We bought our tickets ... but, no seats?

[Amunet]

Hello

So, I booked our tickets for the 3 of us to fly from SLC to MCO on July 26th (and back on the 31st).
For BOTH flights, it says that our booking is confirmed but we are not assigned any seats.

The airline is Delta and I KNOW Delta notoriously overbooks their flights. I suspect this might be one of those 'overbooked' flights.

Has anyone had a similar experience? What happened once you got to the airport? Did you make or flight or were you bumped?

I plan to do the online checkin as soon as it hits 24 hours prior, just in case ...

 

[DebbieB]

Hello

So, I booked our tickets for the 3 of us to fly from SLC to MCO on July 26th (and back on the 31st).
For BOTH flights, it says that our booking is confirmed but we are not assigned any seats.

The airline is Delta and I KNOW Delta notoriously overbooks their flights. I suspect this might be one of those 'overbooked' flights.

Has anyone had a similar experience? What happened once you got to the airport? Did you make or flight or were you bumped?

I plan to do the online checkin as soon as it hits 24 hours prior, just in case ...

It's not necessarily overbooked. Delta holds seats for their preferred level frequent flyers. If not booked, they release them for online check-in at 24 hours. There are also seats that are held back for airport check-in. I fly Delta alot and I don't think they "notoriously overbook".

I just looked at their website and both non-stops on those dates still have plenty of preferred seats. Plus they also have many first class seats. Their preferred flyers will get upgraded to first class, which will open more coach.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

Just because I don't want to work...

I went on Expert Flyer and checked the "avaiable for sale" seats on the nonstops on your date.

Those flights are LONG way from being oversold at this point!

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Seats will open up by your flight date. Did you try calling Delta to get seats assigned?

 

[Andy B]

As far as I am aware you rae not allocated a seat when you buy a ticket. I then had to use my booking number to go into manage my booking and choose seats.

 

[Day-Day]

I booked 4 tickets for my family on our recent trip to WDW with Delta. I could never get seats assigned online; only "check for seat assignment at the gate". I did online check-in. When I checked in at the gate, the attendant said he wanted to put us four together (3 on one side with 1 across the aisle) but had to wait to see if a handicap seat was going to remain open. We left for a meal, came back and he handed us four tickets; 2 together, 2 across from each other, all in first class.

 

[DebbieB]

As far as I am aware you rae not allocated a seat when you buy a ticket. I then had to use my booking number to go into manage my booking and choose seats.

If you book through their website, you can get seats assigned when you make the reservation. As you said, you can always go in with your reservation # to see if seats are available. There's been a couple of times I didn't have a seat assignment on a business trip and I kept checking and was able to get a seat. I've never gone as far as online check-in to get a seat.

 

[TamaraQT]

Just because I don't want to work...

Now THAT was funny!!!! I suspect most of us posting on here during working hours must feel the same way!!!! OMG....that literally made me laugh out loud!!

 

[tinka-belle]

Delta holds back a hefty amount of seats, usually aise and window seating in the front half of the coach section, and a couple of preferred rows. They will release them 24 hours ahead.

 

[tinka-belle]

Oooops! That's AISLE and window seats!

 

[Amunet]

Thank you all so much for your in-put, this really has put my mind more at ease ^_^

I booked through orbitz but I do have a delta frequent flyer number. Should I call delta directly to try to get confirmed seats?

I mostly worry cause Orbitz always lets me pick seats on Delta flights ... when I booked, there were still some open seats to claim (online) but they were scattered, now there isn't an option at all.

So, in all of your many wisdoms, should I call now (as mentioned above) or sit tight until the 24 hour mark?

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I booked through orbitz but I do have a delta frequent flyer number. Should I call delta directly to try to get confirmed seats?

It won't hurt to call, as I already suggested.

Why book through Orbitz in the first place? It's much better to book directly with the airline.

 

[Amunet]

It won't hurt to call, as I already suggested.

Why book through Orbitz in the first place? It's much better to book directly with the airline.

Okay, will do when I get the chance ^_^

I love Orbitz, I always find awesome deals on there and usually better than with booking through the airline directly. I suppose it's the same reason why some people always fly the same airline, no matter the cost; they're loyal to the company ^_^

 

[MisWal]

We had the same situation and when I called Delta, I was told it was because the type of plane had not been determined yet and would be at a later date based on tickets sold. I continued to check the ability to choose seats every day and was able to select our seats within 5-6 days.

 

[maxiesmom]

It won't hurt to call, as I already suggested.

Why book through Orbitz in the first place? It's much better to book directly with the airline.

This may not apply to the OP, but the last time I tried to book directly thru Delta, it had issues recognizing my credit card. They had that secure code thing, and it gave me all sorts of problems. So I ended up booking thru Orbitz, and had no problems.

I know conventional wisdom is to book directly with the airline, in case of time changes or whatnot. I found Orbitz to be great when I ran into that issue too.