No assigned seats with Delta?

[CaliforniaDreaming]

I was getting ready to book my flights with delta, but my return flight went up $65/pp! So, I have to take a different flight now. But, the return flight does not have any seats available (they show available preferred, but we are not preferred). If I'd call Delta after making the reservations, would they assign me the preferred seats (there are a lot of them left)? And, my flight into MCO, we'd have middle seats spread out in the back of the plane. Would they be kind enough to seat us together in the preferred seats? That flight only shows 4 seats open in the regular category, and we'd get 3 of them.

Thanks.

 

[DebbieB]

Preferred seats are usually for premium level frequent flyers or full fare business tickets. There are probably more seats available that they are holding for airport check-in that you don't see on the chart. They will probably tell you to wait for airport check-in. This happened with me and my mom once, we took 2 middle seats a row apart so that we would be guaranteed not to be bumped and on the day of check-in they moved her into the aisle seat next to me.

 

[CaliforniaDreaming]

With no checked luggage and an e-ticket, can we just go to the gate, and have them change our seats on our second leg (at PIT airport, for the ATL-MCO flight)? Or, will we need to do this at the Delta ticket counter or at ATL?

 

[CarolA]

Normally they will be able to ticket you at your first check in for the entire flight. After you book I would go ahead and call, you never can tell. One of the other things that happens is that Delta holds seats for it's partner airlines (Air France, Areo Mexico, etc.) A lot of these get opened up between now and the actual flight.

 

[DebbieB]

I agree, I would call and keep calling to check availability. Even if you can get 2 of the 3 seats together it would help. There could also be cancellations that open seats. If you can't get them together by the date of departure, I would go to the counter at PIT for the best selection of check-in day seats. By the time you get to the gate, more could be gone, also the gate agent sometimes doesn't show up until the last minute. If all else fails, ask at the gate right before boarding to see if someone didn't show up or ask the flight attendant on board.

 

[CaliforniaDreaming]

Well, I went ahead and just booked with US Airways, non-stop. Decided it wasn't worth all the hastle. Got seat assignments (that I'm really not too happy with - but wanted them to not get bumped). But, we get there late, and leave early.

Thanks for all the suggestions, though.

With the e-ticket kiosks, if we check-in there, will they show all the open seats that became available on the day of flight (where we can change our seating assignment)?

Thanks again.

 

[atigeg]

We have used E-Tickets frequently with ATA, and even though we already have our seats assigned, we access the seating chart to check for exit rows. There have always been several seats available to choose from, even on a flight that turns out to be full. Of course, we always get to the airport very early.
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[goofyandmore]

Hi CaliforniaDreaming, my experience with seat arrangements is that if you keep calling, you may get what you want and even if it is the night before. I have had the airlines suddenly change the size of a plane and more seats open up. Also, I have had confirmed seats and then get to the airport and they changed them on their own (that was Continental). But if you get to the airport early enough, you can ask there too to get the seats together. Keep on calling though about the times for your flight bec. even though you already booked, maybe better times will open up; however, I am assuming that they will not charge you for changing the time of the flight. Bests, Carolyn