I have perused various FT airline forums (e.g., CO, AA, DL, NW, etc.) to see if this problem has occurred with other codeshare relationships. To the best of my knowledge, NO OTHER PARTNERSHIP (save CO/VS) has a problem with assigning seats if the passenger contacts the OPERATING carrier, especially once the reservation is ticketed.

That said, I'm thinking that maybe the AC agents are misunderstanding the nature of the request, especially if the passenger is quoting his or her UNITED flight number or PNR. If the AC reps. are given the AC flight number or record locator, they should have no problem in assigning a seat; if they are given the UA info., they will tell the customer to call United.

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Continental Airlines - One airline CAN make a difference.

In my experience - the only PNR you would have if you booked on UAL would be UAL's PNR. However it is true that Having done this several times, I find you need to use the AC flight #'s when requesting seat assignments on AC.HOWEVER it's also true that if UAL doesn;t assign the seats when you book online, it is like pulling teeth to get them from AC> My understanding is that once UAL's allotment of seats is gone, they can't even see other seats, and while AC can see the seats, they are VERY loath to give them out. So it may be non standard but it seems to be an across the board policy.

Whenever a codeshare reservation is created, TWO PNRs are created -- one on the ticketing carrier, and the other on the operating carrier. UA should have the AC PNR available; failing that, a sked search on Expedia will reveal the operating carrier's flight number, which can then be used to pull up the operating carrier's PNR.


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Continental Airlines - One airline CAN make a difference.

but you will have the AC flight # from the codeshare - - you don't need to go thru expedia etc. '
all I was trying to say is that it's not that AC can't SEE your rez, it's that they don't want to give you a seat assignment from their seats if the AC allotted seats to UA are filled. If they are not filled, UAL will give you the seat assignment when you book the flight.

Some more fuel for the fire of codesharing seat assignments...

1. I have booked a UA ticket containing a flight operated by US, and I did get a seat assignment at the time of booking. Interestingly enough, after checking in with UA, I had to check in with US to get the sole boarding pass for the flight operated by US.

2. I have booked a Delta ticket containing a flight operated by American Eagle, and I did get a seat assignment at the time of booking. E-tickets were not available for this type of codeshare, so I got paper tickets.

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"Where's my money?" -- Pizza the Hutt

UA/AC is apparently the ONLY known codeshare agreement in the world where one cannot call the operating carrier to obtain a seat assignment. While I have seen partnership agreements work in ridiculous ways before, this one is about to take the cake.

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Continental Airlines - One airline CAN make a difference.

QUACK!! QUACK!! QUACK!!



[This message has been edited by UAEmployee (edited 09-08-2003).]

Ok then, name ONE other codeshare agreement that is bound by such ridiculous rules vis-a-vis seat assignments.


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Continental Airlines - One airline CAN make a difference.

I can't but my point was: Let it go for goodness' sake! You are right... always right Avek00... I am sure no other codeshare relationship in the great annals of codesharedom has ever been as awful in regard to seat selection as AC-UA.

With all due respect, YOU are the one that refuses to "let it go".

In any event, hopefully UA and AC will fix the problem in time.


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Continental Airlines - One airline CAN make a difference.

Gotta stop using those speedreading techniques-- thought this said something else.