Lost assigned seats

[whatacrew08]

We booked our flight almost 10 months ago. AAA booked our flight as two parties of four, 8 seats total. We were seated together, in two rows. Several months ago our AAA agent contacted me and informed us that our flight had changed, it was now an hour earlier. Great! We will get to WDW an hour earlier! So yesterday, AAA notifies us that our final documents are ready. When I pick them up, my agent informs me that when the flight changed, we lost our assigned seats. We were still confirmed on the flight, but no seats. She just saw this yesterday. She was able to get us assigned seats, but our party is now split up. Luckily she was able to get one parent next to each child, which is most important to me, but our party is no longer together. We are scattered throughout the plane. AAA said this was unusual, never really happens. She said she was lucky she found it. She did not call US Air, said it would not help as the flight is completely full at this point. I called US Air and they suggested I could call next week, maybe something would open up, but again nothing that they could do. Any thoughts? Tips? Thanks.

 

[CarolA]

Once again we have PROOF that using AAA is risky!

When your AAA agent noticed "several months" ago that things had changed he/she failed to do anything about your seats. So now you pay the price!

AAA said "it never happens" I swear they have more excuses then any TA I have ever heard of.... IT happens all the time if the agent drops the ball like yours did!!!!!!! You have not had seats since the change several months ago..


And she didn't even call USAir!!!

What does this woman think her job is??????? Because apparently Service was not in her vision of her job!

I would contact the AAA office and complain. And then I would take my business away for all future trips!

 

[NotUrsula]

However, complaining isn't going to get you seats for this flight.

Honestly, what happened to you is *VERY* common on most legacy carriers when flights are booked more than about 3 months in advance. At this late date, getting at least one adult seated with each child is probably about as good as you are going to get -- at least you are not all sitting in scattered middle seats.

Clearing two full contiguous rows a few days before the departure is highly unlikely. You can go ahead and ask USAir when you arrive at the airport -- it may be that they would be willing to bump up a few elite-level flyers to FC and let you have their seats, but the odds of there being enough of those people contiguously seated are very low.

Personally, I'd be happy with what you have on your outbound flight and do as Carol said, complain to AAA so that this agent doesn't drop the ball again.

 

[whatacrew08]

Thanks for your responses. I am wondering if I should check in on line 24 hours before our flight and then go to the ticket counter and explain the situation, asking if there are any changes that could be made? Or should I just check in at the ticket counter 2 hours before the flight and explain the situation at the same time? Does it matter? This is my son and nephew's very first flight and I was really hoping we could all be together. Thanks again!

 

[cbrfan]

I would still check-in online to avoid being bumped off the flight if it's oversold. Then I would talk to the agent at the desk when you arrive at the airport.

 

[CarolA]

I would check in online at 24 hours and see if anything has opened up. If not then go to the airport and ask.

I realize there is nothing that can be done now, but I am not as nice as NotUrsula. If I have a TA and they get the notification they are SUPPOSE to KNOW more then the traveler and should have checked then.

 

[tjmw2727]

I am sorry this happened to you, but I have to LOL that you were told it's unusal. I have it happen almost every time I fly American regardless of my ff status and how far in advance I make my reservations as well as my last two trips on Delta so this isn't unique to US Air. (Can't comment on AAA travel)

I am usually traveling alone with my 2 dd's it was a problem when they were young, now they are ok if we are separated. Even when the kids were as young as 3 and 5 I got little to no help from AA.

FWIW it seems that the further in advance you book the more likely something is going to change resulting in a seat re-assignment.

Since you have an adult with each child I would consider yourself lucky and pack accordingly for that child/parent combo. Nothing worse than little Jenny wanting the magnadoodle or the uno cards that are in the backpack dad has 14 rows back, kimw?

Have a good trip!

TJ

eta- ITA that your TA dropped the ball, as a FF I know enough to keep an eye on my flights for changes and when they do occur I check our seats. Your TA should have been doing that all along for you.

 

[justplaingoofy]

Some seats usually open up the day of travel due to some airlines not booking emergency row exits in advance and other guests without children may move to those seats, but I might doubt if enough seats would open up for all members in your party.

If this were me I would keep going to U.S. air's website often and put in your travel dates as if you are going to buy the tickets. There is a link on the side that says "details" then "seats" go to seats and you can keep checking if any seats become available. Then call us air with your record locator and switch the seats over.

FYI, this does happen often...and the t.a. should have checked your seating each time there is a change of times or aircraft.

