Delta - Can't pick my seats?

[glk2009]

We're traveling to DW for the last week of April and for some reason, I can only pick my seats for our outbound flight and not my return flight.

I called Delta and they told me that no one on this flight can pick their seats ahead of time and that it has to be at the airport??!!?!?!?!?!?

I fly often and have never come across this except for short, shuttle flights.

Can anyone explain this to me?

TIA!

 

[DecaturDad]

We're traveling to DW for the last week of April and for some reason, I can only pick my seats for our outbound flight and not my return flight.

I called Delta and they told me that no one on this flight can pick their seats ahead of time and that it has to be at the airport??!!?!?!?!?!?

I fly often and have never come across this except for short, shuttle flights.

Can anyone explain this to me?

TIA!

The flight may be close to full. I would check back every few days and see if any seats open up. The risk is that your family may not get seats together. I fly Delta a fair amount, and when I book a fairly full flight, that is what happens.

 

[2xcited2sleep]

I've had the same issues with Delta lately. I was told it had to do with the merger with Northwest, their systems, and who is operating the flight. It's annoying, I agree. Hope you are able to get the seats you want!

 

[glk2009]

The flight may be close to full. I would check back every few days and see if any seats open up. The risk is that your family may not get seats together. I fly Delta a fair amount, and when I book a fairly full flight, that is what happens.

The rep I talked to said that there were plenty of seats available for groups of 3 together but that it was an "airport block" and she and her supervisor couldn't reserve seats for us. But, she did tell us that she could reserve the Exit Row for us, but that won't work since we're traveling with a 2 year old.

It's just aggravating. I will be calling them again and again.

Thanks!

 

[francie57]

Must be something to do with your airport. We booked tickets for Aug. (2 purchased and 2 with miles) and we have our seats booked for both ways. I have never had any problem getting my seats as soon as I book the tickets - even when they were merging last year we had them all along.

 

[Cdn Friends of Pooh]

Was your flight booked with Delta directly?? With the merger of NW & Delta, it could just be their computer system. Our NW flight in May was changed to a Delta flight and now I have two of the same flights in my itinerary on Delta's website - one with a DL and one with a NW designation ... the NW one does not give me the option to choose seats, but the DL one does.

Also check if your flight is operated by another airline (a codeshare flight).

 

[scard192]

Most airlines hold a certain % of seats for airport check in. If you check in 24hrs in advance you will likely be able to choose a seat(s).

 

[Brian Noble]

It's likely that the return flight was originally NW, but they haven't re-coded the return flight to be operated by DL yet. When they do, you will be able to get seats. I suspect it will only be a matter of time.

 

[dudspizza]

my first thought is that the return is on a codeshare partner that won't allow Delta to assign the seats, such as Alaska Air.

My second thought was that the flight is nearly full and the only open seats are the ones blocked for the airport. If unable to get seats ahead of time, I would first check-in online and see if I can pick them then, and if that doesn't work I would get to the airport very early.

Back in the day when exit rows were only given out at the airport, we would get there 4 hours early, which is when you can start checking bags, and snag exit row seats. Being in MSP, the Mall of America is basically across the street. We would check our bags and get the exit row, then we would go over the the MOA for lunch at Rainforest Cafe or to stroll around. We would get back in plenty of time for our flight... heck, light rail runs between the two.....

Duds

 

[francie57]

If your flight is operated by NWA (even though they are now Delta) their policy last fall was seats were available 90 days before your flight. You would have to go in at 90 days before the 1st flight to get them and then on the 90 day mark for the return. Not sure if that is still true since the merger is now complete.

 

[Yzerbear19]

We leave on April 28 and return on May 5 and were able to pick our seats for both flights. We booked our flights through Delta's website and had no issues picking seats with plenty of seats available to pick from.

 

[glk2009]

We are traveling April 24 - May 1... I tried to book directly thru Delta online but after entering my info it would tell me that the fare I had selected was sold out - this actually happened twice to me within 5 minutes. So I ended up booking thru Expedia for the lower fare. But even when I was researching flights a couple of weeks before I actually purchased, the Delta site wouldn't display the seats on the return flight. It's just bizarre.

Hopefully it's just a merger issue and I'll call back once it's within the 90 days. I would just rather not worry about it.

Thanks everyone!

 

[Yzerbear19]

We are traveling April 24 - May 1... I tried to book directly thru Delta online but after entering my info it would tell me that the fare I had selected was sold out - this actually happened twice to me within 5 minutes. So I ended up booking thru Expedia for the lower fare. But even when I was researching flights a couple of weeks before I actually purchased, the Delta site wouldn't display the seats on the return flight. It's just bizarre.

Hopefully it's just a merger issue and I'll call back once it's within the 90 days. I would just rather not worry about it.

Thanks everyone!

You should be within 90 days of your return flight if its on the first. I believe when I checked our flights earlier it said our return flight on the 5th was 91 days away.

 

[kaytieeldr]

The rep I talked to said that there were plenty of seats available for groups of 3 together but that it was an "airport block" and she and her supervisor couldn't reserve seats for us. But, she did tell us that she could reserve the Exit Row for us, but that won't work since we're traveling with a 2 year old.

It's just aggravating. I will be calling them again and again.

Thanks!

TAKE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You're right, you won't actually be able to sit there - but exit-row seats are a GREAT bargaining chip, in case you otherwise can't get seated together.

 

[glk2009]

I've been trying to call Delta (the 800# and the 404#) and I just get a busy signal.

Ugh!

 

[Scrubba2]

I wouldn't worry.

I have had the same experience, and it is stressful when you have a little one that you need seats together.

What I did, was call closer to the departure date (but before the 24hr check in time begins). When you call, make sure to tell them that you are concerned because you have a toddler and you need seats together. They can usually release reserved seats for you.

If that doesn't happen, don't worry too much. Worse case scenario is that you arrive on the plane seated away from each other. At that point the flight attendants will assist you to help ask people to move around. Trust me, it always works out.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

Sometimes blocks are placed on seat selection if a final equipment choice for a particular flight has not been made. This eliminates people picking seats and being systematically booted from those seats once an aircraft type has been assigned by dispatch.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I've been trying to call Delta (the 800# and the 404#) and I just get a busy signal.

Ugh!

Don't worry!!! It's extremely likely Delta's (well, most airlines') phone lines are overwhelmed at the moment by passengers whose this-weekend travel is about to be affected by lousy weather.

Try periodically, but since you still have a couple of months before your trip, keep an eye on any weather alerts on the website. At a time when there are none - call!