Seating Strategy When No Seats to Pre-Assign
Dec 25, 2013, 5:23 pm
#1
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Seating Strategy When No Seats to Pre-Assign
Other half is flying VX from SEA to LAX and there was no 'free' seat to assign, so their seating assignment remains empty. I understand we can force their hand with IDB cash if a seat is not available due to overbooking, but I'd rather determine the proper strategy because they will not pay a fee to reserve a premium seat in advance.
They will pay an upgrade fee to move to F (although I suspect fee-based upgrades for non-Elevate members are pretty much impossible), but will not pay a fee for a coach seat.
Will VX assign a seat at the airport for free even if the only remaining seats are MCE or MCS or try and coerce payment in order to get a seat assignment?
They will pay an upgrade fee to move to F (although I suspect fee-based upgrades for non-Elevate members are pretty much impossible), but will not pay a fee for a coach seat.
Will VX assign a seat at the airport for free even if the only remaining seats are MCE or MCS or try and coerce payment in order to get a seat assignment?
Dec 25, 2013, 6:16 pm
#3
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24 hours prior to departure, Main Cabin Express seats become free, so she'll likely get placed in to one of those. She/you can also log on and pick one on the seat map at the 24-hour map, too.
Main Cabin Select won't be assigned for free to non-elites, but you can upgrade (For $39, I think) at the 24 hour mark. Chances of scoring that upgrade are very high. You can also upgrade to F at the 6 hour mark (Coach-->F is $89; MCS-->F is $50). For the LAX/SEA route, you have a decent (maybe 50%) shot at getting a fee-based F upgrade.
Main Cabin Select won't be assigned for free to non-elites, but you can upgrade (For $39, I think) at the 24 hour mark. Chances of scoring that upgrade are very high. You can also upgrade to F at the 6 hour mark (Coach-->F is $89; MCS-->F is $50). For the LAX/SEA route, you have a decent (maybe 50%) shot at getting a fee-based F upgrade.
Dec 27, 2013, 10:45 am
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Dec 27, 2013, 11:22 am
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Dec 27, 2013, 11:32 am
#6
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Thanks all - just so I'm clear, they can assign a free MCE seat at online check-in, 24hr before departure, but cannot purchase an upgrade to first class until 6 hours before departure? Thus they run the risk of getting a sure-fire MCE seat and lose the chance at an upgrade vs waiting until 6h before and possibly getting a crap Y seat and no upgrade.
Dec 27, 2013, 1:11 pm
#7
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Thanks all - just so I'm clear, they can assign a free MCE seat at online check-in, 24hr before departure, but cannot purchase an upgrade to first class until 6 hours before departure? Thus they run the risk of getting a sure-fire MCE seat and lose the chance at an upgrade vs waiting until 6h before and possibly getting a crap Y seat and no upgrade.
Dec 27, 2013, 1:52 pm
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At 24 hours, try to upgrade to MCS. If that is unavailable, keep checking the seat map. Someone in MC might have beat you to the upgrade; their MC seat might then be open. Same idea at 6 hours -- try to upgrade to F or MCS. Some more shuffling might occur right after the 6 hour mark and seats might open up.
Dec 27, 2013, 2:35 pm
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Dec 27, 2013, 3:15 pm
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ETA: I've lost track of whether you need to start the OLCI process to upgrade. If that's the case, then start the process but don't complete it if no upgrade is available. Again, someone with more recent experience might correct me.