Here is some pixie dust

 

[whatacrew08]

Some seats usually open up the day of travel due to some airlines not booking emergency row exits in advance and other guests without children may move to those seats, but I might doubt if enough seats would open up for all members in your party.

If this were me I would keep going to U.S. air's website often and put in your travel dates as if you are going to buy the tickets. There is a link on the side that says "details" then "seats" go to seats and you can keep checking if any seats become available. Then call us air with your record locator and switch the seats over.

FYI, this does happen often...and the t.a. should have checked your seating each time there is a change of times or aircraft.

Here is some pixie dust

Thank you so much! There is only one seat available on the whole plane right now, but there are many seats that are "available for preferred members." When would those seats typically open up! (Once again I want to thank all of you. I have learned so much from Dis members!)

 

[justplaingoofy]

I would think when travelers check in the day of....that is when they could get the emergency row exit (unelss a preferred member grabs it first) which would then open up their seats.

However, I would keep checking their site because you never know if someone needs to switch their dates....or you'd never want to wish this on anyone, but sometimes people are sick and need to reschedule. or they may try standby for an earlier flight......

Here's more pixie dust

 

[TDC Nala]

As long as there is a parent with the children, I don't see the problem.

If you do consider it a problem, you can continue to check with the booking agents to see if anything opens up, and then check at the gate. I do not see asking people to move once you get on the plane so an extended family can sit together though.

 

[DebbieB]

USAir is now charging non-elite members for the preferred seats if they are still open at 24 hours.

$15 on domestic flights of 1,101 miles or more.

$10 on flights of 501 to 1,100 miles.

$5 on flights of 500 miles or less

 

[tjmw2727]

As long as there is a parent with the children, I don't see the problem.

If you do consider it a problem, you can continue to check with the booking agents to see if anything opens up, and then check at the gate. I do not see asking people to move once you get on the plane so an extended family can sit together though.

I agree - and consider that you may not be the only family in this position on that flight. There may well be other familes where the kids are not yet sitting with a parent and will need/want to be accomodated. I am sure you would agree they would come first.

So, in your situation I would plan to sit in the seats you have now and make it work, don't show the kids your anxiety. If by some miracle you get seats closer to your family consider it a bonus

TJ

 

[heartbeeps]

well, it happens ALL THE TIME with Delta, that's why I monitor my own ressies on a weekly basis - MINIMUM. The name of tghe game for the airlines these days is to save money any way they can. If the flight is scheduled to hold 250 pax. and only 175 are booked at a certain point in time, they can and do change the eqpt. to a smaller plane so as to have every seat full that they can and to save on jet fuel as the larger planes take more fuel to operate.

you really need to be your own advocate. I don't mean that AAA didn't drop the ball but... think about the # of customers any TA has, and all the crazy stuff that has happened in the airline industry since jet fuel has started to go out of control - flights grounded for days... causing TAs worldwide to focus on the most pain--getting folks to their destinations as best they can given so much of AA was out of commission for days. DL had flights grounded too. Then there's weather that can mess up the flight schedules. Then there's the flight bankruptcies - Aloha, ATA, and others in the past couple of months. Sure they might not impact you or me but... they impacted somebody... AND THEIR TA! Plus the change in tix prices, the change in baggage rules, the change in reissue/changing tix rules, the jump in car rental prices, the jump in gasoline prices, the jump in ... you get my drift. Poor TAs have to "react" to all this stimulus going on around us - not just for you but for folks that are much worse off than you... they don't even have a plane to get on.

Unfortunately, it's now become like healthcare in America - you need to BE YOUR OWN ADVOCATE or subject yourself to risk. Practically speaking, the good news is 1) you're on the plane; 2) they do NOT release all the seats until the day of the flight so there's a possibility some improvement in seating arrangements may be able to be made IF YOU GO TO THE AIRPORT EARLY! Yes still check in online at the 24 hour mark and see if there can be any changes but GO TO THE AIRPORT EARLY and stand in line at the ticket counter (not at the gate b'c that doesn't open typically until 1 hour prior). The Agent will do everything they can to put you together; it just might not be much that can be done given the "loads" the airlines are booking on each flight these days.

