Air Canada Pre-Paid Seat Selection

[Toad]

Has anyone ever paid for a specific seat in advance and then be asked to move to accomodate a family sitting together (who did not pre-book or arrive early enough to choose seats.....)?

This happens to me every time and I fly to WDW at least twice a year. I don't know why I still do it except my sister and I are nervous flyers and prefer to sit togther and over a wing ........

I once asked a flight attendant if I could get a refund on the $20 each seat and she flatly said no. We still moved but only because they could still sit us together. it was in the very back row and a bumpy nasty ride. I think I cried the whole way home.....

So we are booking a new flight and I wonder if I should even bother again. If I do decide to pre-book(and PAY for) our seats, does anyone have any non-sarcastic comments I can use to discourage the request to move? Because we don't travel with children, the people that want our seats are usaully on the plane and seated in them before we even get called to board. Not looking for a flaming response, just a way to maintain civility with people I am trapped in that tube with for 3 hours....

 

[MikeyNS]

I would just tell them you're a nervous flyer and would rather not move.. but I don't think anyone would/should hold you in the wrong for saying no. There are lots more people on the plane to be asked!

 

[chimo2u]

We bought our AC tickets in December and where prompted to pick our seats throught a on-screen visual aid of the inside of the plane. I did not have to pay extra to pick our seats... I think this is because we paid Tango plus fare which included seat selection. We are a family of 4 who likes to sit all together with our kids, so hopefully our seat selection stays the same as what I chose for our trip

 

[bbangel]

As a nervous flyer you should not be hassled if you board with pre-boarding. Just tell them you need a bit of extra time to feel comfortable and they will let you on.

If anyone is in my seat I tell them sorry but that is the seat I paid for and that is the seat I will be sitting in. If they refuse to move after you have paid the seat selection fee ask the people in YOUR seat to pay you the difference! If I was forced to sit in the back of the plane because of this I would be writing to the airline and asking for an apology as well as a reimbursement on my seat selection fee! I can't believe how rude people are to think that people should accommodate them because they have kids without considering there are reasons why people choose the seats they do. Stand up for your rights!

 

[dvcdisney]

Wow. I assumed that if they need to move you from a seat that you have pre paid and pre selected, then they would have to reimburse you for the fee.

 

[mtmbyck]

Northwest gave my husband a $100 voucher when they had to move him last year - he was seated with me and 2 dd's across the aisle and they moved him and apologized and handed him the voucher. He didn't even complain.

 

[bavaria]

Nobody has to explain why they are unable to move - a simple 'No' is all that is required, or perhaps 'No, thank you'

I fly every week and my status gives me access to preferable seats. I would estimate that at least 30% of the time I am asked to move, usually by someone who demands that I move rather than request that I move. I have often had people bully me as well, both verbally and physically. Like the OP, usually single passengers are targeted to move; some on the Transportation Board even insist that they should move. I do not agree. Having children does not trump everyone else's personal situation.

The majority of AC fliers pay for their seat assignment and/or pay fares which give them seat assignments. Yet on almost every AC flight I see someone demanding a seat change because they didn't feel that it was important enough for them to pay for a seat assignment.

The question comes up every week on the Transportation Board if people should pay for a seat assignment. I ask them two questions

• will you be ok if your group is not all seated together?
• if you paid for a seat, would you move and seperate your party to accommodate someone who did not pay for their seat?

In the OPs case I would have declined to move. I certainly would not have moved to a lesser seat.

OP, I suggest that a follow up with AC is in order as this was definitely not handled correctly.

Do note however that NO seat assignment on ANY airline is guaranteed; they are subject to change until boarding.

 

[Joann]

uh.... I am sorry if this comes across like I am a big *itch... I would flat out say no if they would not even bother to upgrade you or give back the money you payed to have that seat! If I m slowwith arriving or whatever it would be my fault that I am not sitting with my family and would NEVER expect someone to give up a seat they payed extra to have! So yes still prebook your seat and just say NO if asked to move unless compensated for the move as you payed for it!

 

[CanadianImagineer]

Just say no. I've been ASKED to move before, but never told - meaning I could've said no had I really cared. It's understandable that families want to sit together, but they should've considered that when they booked, and it's a plane - not too much trouble a kid can get into anyways

 

[bavaria]

does anyone have any non-sarcastic comments I can use to discourage the request to move?

There are a number of suggestions over on flyertalk.com on a thread devoted to this, but I believe that 'No, thank you' is still the best option. Or even better, as soon as you board and take your seat put on your headset, close your eyes, and try and relax.

Of course, being asleep or dozing has not deterred most people who demand my seat from shaking me awake or shouting at me. I really don't understand how people think that sort of behaviour is going to encourage anyone to move for them.

 

[seashoreCM]

After the fact write a snail mail letter asking for twice the amount paid for advance seat selection.

Do not state in your letter that the F/A has no business telling you you are not entitled to your money back.

