update on my seat assignment issues on Delta

[Rock'n Robin]

If anyone remembers (or cares! ), I booked flights through Delta for our 4 day/ 3 night quick trip in December. Our MCO-CVG flight only had single seats--I booked them, and DH and the girls are only 1 row apart each, but DS is in row 20 and I am in row 14. I at least booked DS an aisle seat so someone, hopefully, would trade (he is 4) so he could sit by me.
I called to check our flights--only that flight changed, and it is 20 minutes later. I asked about seats and they were still scattered. I asked her about getting at least DS and I together, and she said that she couldn't do it, the open seats were saved for the airport, but that she had made a note on the reservation and "they always let families sit together".
So we are still keeping our original departure time for yourride so I get there plenty early, and with luck at least DS and I will be sitting together, or hopefully we will even get 2 and 3 together like we usually do.
Robin M.

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

This doesn't make sense. If "they always let families sit together", then why not assign the family seats together so there's no concern about it???

If I were you, I'd call Delta back and ask to speak to a supervisor, explain the situation, and see if they can assign the seats now rather than later.

 

[DianeV]

I agree to press it with Delta. Nothing worse than getting on the plane and trying to do a switcheroo when all the other passengers are looking at you like you are causing them to be held up and believe me it happens! Also once you are at the gate the pickings will be even slimmer.

 

[KLAIT]

We actually had a similar situation happen to us. We always fly Northwest as they are the only ones who fly from our rural airport and we were assigned seats that were not together. We were advised to arrive at the airport early and request seats together. Here we were, there about 3 hours early requesting seats together. They were extremely nice about it and got all three of us together without any problems. I asked why they could not do this before and they told me something to the effect of holding more expensive seats until last minute......

Good luck

 

[kidzmom3]

i have had the same thing happen to me. I have been close to tears at the gate, but when it comes down to it, someone has always moved. Pretty much no-one wants to sit next to my unattended kids, so its been horrible, but it always works out. They do legally hold some seats for the airport.

 

[Disney Talker]

Since your DS is 4 years old I do not think that getting at least two seats together will be a problem. If the others are teens or older it might be, but not for a boy that young..they do not want him unsupervised on a plane IMHO. Good luck with it, Delta has always been wonderful to us...

 

[Jeanny]

But I can't figure out what their problem is... it's a simple thing... families sit together!! Unless you have 25 people traveling together, then I see some being split up.

I don't understand why they would even THINK of splitting a family traveling together. I mean at the most, kids in the seats in the next row.

you're buying the tickets together and you're giving them your money... you should be able to SIT together!!

 

[inkkognito]

Definitely ask for a supervisor! It can't hurt and it might help. That's the only thing that worked for us on our one and only Delta flight, when our seat assignments were messed up through THEIR error. At first, I tried to straighten it out at the MCO customer service counter. I don't like to bash people based on their ethnic background, but the person who "assisted" me was Middle Eastern and very obviously had a major problem with a woman daring to speak to him (my husband was there, too, but I was handling it since I made the flight arrangements). He actually said "I refuse to speak to you!" Then he went ballastic when I wrote down his name and explained that I was going to speak to a supervisor. I found a supervisor who was much more courteous...he figured out what had happened to mess up the assignments originally (and admitted it was Delta's fault), and he was able to straighten things out. Good luck to you! It can take some doing to find the right person, but once you do, hopefully they will be able to ensure that you are all together.
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[CherylA]

I personally don't think it's neccessary to push the issue with Delta. I don't think they really can move you till last minute. If those reserving their seats before you picked the other seats I don't think Delta can just move them without asking (I'd be pissed if they did it to me!) I don't think you'll have any problems when you check in though. Even if they have to ask to ask someone to switch with you there is always someone whos willing especially since you got him an isle seat.

Cheryl

 

[CarolA]

I am going to post something. I know that Robin will be polite and nice, but my warning is airline employee don't HAVE to do anything besides give you a seat on the plane. (If you don't believe me read the 100 page terms that the airlines have for each ticket! You can request it from the airline, it is a little boring!)

Be sure you are polite. I have been polite all the way to the station manager, but I have never yelled etc.. Even in Barb's case they were not really obligated to do anything. However, I have seen people attempt to Curse the gate agents out. While they were cursing I got my flight reassigned and I was on the next flight. The "curser" was delayed for several more hours!

 

[Claudia1]

Been there, done that, no recourse but to wait. We have never had to sit away from one of our children but have had to wait to get the seats.

The only time we were able to get sets assignments from a "supervisor" was when they changed our flights with our seats previously together. I (politely but firmly) insisted that we bought the tickets early to be sure to be seated together and I was not happy that their change separated my family. We did not get the tickets because I went up the chain of command.

I don't think there is anything you can do now but wait and get to the airport early.

 

[ralphd]

All airlines hold a certain number of seats for frequent flyers. These seats are usually the front rows in the economy (coach) cabin. A frequent flyer can see the available seats on the airlines website seatmap, while a non-frequent flyer will see them as unavalable.
Some of the seats will be released by the computer prior to departure (if there are more available than will normally be sold prior to the departure date). The balance will be held and assigned at the departure gate.
All airlines use the same basic seat assignment systems. Some airlines even use the same programs.

ralphd