Good luck and put it all in perspective - you'll all arrive in Orlando at the same time. You'll be together on the same plane. You can visit on the plane if the seat belt sign goes off (please though be considerate of your neighbors). It's not like it's forever, it's just a plane ride.

signed, a Delta Elite member (it happens ALL the time)

 

[vossjemi]

I'm sooo sorry this happened to you! It happened to me too back in 2003 when we were going to Hawaii for our anniversary. This was back when I didn't know much about internet travel and booking air on my own. I used AAA. We booked our air about 3 months prior to travel and had good window seats. I did know enough about air travel that I should call American Airlines the night before to confirm our flights, but just so happened to stop in AAA that afternoon to get some traveler's checks. My TA told me she had just checked all my flights and everything was confirmed and good to go. Yeah. So, stupid me didn't call.

Well, guess what? We arrived at 6:30 am for an 8:30 flight. We were told our flight had been cancelled some time ago and we had been rebooked on the 6:00 am flight, so we missed our flight!!! They did get us rebooked on another flight, but we had to go somewhere else first before we got to dallas for our main flight to maui. Well, I was holding paper tickets with my dallas to maui seat #s on them, but since we "missed" our morning flight, the whole system kicked us out as cancelled and they reticketed our seats to someone else. We wanted our original seats as we were most certainly there for the correct flight from dallas to maui, but no couldn't have them. We got real crappy seats in the back with no reclining for 9 hours and it wasn't a window seat now! I was sooooo mad at our AAA TA. I left her voicemails in Dallas, half expecting her to either fix it or have something for us at our condo as an apology. Nope, nada. Never heard from her.

When we got to Maui, I called Hawaiian airlines to confirm our flight in 1 week as we planned to hop over to Oahu for 4 days afterwards. Well, we had been kicked out of their system too! And, yes our return flights too. I promptly called the AAA TA, and she profusely apologized saying that when she confirmed our flights, she failed to confirm the time hadn't changed! I ended up getting all the other flights fixed, but needless to say I haven't ever used AAA again and do not plan to. I do my flights myself and set up my seats where I want them...then I check often for any changes.

I sure hope you can get it fixed, but I know when I was sitting there in Dallas asking for my windowseat back (who doesn't want a window seat when going to Hawaii for the first time?), there weren't any left. We had to take what was left over. NOpe, not using AAA ever ever again!

 

[wdwgypsy]

If nothing else ask for volunteers to switch with you when you board. Explain to them your spouse is afraid to fly and that you got switched at the last minute and boy you hope the spouse and kids don't freak out without you close.....

Worked for us, but spouse really is afraid to fly.

 

[sharonmickey]

My flight for July was made in November. The flight times have since changed. After reading this thread I decided I better check my seat assignments to make sure we are seated together. According to the paperwork from AAA we have seats together for both flights but when I checked on the airline website it has us in two different rows on the return flight. Fortunately there are still seats together so I was able to get new seating next to each other. Thanks!

 

[kaytieeldr]

If nothing else ask for volunteers to switch with you when you board. Explain to them your spouse is afraid to fly and that you got switched at the last minute and boy you hope the spouse and kids don't freak out without you close.....

Worked for us, but spouse really is afraid to fly.

Please don't. Please don't 'embellish' just to get your way - in this case, all your seats together.

 

[seashoreCM]

Well, guess what? We arrived at 6:30 am for an 8:30 flight. We were told our flight had been cancelled some time ago and we had been rebooked on the 6:00 am flight, so we missed our flight!!! /QUOTE]
Do airlines still expect you to telephone and reconfirm flights a few days before departure and a few days before return?

If the airline messes up your outgoing flight (includes when you properly stand by for an earlier flight) in a manner that cancels you return, then the airline should remake the return flights even if it has to forcibly book you (always possible) and ask for volunteers at flight time.

Disney hints: http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[CarolA]

Well, guess what? We arrived at 6:30 am for an 8:30 flight. We were told our flight had been cancelled some time ago and we had been rebooked on the 6:00 am flight, so we missed our flight!!! /QUOTE]
Do airlines still expect you to telephone and reconfirm flights a few days before departure and a few days before return?

If the airline messes up your outgoing flight (includes when you properly stand by for an earlier flight) in a manner that cancels you return, then the airline should remake the return flights even if it has to forcibly book you (always possible) and ask for volunteers at flight time.

Disney hints: http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

HUH? I don't get the relationship here. The original flight was cancelled, I see nothing about the return.

And yes, you should probably always check your flights. It's a good general practice in this day and age. Airlines are bleeding red ink and as a result they have FINALLY realized that one way to "raise" prices is to reduce supply!