Our reserved seats bumped by Alaska Airlines

[Parkplace]

I am travelling in March with my husband on a companion ticket, plus I paid full airmiles for my grandson to come along. I booked our seats months in advance.

We received notice that our seats together have been reassigned and now we have only 2 seats together and the 3rd a row ahead.

Has this happened to you? I am sure it is because we are travelling on a companion ticket and Alaska Airlines got full paying customers to put in our original seats.

Needless to say, I am not very happy about this. Any comments?

 

[djs]

Perhaps you could try calling and telling them that your grandson is rather active and is best served by sitting between his grandparents so they can keep him in line and so that he won't be a distraction to other passengers. Then hope you don't get put in the last row next to the restroom.

Seat assignment changes will happen if there is a change in equipment not sure if this was the case with you.

 

[philemer]

This happens a LOT. Call a CSR and plead your case.

I am travelling in March with my husband on a companion ticket, plus I paid full airmiles for my grandson to come along. I booked our seats months in advance.

We received notice that our seats together have been reassigned and now we have only 2 seats together and the 3rd a row ahead.

Has this happened to you? I am sure it is because we are travelling on a companion ticket and Alaska Airlines got full paying customers to put in our original seats.

Needless to say, I am not very happy about this. Any comments?

 

[Talent312]

Yep. It happens.
But before you call, go online to the airline's website to see if you can pull up your itinerarry and choose alternate seats yourself. I like to "see" what I'm getting. If that doesn't work, then call. As a last resort, I've been able to improve our seats just by asking at the check-in desk.

 

[Jimster]

Alaska

You did not say what class of seat you have. If it is 1st class that could be a problem because Alaska definitely gives preference to their elites. It could also be an equipment change. I second the vote to call and plead your case. Incidently, I think it has absolutely nothing to do with the fact you have one companion fare. If it is an equipment change, it may well have been done by the computer.

 

[Parkplace]

Alaska Airlines sent me an email saying the flight numbers had changed (but the departure and arrival times remained the same)

They stated the changed flight numbers and then wrote:

"Please note as a result of these changes your original pre-assigned seats may have changed". (This is why I think it has to do with the companion plus airmiles seats, I don't think its a different airplane.)

Since nothing changed but the flight number what else can I think.

I did go immediately online to check the seating and it looks like the same plane, only we are now right up at the front behind the first class. I don't know if this is a good thing or a bad thing but I will certainly check out the circumstances once we are on the plane. Unfortunately I was not quick enough to make a rebuttal and am pretty well stuck with these seats but I sure will consider your suggestions the next time, if we have this problem again. The airplane is full with not an empty seat to be had.

We've had these assigned seats for months. This has never happened to us before so I guess its a learning curve. I'll be quicker next time.

If they were going to reassign our seats, it would have been nice if they had upgraded us to 1st class.

 

[Jimster]

alaska

If that is where u r then u r in the MVP section which really is a better seat but physically not different-it just is a smoother ride and u get on and off faster etc. Second, how do you know the plane if full? You can't tell by looking at the seat map supplied by the airlines- did you go to seatcounter.com?? You can also try making a mock reservation for first class and just check the seat map availablility. This may give you a better idea of what is available. You realize, of course, that if u are an alaska elite that they get a complimentary upgrade to first if it is available. That is one of the advantages of status and it makes sense too-if you were alaska or any other airline who would you rather anger? The person who flies once or year or the one that flies twice a month. If it is really full, then go up to the gate attendant and tell her that your family is split up and see if she can't get someone to move as a last resort. This usually works. Oh btw, you are all traveling on the same reservation aren't u? If you are not, the computer will not link your party together if they readjust the seats. Then the problem is your doing not theirs but they will try to correct it if they can. Everything else aside, this happens relatively often these days with computers assigning seats.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

I think there most likely has been a change in equipment on the flight.

The previous comment about making sure the computer knows that you are traveling together is important. The key question here is if you are all traveling with the same confirmation code. If the confirmation codes are different the reservation system will not know you are all traveling together unless that information has been added by an agent. I don't know of a way to do that online; that requires a call to an agent.

 

[dougp26364]

This happens to us on just about every flight. There's almost no use in booking early and selecting your seats. The airline's going to make changes of some sort that will get you reassigned. Sometimes all it takes is them changing the departure time by a few minutes or maybe changing the flight number. Whatever the reason, I find I have to keep a very close eye on our seats right up until the day of the flight.

 

[Parkplace]

Whoops, There's another learning curve! Our confirmations are indeed two separate sets. Which now I will never do again. Although I did book through an Al Air lady, not on the internet, and I did tell her he was our grandson, but I did not ask for the same confirmation number.

