Seat "gazzumping"

[the colonel2]

We made our seating requests many moons ago and understand that they are requests and very much subject to the catch all quality of the phrase "operational issues"

We intend to check in online.

Am I correct in assuming that this exercise confirms the seating allocation thus circumventing the input of check in staff who may wish to reassign a seat?

But similarly if this is the case is it possible for somebody to go online before us and "confirm" our pre existing seating "requests" for themselves? I would hope this is not possible as it would make a mockery of the concept of pre assigned seating requests.

 

[UKDEB]

I've read your post several times and I think I've worked out what you're asking. Once you check in online and have your pre-booked seating request confirmed, I think you'd be very unlucky not to get those seats, especially as, in theory at least, you get the option to print your boarding card. Should you choose not to check in online (or are unable to, which is a distninct possiblity) it's possible you could find that someone else has been allocated your pre-assigned seats. In this case, the earlier you check in, the better.

 

[the colonel2]

Thanks for that and apologies for not making myself clearer.

I understand that its best to check in as soon as possible but my question was could somebody else who checks in online decide to book for themselves the seats originally assigned to me when I made the advance seating request.

When you access the online system are you given access to all seating (including those already assigned to customers making advance requests) or just those normally held back for traditional check in

 

[UKDEB]

I understand that its best to check in as soon as possible but my question was could somebody else who checks in online decide to book for themselves the seats originally assigned to me when I made the advance seating request.

No. The seats you've booked will show as unavailable to anyone else checking in online. However, should you choose not to check in online, or find you can't, it's possible that your seats could be given to someone else at the check-in desk.

 

[the colonel2]

Thank you.

One less thing to worry about

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

Yes, the screens that the checkin staff use show three types of seats, available
requested
checked in

They can move people around in the requested and available seats to put, say, families together but cannot override the checked in seats without a Supervisors input (i.e upgrades, and disabled requirements)

Technically yes, they can still move you, but its not a done or regular thing. Remember that on line check in opens hours before twilight checkin so you have the drop as it were on people using twilight and next day checkin for the extra released seats.
The funb can be if you have different refernce numbers in the party, as yopu could, say, move the three on ticket ref one and then find someone else has beaten you to the seats whilst changing the ticket booking reference.
Simple way round that is to open as many windows as required at the same time.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

One thing I have 'seen' at Orlando airport a few times, is people checking in at Virgins downtown disney early morning drop off point 'Gazzumping'' people at MCO.

I have seen this as I have come of the Disney Magic a few times and its better to cjeck in at MCO rather than DD.

At 12.30pm when MCO virgin check in opens, I have seen annoyed people saying they have booked online, and 'their' seats gone, now I think this was before online check in, When they enquired they were told people with familes had been checked in at DD and taken the seats.


I can only advise if flying Virgin use DD, Early. Not MCO unelss to are PE or UC as that occurs less.

 

[epcot.girl]

Can you check in online and then drop your bags off at Twilight Check-In?

It's probably going to be a non-issue to me as I'll be on the train when online check-in opens and I'll be at Gatwick at about noon the day before my flight, but just in case things change it would be nice to know if this option is still available. I did it last time with no problems (and Twilight Check-In was dead).

 

[irongirlof12]

I reserved my seats online and had no problems whatsoever. one the outbound flight: I checked in online and printed boarding tickets etc. again no problems there.

on the return flight I had also reserved seats- the same ones and had no problems, we used dtd check-in and only waited 5 mins there. We also called Mears to get picked up from dtd later as a last minute thing - so overall no problems at all!

keep checking the website tho' to ensure the system has not gone down and they have set up again from scratch!

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

Can you check in online and then drop your bags off at Twilight Check-In?

It's probably going to be a non-issue to me as I'll be on the train when online check-in opens and I'll be at Gatwick at about noon the day before my flight, but just in case things change it would be nice to know if this option is still available. I did it last time with no problems (and Twilight Check-In was dead).

Yes you can if you want to.

 

[epcot.girl]

Excellent!

 

[Claire L]

We were gazzumped even in PE Checked in 4 and a bit hours before the flight today and they must have been given out at the DTD check in Not happy as we thought they should only change for operational reasons or if you were very late to check in

Claire

 

[wideeyes]

I am worried now, can other people only take your requested seats at check in? (DTD or Airport), and not during online check in? I am worried about losing our seats as we are flying UC and I have row 6 to be near my DD. The other seats seem quite far apart. I was planing on doing DTD as soon as it opens.

 

[Frances999]

I am worried now, can other people only take your requested seats at check in? (DTD or Airport), and not during online check in? I am worried about losing our seats as we are flying UC and I have row 6 to be near my DD. The other seats seem quite far apart. I was planing on doing DTD as soon as it opens.

We've never lost 6A/K when requested but I guess there are no guarantees. Best advice is to check-in as early as possible: once you've got the boarding passes in your hands it is difficult for them to change it. Might be best doing OLCI the day before and then dropping the bags off at DTD the next morning (if that can be done? we've always just done OLCI and then gone to the airport).

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

We've never lost 6A/K when requested but I guess there are no guarantees. Best advice is to check-in as early as possible: once you've got the boarding passes in your hands it is difficult for them to change it. Might be best doing OLCI the day before and then dropping the bags off at DTD the next morning (if that can be done? we've always just done OLCI and then gone to the airport).

Yes, you can do that.
I have always said that online is always your best bet

 

[CustardTart]

We've never lost 6A/K when requested but I guess there are no guarantees...

We have. When I went to check-in online the day before our flight to MCO in September, I found that we'd been moved from 6A/K to 8A/K. I relocated DH to 9A so we were side-by-side and vaguely wondered why. When we boarded, a family of 4 who's son had cerebral palsy, occupied the front 4 seats. I imagine VA had switched the seats to enable the family to care for their son more easily and with some degree of privacy. So it can happen but for good reasons...