Seat Gurus Please Chime In!
Apr 25th, 2005, 07:24 AM
#1
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Seat Gurus Please Chime In!
As I rush to finish all my little details I realize that I neglected to get seat assignments for our trip to Italy . We are using award travel and are therefore in the lowest possible caste of traveler. Anyway I was informed that on our first leg there are no 2 seats together, I was able to get seats on the second leg. My question/plan is: can we get exit rows assigned to us if we go to the airport the night before our 7AM flight(we are staying at an airport hotel anyway).
Or is that too early? What kind of time ahead is the best? Also looking on seatguru it notes that our first leg is a good opportunity for upgrade because 1st class is so big, any pointers on getting an upgrade? Our airline by the way is US Airways: Sea to Phil; Phil to Venice
Or is that too early? What kind of time ahead is the best? Also looking on seatguru it notes that our first leg is a good opportunity for upgrade because 1st class is so big, any pointers on getting an upgrade? Our airline by the way is US Airways: Sea to Phil; Phil to Venice
Apr 25th, 2005, 08:42 AM
#2
As you say, on award travel you have the least clout of anyone on the manifest, so I wouldn't get your hopes up. While I'm not familiar with USAir, I would presume they are like most other airlines in that first dibs on exit rows goes to (paid) elite members of their FF plan, then to other folk in paid ticket categories, then last to non-elites and/or award ticket holders. The same goes for promotions into the front cabin - elites first, then others in descending order of booking class. This is not to say it never happens; we got upgraded to biz on BA last year from award tickets, but such "op-ups" are quite rare.
However, often a "reverse domino" effect can occur, i.e., where the upgraded or exit row pax leave holes in steerage, which can then be filled with people in your predicament.
In any event, arriving early will help, also phoning or using on-line checkin the night before might be worthwhile - elite flyers who request upgrades often don't know if their requests have cleared until the day before the flight, so the seat maps can get scrambled at the pre-24 hour and even pre-48 or -72 hour marks.
The gate agents have considerable power in repairing such splits, so I'd try to be first in line at the gate and I wouldn't worry too much at this stage.
However, often a "reverse domino" effect can occur, i.e., where the upgraded or exit row pax leave holes in steerage, which can then be filled with people in your predicament.
In any event, arriving early will help, also phoning or using on-line checkin the night before might be worthwhile - elite flyers who request upgrades often don't know if their requests have cleared until the day before the flight, so the seat maps can get scrambled at the pre-24 hour and even pre-48 or -72 hour marks.
The gate agents have considerable power in repairing such splits, so I'd try to be first in line at the gate and I wouldn't worry too much at this stage.
Apr 25th, 2005, 09:33 AM
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Gate agents have ALL the power to change ANY seat assignment at any time. You can try getting the seats the night before but you may end up having to wait until the morning of.
And you are incorrect in your thinking that you are in the "lowest" category for seat selection..you are above any and all of those who are flying and are NOT members of the airline's FF program.
And you are incorrect in your thinking that you are in the "lowest" category for seat selection..you are above any and all of those who are flying and are NOT members of the airline's FF program.
Apr 25th, 2005, 10:05 AM
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I don't fly UA, but on the airlines I do use, on-line check in at the earliest opportunity is one of the best chances to get better seats, as the people with FF status who had them will have tried to move to the front cabin.
Most airlines I see do not have gate attendants to spare, so the crew usually shows up shortly before the departure time (often less than an hour before), so going to the airport the night before won't help you curry favor with someone who isn't yet there. Of course, if there is an earlier flight, its not impossible that you could get there early and ask to be moved up.
I think most airlines don't upgrade people who are flying on miles. However, since they say there are no two seats together, perhaps they are nearly sold out, or even overbooked, at least in tourist. In situations where tourist is overbooked, but business class has available seats, the gate agent will sometimes do what is called an operational upgrade-that is, they will move someone up front to fit in the oversubscribed tourists class flyers. Frequent flyers usually approach the gate agent at the earliest opportunity, and volunteer for an operational upgrade if one is necessary. It doesn't work often, but at least its a chance. Frequent flyers often also volunteer to be bumped if the deal is right. I'd be sorely tempted to accept a bumping if they offered me front-cabin seats on a later flight.
So my advice to you would be to check in online at the earliest opportunity and see if you can move your seats in doing that. If not, get to the boarding gate (allow time for security, of course) at least two hours before the flight time, welcome the gate agent when they get there, and volunteer for the OU, a bumping if you want, and ask if, when they have time, they could possibly arrange for you to sit together. Good luck.
Have you resolved these issues for your return flight, too?
Most airlines I see do not have gate attendants to spare, so the crew usually shows up shortly before the departure time (often less than an hour before), so going to the airport the night before won't help you curry favor with someone who isn't yet there. Of course, if there is an earlier flight, its not impossible that you could get there early and ask to be moved up.
I think most airlines don't upgrade people who are flying on miles. However, since they say there are no two seats together, perhaps they are nearly sold out, or even overbooked, at least in tourist. In situations where tourist is overbooked, but business class has available seats, the gate agent will sometimes do what is called an operational upgrade-that is, they will move someone up front to fit in the oversubscribed tourists class flyers. Frequent flyers usually approach the gate agent at the earliest opportunity, and volunteer for an operational upgrade if one is necessary. It doesn't work often, but at least its a chance. Frequent flyers often also volunteer to be bumped if the deal is right. I'd be sorely tempted to accept a bumping if they offered me front-cabin seats on a later flight.
So my advice to you would be to check in online at the earliest opportunity and see if you can move your seats in doing that. If not, get to the boarding gate (allow time for security, of course) at least two hours before the flight time, welcome the gate agent when they get there, and volunteer for the OU, a bumping if you want, and ask if, when they have time, they could possibly arrange for you to sit together. Good luck.
Have you resolved these issues for your return flight, too?
Apr 25th, 2005, 11:36 AM
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Thanks everyone for the advice! I'll try for an ou if possible and will do checkin online and try for seats. I haven't resolved the return trip yet either because it is lufthansa then united and the aircraft wasn't identified so I was trying to use seat guru to know if seats were awful or not. Plus I ran out of steam after waiting in the queue at "customer service", a misnomer if ever. So I'll work on it again tonight. Thanks again!
