check your ATA seat assignments!!

[dznyacct]

Our group of 8 leaves next Sunday for our VB/WDW trip. I reserved our ATA flight ~5 months ago. At that time I reserved 8 seats together (an entire row (8) of 6 and 2 seats in the next row (9)). I was checking our flight times today and found that they had changed our seats to 2 in row 8, 3 in row 25 and 3 in row 28!! I called to find out why our seats were changed and no one at ATA had a clue. This is a special trip with good friends of ours and we really wanted to all be together. Luckily, ATA was able to put us all together in rows 39 and 40. Thank goodness I checked. I would not have been too happy to find this out at the airport next Sunday. I'm going to check again right before we leave.

 

[sgtdisney]

It looks like ATA changed the equipment on you. It looks as if you are flying on a 757-300 now.. There are only 3 seats in Row 8 on a 757-300 and no row 9 at all on this kind of ATA aircraft.... When the equipment changed, they had to relocate you. This happens a lot more lately in the airline industry, so it always pays to keep an eye on your reservations. What is kind of weird is that the agent at ATA couldn't have told you this. Believe me, it is better to be switched before. We flew ATA a couple of years ago (although this could have happened on any airlines) and they switched equipment right before departure. People were on the plane looking for row 9 and couldn't find one. They asked the flight attendant if they were supposed to sit in the lavatory. They had to get off and get their seats reassigned.

 

[Santa]

It has been my understanding that ATA does not do seat assignments until 24 hours before the flight. Have I been given the wrong info?

 

[dznyacct]

We've flown ATA quite a few times in the past 5 years and I always ask to get our seat assignments when I book our flight. They won't offer to do it, but if you ask they will.

 

[KathyR]

Santa-
We have always gotten our seats assigned at booking as well When you book online there is a button to purchase seats and a second button to purchase and choose seats. I always go w/the purchase and choose option

 

[sgtdisney]

Originally posted by Santa
It has been my understanding that ATA does not do seat assignments until 24 hours before the flight. Have I been given the wrong info?

Yes, I think you were. ATA has had advance seat assignments for years now. When you book online they give you the opportunity to select your own seats, or when you make reservations on the phone you have the same option.

 

[erikthewise]

According to their web site, a 757-300 is the largest aircraft that ATA flies, and all of their full-size aircraft have 3-3 seating (http://www.ata.com/about_ata/fleet.html). So it's unclear to say the least why it was necessary to scramble seating to change to a 757-300.

But checking your reservation is always good advice!

 

[sgtdisney]

Originally posted by erikthewise
According to their web site, a 757-300 is the largest aircraft that ATA flies, and all of their full-size aircraft have 3-3 seating (http://www.ata.com/about_ata/fleet.html). So it's unclear to say the least why it was necessary to scramble seating to change to a 757-300.

But checking your reservation is always good advice!

I was wondering too why they would move 8 seats in 2 rows into three seperate rows. I can understand the move as the seats didn't exist on the new plane, but to move them to 3 seperate aisles is strange, unless they are technically holding 3 seperate reservations..

 

[inkkognito]

Santa, one of the reasons we like ATA is the advance seat assignments. We have flown them for years from Chicago to Orlando, and we've always gotten our assignments immediately. We fly to Orlando almost every month, and they've only switched seats on us once (due to an equipment change, of course!). I keep an eye on my reservation, so if I didn't like the change, I'd have plenty of time to ask for different seats.
Better yet, I like to book on their website and pick my own seats. Hubby and I like to get window and aisle, but they don't like to give you that over the phone. On their website, I can pick whatever I want (except of course the exit rows).
Those 757-300's are great!! They are my favorite aircraft.
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com