>>> ... that sort of behavior is going to encourage ...
If it works one in ten times then that is sufficient encouragement. Maybe it is time to consider including in your choice of life's battles one in ten of such instances involving you.

 

[crashbb]

AC's official policy is to refund what you paid for seat selection if your seat is unavailable. However, this policy relates to air craft changes or double bookings (where two people have the same seat on their boarding passes). I don't think that there is a policy that covers moving to help another family.

I know that the OP moved unwillingly and was forced to do so by the other party (and was not backed up by the FA - though it isn't clear if the OP asked the FA to make the other family move), but, technically, the lack of availability of the OP's seat wasn't due to something AC did.

I would definitely follow up - I'm just not sure you'll get your money back. And, in the future - stand firm. You don't need to give a reason for not moving. Just say that you want your seat and had booked it for a reason (assuming the other seat offered is inferior). Ironically, there is a thread about just this issue going on on flyertalk today.

ETA - I have no idea on what grounds you can ask for "twice what you paid". You are more likely to get resolution if you don't go in demanding extra compensation.

 

[mkmommy]

I don't mind paying for seat assignment and I will do it if travelling with my dd's, but I recently booked flights Toronto to BC and the seat assignments for 3 was $122 which I think is a bit much. I got the 50% seat sale going on right now, but it comes out to over 10% of the fare.

 

[murcor]

When my bil broke his back, we immediatley flew out west to help the family. We purchased air canada tkts through an travel agent and paid for seat selection.

Come to find out the plane was almost full the 4 selected seats were scattered around the plane. At the time ds was 3 and dd was 4! I was soooo upset, I cried and cried.

24 hrs prior to check inn nothing could be done, nothing at check in either at the gate I asked again and the lady working the gate found a couple willing to switch so at least I could be with the kids.

I was so grateful to them and 5 years later I would give up my seat to a family in the same situation

 

[crashbb]

When my bil broke his back, we immediatley flew out west to help the family. We purchased air canada tkts through an travel agent and paid for seat selection.

I thought the "pay for seat selection" was a newish feature added to Tango fares - I didn't realise it had been around that long.

The agent should have told you that there were no seats available near each other and should not have gone through with the paid seat selection. Why pay for seats if you are going to have to ask to be moved anyway? Question directed at the TA, not you. When you have to book at the last minute, seat selection isn't always useful.

Glad it worked out for you.

I'm all for asking, nicely, for people to help by moving (and asking for like-for-like, or better), I just think that people being asked need to be allowed to say 'no'.

 

[candielips]

We fly a few times a year & I would say only 1/2 the time we preselect our seats and we have never been seated apart. That being said if it was just the 2 of us & we had paid for our seats & we were asked to move for a family, I would. We have a DD & I know what it would feel like if we couldn't sit together. However, I would def be writing AC & requesting compensation.

Now one note to people who do not want to prepay for seats, arrive at the airport as early as you can. When we have 6:30am flights we are there by 3am to avoid the rush & guarantee us sitting together.

 

[Boncho]

I think the best response to a request to switch seats is just to no, thank you or I'm sorry but no.People who pay for their seat selection do it for a reason (I do because I want to make sure my son and I can sit together).

 

[crashbb]

We fly a few times a year & I would say only 1/2 the time we preselect our seats and we have never been seated apart. That being said if it was just the 2 of us & we had paid for our seats & we were asked to move for a family, I would. We have a DD & I know what it would feel like if we couldn't sit together. However, I would def be writing AC & requesting compensation.

Now one note to people who do not want to prepay for seats, arrive at the airport as early as you can. When we have 6:30am flights we are there by 3am to avoid the rush & guarantee us sitting together.

Actually, the best thing to do is check-in on line (even if you cannot print out the boarding passes). You can do this 24 hours from flight time* and choose your seats then.

*note - if you are on a connecting flight, you can only check-in 24 hours from the time your final flight leaves.

 

[disneynuts777]

We bought our AC tickets in December and where prompted to pick our seats throught a on-screen visual aid of the inside of the plane. I did not have to pay extra to pick our seats... I think this is because we paid Tango plus fare which included seat selection. We are a family of 4 who likes to sit all together with our kids, so hopefully our seat selection stays the same as what I chose for our trip

Same thing for us when I bought our flights on A/C in December. Because it was a tango plus fare the seat selection was complimentary. There are 7 of us traveling this time so it was nice that I could get us all together in the same section.
I always pay for my seat selection when we fly Air Tran out of Buffalo. There have been a couple of times that I was asked to switch seats. Both times I have politely replied that I prepaid for these seats for a variety of reasons and mostly so that I was assured seating with my DD's. I do not feel guilty for not giving up my seat. Espessially when it would have meant that our family would have been split up to accomadate another.

 

[seashoreCM]

Oops! Come to think of it, the FA's don't know who paid for a seat selection and who did not when they are going up and down the rows asking favors.

>>> twice

Once to refund the price of goods/services not delivered, once to return the favor with. Equals twice.