Expedia and US seats
 

Apologies if this belongs in a broader forum, please move if you feel appropriate.

Does Expedia BUY US seats and resell them, or are they merely a broker?

Specifically, I booked a flight on an E170 via USAirways.com. I was reconfirming my due dilligence in competitive pricing with my client and noticed that several choice and preferred seats were seemingly available when purchasing via Expedia that were not when purchasing via USAirways.com. As a sanity checked, I immediate rechecked US and there'd been no substantive change.

Is this bait and switch by Expedia, do they actually "own" those seats or is US "hiding" seats via its interface?

Any insight is appreciated in advance.

Marc

Expedia is merely a broker. I believe that while they might offer the preferred seats, if you attempt to book them you stand a good chance of getting moved to another seat. This may be similar to Orbitz which has a disclaimer on their seat map stating that if you choose a preferred seat you must be eligible to sit there or else you will get moved.

Thanks for the clarification; I've booked preferred seats via Expedia and--I assume--my attached FF# confirmed access to those seats.

I'm very curious why Expedia shows seats being available for sale that USAirways.com does not.

Thanks!

USAirways has had all sorts of problems with its online reservation system

Because, as much as I hate to say it, Expedia knows how to do business?