Seat Selection
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Seat Selection
I expect that this has been discussed before but couldn't find a thread.
Friends have just returned from a holiday in the USA,flying from the UK. They booked economy flights in January for an August holiday flying with an American airline, they were told when booking that they couldn't select seats but that families would always be seated together. On the outward journey they were seated apart and on boarding many passengers had the same problem and were all negotiating with each other,with disinterest by the flight attendants, to try and get themselves sat closer to each other. On the return journey it was even worse, friends five year old was two rows from his nearest parent and other families had similar problems. Again by passenger negotiation the worst problems were resolved by the passengers with no crew input. Friends problem with the five year old being sat separately was pointed out at check in and were told that nothing could be done until they got on board.
Now it is two years since i travelled across the pond in economy with my family and we were all allowed to select seats when booking and i didn't see any problems.
Is that still normal or have things changed to the apparent free for all that my friends experienced?
Are their any rules about sitting small children away from their parents??
Friends have just returned from a holiday in the USA,flying from the UK. They booked economy flights in January for an August holiday flying with an American airline, they were told when booking that they couldn't select seats but that families would always be seated together. On the outward journey they were seated apart and on boarding many passengers had the same problem and were all negotiating with each other,with disinterest by the flight attendants, to try and get themselves sat closer to each other. On the return journey it was even worse, friends five year old was two rows from his nearest parent and other families had similar problems. Again by passenger negotiation the worst problems were resolved by the passengers with no crew input. Friends problem with the five year old being sat separately was pointed out at check in and were told that nothing could be done until they got on board.
Now it is two years since i travelled across the pond in economy with my family and we were all allowed to select seats when booking and i didn't see any problems.
Is that still normal or have things changed to the apparent free for all that my friends experienced?
Are their any rules about sitting small children away from their parents??
Its all about raising revenue from ancillary charges, the days when you paid a bit extra but got everything have gone. You know about builders who put in a low quote but get their money from variation orders. (Yes I'm thinking of you MoL.) Right now you can book your seats for free at the time of booking on KLM certainly on short haul and I presume long haul so you might like to try them. (They charge for SH hold baggage though whereas many legacy carriers don't so its worth doing some research before booking. Maybe a thread for this forum?)
Last edited by Peter47; 26th Aug 2013 at 11:54. Reason: Clarification - free at time of booking
Don't know the current situation with US carriers, but with BA you can select your seat[s] for free 24 hours before departure, or [admittedly for a fee of £28 per pax] select your seat at the time of booking.
Flying into the US I am one of the pax adding to BA's bottom line by booking my seat well in advance, near the front of the cabin, so that I can hopefully be near the front of the immigration queue!
Flying into the US I am one of the pax adding to BA's bottom line by booking my seat well in advance, near the front of the cabin, so that I can hopefully be near the front of the immigration queue!
flying with an American airline,
As others have already said, EU carriers give you a much better 'experience' and have a more responsible attitude towards their 'passengers'
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I have to say I don't know of any US carriers that don't allow free seat selection at time of booking for international flights. You sure they weren't on an AA flight number operated by BA? Even then they could have done it Free at online check in. Sounds more like a lazy agent and not enough care and attention of the pax.
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Something similar happened when my wife and I flew to Rarotonga on Air New Zealand last year. The seats we were allocated on check-in were 8 rows apart. We managed to get them changed so that we were siting directly across the aisle from each other. Once we borded we discovered a mother travelling with 3 children were sepearted all over the plane. My wife swapped with one of the children, and another passenger swapped with another one. Eventually we managed to get the family together.
The cabin crew were marvelous in helping out, but this situation should never have happened in the first place.
The cabin crew were marvelous in helping out, but this situation should never have happened in the first place.
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actually another thought just occurred as well. as they booked fairly last minute (yes booking in January for August school holidays is last minute) and airlines only release a certain percentage of seats for Pre assignment maybe there weren't any seats available to sit them all together so instead of telling you that the agent just said there was no seat selection available. Although even in this situation the airline releases the remaining seats during online check in.
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Ka6. I know for sure that ANZ allows seat selection at time of booking so again the pax has to take some responsibility for their actions.
