Delta seat reservations

[FergieTCat]

You can choose your seat when you buy your tickets.

As far as Delta changing my seats without my knowledge, no, I would not settle for it. I have a shoulder problem, and I would rather sit next to 2 children then sit in the middle of the row.

 

[ElizabethG]

This is the first I've heard of the new Basic Economy tickets. I just searched for our upcoming August trip, and they don't come up as available.

We have always chosen our seat at time of booking without an extra charge.

We have only had one problem with moving seats. I had my ticket and 2 childrens tickets purchased together. I separately booked husbands ticket though our credit card rewards site (they charge $25 per ticket to book additional tickets with cash). My husband was sitting across the isle from me. They moved him to a different isle seat. Apparently, they thought he was by himself and it wouldn't matter if they moved him to a different seat.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

......

We have only had one problem with moving seats. I had my ticket and 2 childrens tickets purchased together. I separately booked husbands ticket though our credit card rewards site (they charge $25 per ticket to book additional tickets with cash). My husband was sitting across the isle [aisle] from me. They moved him to a different isle [aisle] seat. Apparently, they thought he was by himself and it wouldn't matter if they moved him to a different seat.

Yes, if you weren't on the same reservation, the airline had no idea you were traveling together.

 

[ElizabethG]

Yes, if you weren't on the same reservation, the airline had no idea you were traveling together.

We'll, that is obvious. My point was they will sometimes move your seats. However, they are more likely to move people traveling alone.

 

[delyrium]

Yes, you can pick your seats when you reserve, but when they change something about your flight, the seat choice is lost. I recently had to deal with this when flying with my 6 yo and 3 yo. When I called them, they were able to find us seats together in the back of the plane. I don't know what I would have done if they hadn't.

 

[crisi]

Yes, you can pick your seats when you reserve, but when they change something about your flight, the seat choice is lost. I recently had to deal with this when flying with my 6 yo and 3 yo. When I called them, they were able to find us seats together in the back of the plane. I don't know what I would have done if they hadn't.

That's happened a lot with us. We plan on taking one flight and end up on completely different flights due to delays in connecting or changes to schedule.

 

[Moomduck1]

Yes, you can pick your seats when you reserve, but when they change something about your flight, the seat choice is lost. QUOTE]

This has happened to me as well. We are flying to New Orleans at the end of May. I bought the tickets months ago. I chose our seats when I purchased the tickets. The airline has changed the flight time (by less than 5 minutes) at least 3 times since I purchased the tickets. Each time, our seats have been moved all around. It is extremely annoying.

I don't have small children, but I have a problem with my leg so I chose my seat so that my leg is comfortable. I decided to just keep checking my seats every few weeks, and choosing new seats if the airline moved them. I'm not trying to keep the 4 of us together. I'm hoping for 2 together, and another 2 together just to make the flights more enjoyable. But on one of the flights, we are all in different rows.

I would focus on trying to keep a child near a parent, instead of keeping the whole family together. That might be easier.

 

[delyrium]

We would have been perfectly happy with two and two, but when I checked my seat assignments upon check-in(the info wasn't available any earlier) we were all in completely different areas of the plane. How do they just do that to a family on a flight to Orlando?

 

[DvF Diva]

I have traveled with my toddler once a month since last November and both Delta and United have constantly changed our assigned/selected seats. Even when we paid for Economy Plus seats, we were moved to standard Economy (by United, on both paid and reward tickets). We called about 7 times in total, every time they changed our seats.
Delta has separated me from my 3 year old toddler on two of four flights we've taken recently, and sometimes, I had to wait until I am at the gate to get a new seat assignment. I dunno why they do it, but they do. It mainly happens when they change equipment. Just keep an eye on your reservation.

 

[Green Tea]

Delta is the only airline where I've had my seats reassigned. We always pick 2 aisle seats. Delta has moved us on the last 2 flights, actually. Another woman boarding when I was was loudly complaining about the same thing.

 

[FergieTCat]

How do you know if/when Delta changes your seat? Do you need to keep on checking your itinerary or do they tell you by e-mail? This has never happened to me and I didn't realize that they routinely did it.

I am travelling alone. I have two bad shoulders and usually choose a window seat so at least one of my shoulder isn't disturbed. I would not be very happy (and probably in pain) if Delta switched me to a middle seat.

 

[Ranger111]

How do you know if/when Delta changes your seat? Do you need to keep on checking your itinerary or do they tell you by e-mail? This has never happened to me and I didn't realize that they routinely did it.

I am travelling alone. I have two bad shoulders and usually choose a window seat so at least one of my shoulder isn't disturbed. I would not be very happy (and probably in pain) if Delta switched me to a middle seat.

They do not tell you.

However, they will usually tell you if there has been some sort of change to your reservation (flight number change, departure arrival time change, etc.).

If you get one of those, that is a red flag that your seat COULD change (not always).

The only way to be sure is to check yourself on an regular basis -- but that is a little OCD.

The other option, of course, is to pay more for a better seat -- that lessens the odds, but certainly does not totally guarantee that you won't find yourself moved.

 

[FergieTCat]

They do not tell you.

However, they will usually tell you if there has been some sort of change to your reservation (flight number change, departure arrival time change, etc.).

If you get one of those, that is a red flag that your seat COULD change (not always).

The only way to be sure is to check yourself on an regular basis -- but that is a little OCD.

The other option, of course, is to pay more for a better seat -- that lessens the odds, but certainly does not totally guarantee that you won't find yourself moved.

Looks like being OCD will work in my favor, because I will check periodically until my flight on May 14th.

Thanks for the heads up!

 

[Moomduck1]

I've had it happen on Delta, United and USAir.

 

[2009CAN]

You just have to find seats together. There's no charge for picking your seats on Delta. But then watch those seats! Check frequently and often and don't be afraid to make a fuss if necessary. That's my only gripe on Delta. They will swap out my seat without asking and without telling me until I'm boarding.

I've not flow Delta before, but we are flying them in November. Right now, all 5 of us have a row together. Our three kids are 3, 5, 5. Will they try and split us up after we already have seats together?

 

[disneychrista]

Will they try and split us up after we already have seats together?

Will they - probably not. Can they - it is possible, though not as likely as it seems here.

 

[2009CAN]

Will they - probably not. Can they - it is possible, though not as likely as it seems here.

I honestly don't care if my DH and I are separated on the flight, as long as they keep our kids with us. I don't want them to try and seat my 5-year-olds or 3-year-old by themselves.

 

[Ranger111]

I honestly don't care if my DH and I are separated on the flight, as long as they keep our kids with us. I don't want them to try and seat my 5-year-olds or 3-year-old by themselves.

As said, do seat changes happen? Yes.

Do they happen often? No.

Are they very rare? Yes.

Should I worry about it? No.

There are more important things to worry about (like is that plus-size person actually getting the middle seat next to me in my window seat...)

 

[kathie859]

I wanted to throw this out----if Delta has your email address on file. (I.e., sign up for a free frequent flyer #) you are advised of changes as they occur. I've been notified of a departure time change and while en route notified that my connecting flight was delayed and they had rebooked me on a different flight, etc). My seats WERE changed once a few years ago and I wasn't advised until we were boarding. We still had seats together so it was a non-issue.

 

[jedijill]

I had Delta change my window seat on a flight from Atlanta to Barcelona to the middle seat of the middle row of seats. That was a miserable change! By the time I found out, the plane was booked solid and there was no where else to move.

Jill in CO