Seat Assignments on USAIR.com

[jel0511]

Hi -

I just thought I would let everyone know what happened to me when I flew USair a couple of weeks ago. I bought my tickets on USAIR.com, and had choose seat out so my family could be together, since we were traveling with two small children, both in car seats. We had two and two, right behind each other. Well, we get to the airport to check in, and our seats had mysteriously disappeared. I showed the agent my printout with what I thought were confirmed seats and I was informed by that agent (and several others) that when you choose seats on USAIR's website, it's only a suggestion where you'd like to be seated, not an actual seat!!! Anyway, we had been given 4 seats in separate parts of the plane!! Imagine, they wanted a 4 month old and a 3 year old, sit by themselves!!! Well, I started gatting angry at every gate agent, and they told me they would do something about it, and they would get back to me. Well, of course, they didn't and started boarding the plane. When I went ot board during small children, I asked the person taking the boarding passes if this had been worked out... Then she had the NERVE to tell me that she had gotten busy and I should have asked before I boarded, since I was now holding up the boarding process!!!!! Anyway, they did finally accomdate us, even though we were 15 rows apart, but at least we were able to sit with our children!!!! The flight home was no better, but fortuately, I called US Air when we arrived at out destination, to confirm seats for the way home to avoid this for our flight home. We were apart again, but at least I didn't have the hassel and worry that we'd be separated from our children. I also learned that this has happened to other members of my family after telling them of our plight, so this isn't an isolated incident. So, the moral of the story is, if you book with USAIR.com, call them to confirm your seat assignments, so you don't end up spread around the plane with a stranded infant sitting next to you!!

 

[Disneymomma]

It also happened to me two years ago on a WDW trip. Five of us were split 2-3. This year I went with just DD and they gave us the seats requested. There was no way I would let her sit by herself!

 

[Beverly Lynn]

its possible that you could have been victim to a schedule change. and you always always call before your flight to make sure that you have your seats assigned where you want, etc before you travel. in fact I would be more than happy to help you now if you want to complain to usair about how you were treated. and they were wrong to tell you that it is only to tell them of your seating preference. I hope that you have the agents names that gave you a hard time. of all the ressies I have made online with ,my seat assignments I have yet to have that happen to me. plz pm me if you want my assistance in contacting usair about what happened to you.

 

[izzy]

I also made reservations for my upcoming trip on their website and selected my seats. One of my flights did change, and when I called to ask what my new seat numbers were, I was told that I didn't have seat assignments for any of my segments going or coming! I told her that I selected them on the website and she said she didn't know what happened. She went on to tell me that they can only pre-assign 75% of the seats, and they hold the other 25% open for assignment the day of the flight. I personally think this stinks. Why even let us "pick" our seat assigments (which clearly show occupied or vacant on their website), if you can't have these? It was just a waste of my time. Thank goodness it's just me and my 72 year old mother going. We can certainly sit apart if we have to, although we prefer to sit together so that we can talk (and make our "attack plan" for the parks - LOL!). However, if I had a child, I would be fuming!

 

[DebbieB]

I flew USAIR in May, I had made reservations over the phone. We had bulkhead seats on the way home, 4A & B, it was printed on our e-ticket confirmation. There was no change of plane, it was an Airbus 319. When I got to the gate, the agent said we had ajoining aisle seats. I said I thought we had 4 A &B and showed her the confirmation. She looked perplexed and said it did say 4 A &B on one place on the computer, but those seats were assigned to someone else and our actual seats were different. She did offer exit row (row 9) so it turned out fine. I noticed on the plane that there was a family of 3 with a toddler in our seats & the next one. My guess is they needed to sit together, so they bumped us out. Another time we had seats close to the front assigned and when we got to the airport they said we were moved to the back. So, as Beverly Lynn said, confirm your seats before you go! USAir has an automated system to check seats, you just put in your ff# and it will tell you the assignments.

 

[JandD Mom]

If you make your seats really far in advance, keep checking the web site periodically to make sure the flight times/equipment is the same. If they change the flight no, chances are they also messed up your seating. Call as soon as you notice it and they will fix it. If you wait, it may be hard to fix once all the seats are assigned.

 

[Beverly Lynn]

Debbie I can tell you right now what happened to you. your seats were moved on you by someone in seats to accommodate someone else. it oculd have been due to certain circumstances and they went abd reaccommodated you to the next closest thing, but they could have told you.....its all in the history of the PNR all the agent had to do was look in it. they are so lazy at times. and to be honest you could have been victim to a schedule change. it could have been something like 1 -5 min in either direction and that will affect your seat assignment.

 

[jel0511]

Well, I can definately sayt hat I wasn't a victim of a schedule or equipment change, because everything was the same as when I booked these flights about 2 months in advance. Unforunately, I was just so upset and just wanted to get my family seated together, I didn't take notice of anyones name, I will remember that for next time! All I know, is that I'm very down on US Air and will probably not fly them again, after my current scheduled flight to St. Thomas. I've confirmed those seats again, and they haven't changed those seat assignments yet, but hey, we have about 6 weeks to go, so things can still happen!!! I guess it's a lesson learned to keep checking my seat assignments and to take notice of people's names when they are definately not giving you good customer service. On the flight home, even thought we were 2 and 2, I did ask the gate agent if he had anything closer together forus, his answer... you should consider yourself lucky you have 2 and 2, some families aren't even sitting together!!! I'm sure they weren't traveling with an infant and a toddler!!!! Thanks for the support everyone and hopefully I this will help prevent this to someone else in the future!!!!