And I was not watching the system at all having presumed we were all set!

Regarding the plane being full - I went online and made a mock reservation to have a look at the seating availability.

So its all up to a computer to rearrange everyone? I wonder who else was reassigned.

But if Jimster says the seats are a better ride that makes me feel better about it.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

Whoops, There's another learning curve! Our confirmations are indeed two separate sets. Which now I will never do again. Although I did book through an Al Air lady, not on the internet, and I did tell her he was our grandson, but I did not ask for the same confirmation number.

You can work it with different confirmation codes; you just need to talk to a human who can then link the two reservations in the system so that the computer will know you are traveling together.

As far as my experience goes, it works pretty well. We just returned from Puerto Vallarta on Alaska Air, with three different confirmation numbers for six travel segments between us. Not only did the reservations remain together intact, but the system picked up that I was an MVP and added an MVP notation to my wife's boarding passes as well.

 

[Talent312]

... we are now right up at the front behind the first class. I don't know if this is a good thing or a bad thing but I will certainly check out the circumstances once we are on the plane. Unfortunately I was not quick enough to make a rebuttal and am pretty well stuck with these seats...

Even if the plane looks full now, it is possible that there will be a few last minute cancellations or no shows. So, I'd still ask at the gate if they can reassign you before they call anyone on standby.

Once, when I asked a gate agent if we could be reassigned, she said that we'd have to wait to see who checked in first, but 20 minutes later, she called me back and moved us from the back of the plane to in front of the wings... which is what I consider an improvement.

 

[Jimster]

Linking

Let me inject a word of caution about linking PNR's. Some airlines are pretty good about it (after once talking to a human) and for some reason others are not. I am sure it didn't hurt that you were an MVP. I think some airline computers just can't get the linking thing right. My experience with AS has always been very good too.

 

[devilsrule2004]

you might be able to get the seats switch when you get on the plane. just ask the stewartists.. that what ive always done to keep my family together

 

[Elli]

you might be able to get the seats switch when you get on the plane. just ask the stewartists.. that what ive always done to keep my family together

You should read on FlyerTalk how many people object switching seats once they are on the plane. You might be able to switch seats sometimes, but it won't work all the time.

 

[Jimster]

switching seats

Yes, I am sure people switch seats on the plane sometimes. But that certainly would be my last resort. I will tell you point blank that I will almost never switch. I am an elite. I choose my seat very specifically and I don't intend to sit farther back or sit in the middle. I also do not have much empathy for people who aren't as diligent as I am. I would be more receptive if it were the flight attendant asking me to switch as opposed to another passenger, too. That is why you ask the gate attendant before you board. I have no trouble turning down another passenger. While we're at it I will also mention a couple other "peeves" I have (demonstrating that good old Ebenezer Scrooge Spirit). I fly United regularly and they have economy and economy plus. You pay more for economy plus (unless you are an elite) but some seat poachers will try and move up to stretch out- I will report that every time. Finally, I hate people who try to bring their steamer trunk as a carry on and I get down right nasty if they try to squeeze it in the overhead bin where my small carry on is located. I have seen several times travelers do this only to break someone else's carry on. Once after the plane had taken off the gentleman in front of me started feeling liquid dropping on him from above. It turns out the guy who sat beside him had forced his luggage into the overhead and broken all of the guy's insulin bottles. I always suggest to people that they keep an eye on the overhead bin where their items are located until all the carry ons are stowed and I have more than once suggested to someone that they should really check a piece of luggage at the gate. I know this sounds mean and heartless but people need to learn the rules and follow them.

 

[djs]

...I have more than once suggested to someone that they should really check a piece of luggage at the gate. I know this sounds mean and heartless but people need to learn the rules and follow them.

Although passengers are responsible to have a "reasonable" sized carry-on, the employees at the gate need to take a stand and tell the passenger in no uncertain terms that their oversized bag needs to be checked. If they get onto the plane with said bag and are pushing/shoving the bag to get it in the overhead, then the flight attendents should say something.

One big peave I have though is often I'll see someone who is seated in the back of the plane put their bag in an overhead near the front of the plane. I don't even know what makes someone think that's a cool thing to do.

 

[Jimster]

Yesss

YESSSSSSSSSS to your last paragraph. I wanted to say that too but I thought I had been obnoxious enough for one post.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

I almost always carryon a backpack and a computer case. I work on the road, and the backpack has files and materials I need for work. The computer case has my laptop and other essential electronic goodes, and the files I need to keep closest at hand.

One of the benefits of being elite is the early boarding. I don't have to worry about the overhead being all filled up, so I can store the backpack on top and the computer case under the seat in front of me.

I also take an aisle seat whenever I can.