ATA won't let me pick my seats?

[chamonix]

Our friends are off to Hawaii taking their wee new babe to the beach in January. They are flying ATA out of Chicago, but the website won't let them pick their seats--it says they have to check in...? Anyone know how/if they will be able to get their seat assignments in advance? They think they want bulkhead, but aren't sure that is best. Babe is 1 year old, and will need floor time, I am sure. Any advice on this?

Oh, and if anyone knows about Aloha Air (their island hop to Kauai) that would be good too.

I can't remember the website/forum for frequent flyers that I have seen mentioned on here before...anyone?

I am full of questions tonight! Help?! Thanks in advance!

 

[safetymom]

www.flyertalk.com

 

[ducklite]

The plane might be full, and they always hold back a percentage of seats to assign at the gate.

Bulkhead seats are not always available. The ones in the front of the plane are usually snatched up by the most frequent fliers, and they are also sometimes actually exit rows these days--children aren't allowed in exit rows.

I would have them call ATA and explain that they are traveling with a young child and would really like to get seat assignments. If they wait until they get to the airport they risk not sitting together. Did they buy the child a seat? (I hope--that's a really long time to have a lap baby, and if for some reason they can't sit next to each other they are risking the wrath of the person next to them.)

Anne

 

[chamonix]

ducklite, Oh, they definitely bought babe a seat. They tried calling, but the person was less than helpful--she just told them they couldn't get seat assignments until "closer to the time" of the flight. Not sure if she meant at the airport or a few days ahead. They do have online checkin beginning 24 hours before the flight, and I assume she may have meant seats would be assigned then. I figure someone will switch with them, because who wants to sit near a one year old with only one parent to entertain it? Also, they are traveling with several other couples on the same flight (without kids) who may be able to help them with that.

I just didn't know if ATA was doing the SW thing with no seating assignments, especially now that they are aligned with SW. (I think they codeshare some flights, though not this one) You know, they bought their tickets way back in August for a January flight, and they still can't get their choice of seats just seemed odd. I think we'll try calling back.

Thanks for the flyertalk link, I couldn't remember the name of it, safetymom.

 

[seashoreCM]

just told them they couldn't get seat assignments until "closer to the time" of the flight. Not sure if she meant at the airport or a few days ahead. .

Try different times such as just over 30 days in advance, then just under 30 days in advance, then 3 weeks in advance, etc.

 

[DemoBri1]

It is possible that all of the non-held back seats have been sold. I booked a flight to Orlando for right after Thanksgiving back in July, and had no problem selecting seats online.

I would call ATA back and ask to speak to a supervisor to explain your situation. Last year when ATA was going through converting their planes over to a business class section, my seating assignments changed 6 times. Because we were travelling with a group of 8 with 2 small kids, I wanted to keep us semi-together on the plane. They explained to me that the computer was arbitrarily re-assigning seats, and since I had 3 separate reservations it wasn't necessarily trying to keep us together. I was able to secure some of those "held-back" seats that they reserve for day of flight and have the supervisor assign them to me.

It's worth a try.