 

[WdwJon]

I was told that something was wrong with the software on their website. Even though the graphic shows the seats that are filled, and you pick an empty seat, it never gets put on your e-ticket, but rather says to check in at the desk. As soon as I received the confirmation after picking my seats, I called, and although they had my reservation, sure enough, the seats were not the reservation.

 

[The4OfUs]

Wow! This happened to my sister-in-law last week as well, exact same scenario...she thought she had done something wrong! And she too had the sitation where they wanted to sit this family of 4 all over the plane one by one, with a 2 and 4 yr old in the mix. I'll have to point her to this thread so she can see she was not alone...

 

[FergieTCat]

US Air has pulled that on me, too, except they moved me from a window seat into a middle seat. It was completely unacceptable to me (I was by myself, but I will not subject myself to a middle seat, especially when there were window seats available at the time I made my reservation). I showed the gate agent my seat assignment, and she tried to sell me the old "can't guarantee your seat". I politely informed her that I wanted a window seat, since I originally reserved one. I had enough time, and was ready to speak to a supervisor, if that was necessary (I probably made that clear in the tone of my voice). Miraculously, she found a window seat for me.

I think that if airlines are going to move your seats, they should at least provide a reasonable explanation of why.

For that, and other reasons, I will never fly US Air again either.

Donna

 

[Beverly Lynn]

let me explain something a littel better here. even if the shcedule change is a min or more it can and has affected seat assignments. the scheduel can change 50 times and then in the end revert back to what it was originally but not the seat assignments. this could have happened and you never would have known it. its all shown in the history of the PNR. if I had a way to show you I would. so you don't know if you were victim to a schedule change or not. now if the flights were changed so much that you were notified then yes at that point you would know. the more people complain about it to the consumer affairs division the more it will be taken care of. when I say this I am referring to the schedule change team that works these flights. some do not go out of hteir way to contact the people about this. and they don't bother to check and see what seats they had before they reassign them or change them to better than what the computer randomly assigned them. if the flight is changed 15 min or more in either direction then they are to contact you about it. this is why it has always been suggested to check and recheck your flight info before you travel. especially if you have seats assigned and if you have any special requests.

 

[SNOWBOARDER]

USAir pulled the same stunt on us. What were those people thinking? They had us all over the plane, separating us from our kids. It took a lot of convincing, cajoling, whatever, to even get them to sit us in pairs. The personnel were both obnoxious and rude. We were treated poorl and were thoroughly disgusted and we will NEVER fly USAir again, even if the tickets were free!

 

[JandD Mom]

I always call a day or 2 before to make sure my seats have not been changed.

On the occasions where we have not been seated together, I tell every agent I come in contact with. At check in, I try to get them to put us together. If that can't be done, they told us to tell the gate agent.

When we have told the gate agent, we usually have to wait around for them to find us something, but they usually do. Or at least, they have had us split up so that each parent was seated with a kid. We have on a couple of occasions been split to 2 and 2 in different parts of the plane. We have not been happy about this, but as long as we do not have a kid sitting alone we are ok.

It is important, if for no other purpose than the safety of the child and the people sitting around him/her that he be with a parent if he is young. IN case of emergency a responsible adult needs to help the child.

Note, I may have had an easier time because my kids are preschoolers. I can see that parents with kids that are teens or 'tweens may have a harder time.

 

[hercamore]

BeverlyLynn: What does the PNR stand for?

I sympathsize with everyones's plight regarding seat changes with regard to families staying together.

On a positive note, I was astounded with American Airlines ability to put our family of three together on 3flights to and from MCO last month. One person was flying out of Mpls to Ohare and myself and dd flying out Rochester, MN to Ohare. I thought we'd never see each other on the segment from Ohare to MCO, but we ended up all sitting together, even tho we left from different aiports. I was astounded.The planes were completely full.

I mentioned this to the gate agent, and she said AA is really big on families sitting together. I made the res. on AA website, but did not assign any seats at the time due to a computer glitch.

 

[Beverly Lynn]

Passenger Name Record. its your reservation.

 

[hercamore]

Thanks.

 

[Lorihome2]

I just now bought tickets on US Air (via Expedia.com, but used their "pick a seat" dealie). What a great tip to call and check seat assignments before departure!! My kids are older (11 and 6), but I have strong opinions on where I want all of us to sit... especially since we'll be traveling over 8 hours each way!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

Can't wait - WDW in 117 days!!!!

 

[TinkerbellRules]

We had the same thing happen on ATA 5 yrs ago. I had confirmed the seating before we left only to find out we were switched (they did it to a family of 5 as well). The woman checking people in was really nasty. I told her there was no way my 5 yr old DD was going to fly w/o a parent sitting by her! She said "you can't talk to me that way". I said "what way? I'm not yelling or cussing, but she's NOT flying by herself". DD was worried for about 30 mins, in tears, until I found another flight attendant who said "there's no way your DD will have to fly by herself. We would never allow it." I explained what witchy woman said. She got my DD and I a seat together and DH had to fly alone. I then went to the other desk and had him confirm our flight home. It went well. I sent a letter and all I got was a "we'll look into it". Nothing more.

 

[Beverly Lynn]

Whenever you send a letter to the carrier you should always send it return receipt so that you know when they got it and give them approx 14-21 days to respond if they don't send the same letter agian along with a short note explaining that you know they received the first letter and were looking into it but that you ahd not heard anythign further and you would like to know what has happened. this lets them know that your complaint was serious to you. and also let them know that you have forwarded the letter on to the DOT as well.