AS Gold 75K, HH Diamond, MR Titanium LT Gold, IHG Platinum, HZ PC, CLEAR
Posts: 341
Data point from 2 weeks ago. Party of 2 travelled ORF-DEN-SFO // SFO-IAD-ORF.
All except SFO-IAD were 3x3 seating. Reserved aisle/window on other 3 flights.
Outbound no issues at all, seats unchanged and middle stayed empty. 3 days before the return, IAD-ORF moved to middle/window. No change to flight number/times/etc. that I recall.
I changed it back to aisle/window. No further issues, ended up being upgraded about 12 hours out so issue became moot.
All except SFO-IAD were 3x3 seating. Reserved aisle/window on other 3 flights.
Outbound no issues at all, seats unchanged and middle stayed empty. 3 days before the return, IAD-ORF moved to middle/window. No change to flight number/times/etc. that I recall.
I changed it back to aisle/window. No further issues, ended up being upgraded about 12 hours out so issue became moot.
This begs the questions: Who at UA makes involuntary seat changes? Is it someone at the departure airport? Is is someone at headquarters? Is there a specific department that involuntarily moves people away from their chosen seat? What is the timeframe for these changes?
I do not imagine it is Flight Recovery. They are wonderful and respectful of pax choices.
Before my wife and I moved to booking aisle/aisle or J/B, we would show our original email and screenshot of our boarding passes to prove we had chosen aisle/window. The response of the GA was always "If you didn't change yourself, I don't know who did." Unless the GA were lying, who forces involutary seat changes?
May 5, 2021, 1:21 pm
#225
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Under the Cone of Silence
Programs: UA Gold; AA Dirt; HH Diamond; National Emerald; CONTROL SecretAgent Platinum; KAOS EvilFlyer Gold
Posts: 1,499
.
This begs the questions: Who at UA makes involuntary seat changes? Is it someone at the departure airport? Is is someone at headquarters? Is there a specific department that involuntarily moves people away from their chosen seat? What is the timeframe for these changes?
I do not imagine it is Flight Recovery. They are wonderful and respectful of pax choices.
Before my wife and I moved to booking aisle/aisle or J/B, we would show our original email and screenshot of our boarding passes to prove we had chosen aisle/window. The response of the GA was always "If you didn't change yourself, I don't know who did." Unless the GA were lying, who forces involutary seat changes?
This begs the questions: Who at UA makes involuntary seat changes? Is it someone at the departure airport? Is is someone at headquarters? Is there a specific department that involuntarily moves people away from their chosen seat? What is the timeframe for these changes?
I do not imagine it is Flight Recovery. They are wonderful and respectful of pax choices.
Before my wife and I moved to booking aisle/aisle or J/B, we would show our original email and screenshot of our boarding passes to prove we had chosen aisle/window. The response of the GA was always "If you didn't change yourself, I don't know who did." Unless the GA were lying, who forces involutary seat changes?