Check your airline seats

[pura77]

We had confirmed confirmed our seats before we left but when we got to the off airport check in facility we found out they had changed aircraft and we had lost our seats with the kids. The staff was kind enough to call and get us together so check your seats.

 

[vellamint]

Please post which airline this was? Thanks

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Please post which airline this was? Thanks

Does it really matter? An aircraft change can happen on most airlines.

 

[francie57]

This happens all the time on most airlines. The farther out you book the more of a chance it will happen since they change planes due to the demand for that flight. I just keep checking my flights once a week and when a change is made (none so far), I just redo my seating. I have done this for years now since this has been going on for a while, never just wait until you get to the airport.

 

[vellamint]

Does it really matter? An aircraft change can happen on most airlines.

If it didnt matter to me I would not have asked.

 

[Missytara]

We had confirmed confirmed our seats before we left but when we got to the off airport check in facility we found out they had changed aircraft and we had lost our seats with the kids. The staff was kind enough to call and get us together so check your seats.

This happened to me last year on Airtran on my departure flight.

I checked periodically to see how full the flight was getting both ways, and noticed suddenly, my seat assignment said ???.

I called and they said they had changed the flight number, so they roll all the information into a new "file" and they lost my seat assignment. I was really mad, because it did not show a credit for the $6.00 I paid for the assignment. You would have thought the computer would have picked that up.

Anyway, luckily, I noticed it early enough, because there was another window seat about six rows back.

 

[5boyz]

I am flying SW and have a few times but have never thought to check if the plane is full...Can you do it with SW? I know you dont pick your seats.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

I am flying SW and have a few times but have never thought to check if the plane is full...Can you do it with SW? I know you dont pick your seats.

There is no way to check if the plane is full on SW. But SW only flyes 737s so they don't have to change planes based on demand.

 

[clanmcculloch]

With SWA you can tell if a flight is starting to fill by the price of the flight. Prices rise as flights fill up. Once you get to the point where there aren't any wanna get away fares, you know it's filling quite a bit. On flights with stops it could be just one leg of the flight that's filling.

OP's situation sounds as though the airline changed planes in the short time between checking in at home and arriving at the airport. Nothing can be done by the passenger to avoid this. Recovery would have to happen at the airport. It's understandable that the airline would do their best to get them seated together again, which they did do. The fact that OP said they were kind enough to get them together suggests (at least to me) that OP was polite rather than demanding which is also important, especially since the person trying to help is not the person who put passengers in this position in the first place.

This really can happen with any airline that has assigned seating.

 

[5boyz]

There is no way to check if the plane is full on SW. But SW only flyes 737s so they don't have to change planes based on demand.

Thank you!!! Just thought I would ask cuz like I said I have never thought about looking to see if flights are full.

 

[pura77]

The airline was Delta but the staff at the off airport check in facility said it happens all the time with all the airlines but southwest.

 

[Daisy-J&D]

OMG - I never thought of this happening. There is no way an airline would split up a Parent and a child under the age of 2 (20 months), right? We bought DD her own seat and I don't even want to think about what I'd do if I couldn't sit with her. ):

 

[summerrluvv]

OMG - I never once
thought of this happening. There is no way an airline would split up a Pareto and a child under the age of 2, right? We bought DD her own seat and I don't even want to think about what I'd do if I couldn't sit with her. ):

They would ask someone to switch seats with you. I was on a flight with my kids where a 5 year old didn't have a seat next to her father. NO ONE would give up their seat so they could sit together. Finally after the FA offered up a bunch of freebies someone finally got up. I felt bad.

 

[maxiesmom]

OMG - I never once
thought of this happening. There is no way an airline would split up a Pareto and a child under the age of 2, right? We bought DD her own seat and I don't even want to think about what I'd do if I couldn't sit with her. ):

Unfortunately it can happen. It is always smart to keep checking on your flight before your trip. If the flight time changes, or the airline changes the plane type, your seat assignments can be messed up. I've had a flight time change by as little as 5 minutes, and lost my seat assignments.

Always check your seat assignments and flight times before your trips. Don't rely on the airline to notify you of changes.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

The airline was Delta but the staff at the off airport check in facility said it happens all the time with all the airlines but southwest.

That is true simply because SWA doesn't assign seats! Otherwise, I'm sure there would be seat changes on SWA as well.

 

[pura77]

They also said it happens more often on international flight.

 

[dudspizza]

They also said it happens more often on international flight.

The big thing to know is that it can happen. I always make sure I am prepared for ANYTHING and deal with it if it happens. It is better to be prepared with options than to panic when at the airport.

I had a United flight years ago and my dad and I were called to the podium. The aircraft had changed in the time that we had checked luggage at the counter and when we got to the gate. Our row no longer existed and we had to be reseated. In that case, they had seats available in E+ and we were moved up there for free.

Travel safe everyone.

Duds

 

[MaleficentRN]

This has happned to me more times than I can count. I have never had a FA ask another passanger to switch, they've told me I have to ask. It's a pain, but I've never had someone say no. They give dirty looks and all, but their alternative is to sit next to my two year old in his car seat while he cries for his mommy.

 

[Pirate Granny]

too funny...at least 20 years ago, I was on a Northwest flight, and they changed the seats and said they couldn't seat us together...I smiled nicely, and said GREAT...who is going to watch the 2yr, 6 yr and 8yr old...I will sit here and let me know when you figure out who is going to chaperone my children...very quickly they moved people...without making an announcement and we were sitting all together...I guess youngest was under 2 as we were all in the three seats together...

NOW...I have given up my seat more than a few times when the announcement comes up to give up your seat for a parent/child...most of the time on Spirit...but sometimes on NW and once on AirTran. I actually ran into the father/daughter combo more than a few times that week at Disney...they always smiled and waved...

HORRIBLE that the father actually had to 'offer' freebies to get a volunteer.

Once on NW, International Flight, my daughter had a broken foot and they had given two healthy young men the handicap seats...and they refused to move unless they were offered 300 miles...now, the flight person at the front desk, should've never given them the seats to begin with...but when you are young and attractive you get the best seats sometimes...We did get the seats, and I did write a letter to NW, as I had called the week ahead and they refused to assign those seats unless the flight person at the front desk could 'see' the handicap ???

 

[Pirate Granny]

DUDSPIZZA...I just noticed your picture...My daughter went to St. Cloud State...