Last edited by highflyer40; 25th Aug 2013 at 21:51.
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Firstly, looking for "service" among our American legacy carriers will lead only to frustration. They don't give a rat's patootie about customer satisfaction.
However, I suspect the mistake was not learning to play the game. All of the US carriers that I know of, (except Southwest, which has its own ways) provide advanced seat selection. It's years since I showed up at the airport without an assigned seat. However, the seat selection may not open up at the time you book. You have to go back later and recheck. Personally, if I am unable to confirm my seat by 30 days before the flight, I am on the phone to the oxymoronic "customer service" line -- in most cases the rep will be able to confirm your seat.
However, I suspect the mistake was not learning to play the game. All of the US carriers that I know of, (except Southwest, which has its own ways) provide advanced seat selection. It's years since I showed up at the airport without an assigned seat. However, the seat selection may not open up at the time you book. You have to go back later and recheck. Personally, if I am unable to confirm my seat by 30 days before the flight, I am on the phone to the oxymoronic "customer service" line -- in most cases the rep will be able to confirm your seat.
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Highflyer, We have travelled on Air New Zealand numerous times and this was the first time anything like that happened. We booked through a travel agent some months prior to travel and were not given the option of seat selection at that time.
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so your agent was rubbish, but then some of the fault is yours as well. But nowhere can I see that it was in any way ANZ fault. So coming on saying "we had the same problem on NZ" is poor form I would say.
50/50 between you and your agent
50/50 between you and your agent
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When 2 seats are booked together, as a package, then the seating should be side by side. It always has been in the past. Therefore it is entirely the airlines fault.
Seating children with families
The CAA in UK has something to say about this subject, pointing out that keeping kids with parents can aid more rapid evacuation:
Seating Allocation | On Board the Aircraft | Passengers
Perhaps the FAA has similar advice in USA
Seating Allocation | On Board the Aircraft | Passengers
Perhaps the FAA has similar advice in USA
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you didn't book a package with the airline but with the agent. the airline allowed you to book your seats together there and then. you and your agent did not do this. yours and the agents fault not the airlines
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I recently traveled with Virgin Atlantic LGW to LAS and home on ORD to LHR and both flights we could select seats free three months before we flew. I don't remember how I found that out, but many PAX were not aware it was an option.
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The CAA in UK has something to say about this subject, pointing out that keeping kids with parents can aid more rapid evacuation:
Seating Allocation | On Board the Aircraft | Passengers
Perhaps the FAA has similar advice in USA
Seating Allocation | On Board the Aircraft | Passengers
Perhaps the FAA has similar advice in USA
The seating of children close by their parents or guardians should be the aim of airline seat allocation procedures for family groups and large parties of children.
Young children and infants who are accompanied by adults, should ideally be seated in the same seat row as the adult. Children and accompanying adults should not be separated by more than one aisle. Where this is not possible, children should be separated by no more than one seat row from accompanying adults. This is because the speed of an emergency evacuation may be affected by adults trying to reach their children.
Whenever a number of infants and children are travelling together the airline should make every effort to ensure that they can be readily supervised by the responsible accompanying adults.
Young children and infants who are accompanied by adults, should ideally be seated in the same seat row as the adult. Children and accompanying adults should not be separated by more than one aisle. Where this is not possible, children should be separated by no more than one seat row from accompanying adults. This is because the speed of an emergency evacuation may be affected by adults trying to reach their children.
Whenever a number of infants and children are travelling together the airline should make every effort to ensure that they can be readily supervised by the responsible accompanying adults.
A recommendation, not a rule.
I suspect that the seat selection policy varies from carrier to carrier. On my last USA-UK-USA trip, I was able to select seats immedately upon booking an economy fare on AA when using the AA website to book. The selection was limited, and some seats required payment of an upgrade fee to obtain, but availble seats could be shown before making the purchase.
Probably best to enquire about seat selection policies before comitting to the booking.
Probably best to enquire about seat selection policies before comitting to the booking.
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Looking on the bright side; after a long holiday with the kids, it might be quite nice and relaxing having them spread around the cabin so that one can have a bit peace. 
I know, I'm off!!!
I know, I'm off!!!
