Question about splitting airline reservations to allow for upgrade

[3kids4me]

I was just advised by American that I need to split our reservations into two parts if I would like to ask for an upgrade for my husband and one of my kids. This is because, if they receive the upgrade, we would lose the remaining seats because they are blocked off for platinum members only (my husband is platinum due to a recent challenge I signed him up for). So now my husband and one of my children is on one record and my two other kids and I are on another. We can't even access the latter record from his FF number, only from mine.

My worry is that, with a split reservation, if something happens to the flight (cancelled or changed, which has happened twice already), that they won't know we are all linked. Also, my kids and I no longer have the seat assignment advantages that platinum members get (which I never knew about). For instance, while booking under my husband's record we were in the ninth row, three of us were almost moved back to the 25th row because of the record split. They kept the seats because we are not asking for an upgrade on that flight (we are only going to do it for the outbound because of this issue)...but I wonder if the system will still remove us from them at some point.

Should I call and ask them to recombine the seats and not even bother requesting the upgrade? I'm not even sure they can combine the records again anyway.

Any advice? Hope this was clear. The flight is not until February.

Thanks!

 

[x3 skier]

I always do this when we travel together on a paid fare since my wife does not have Elite Status and I do. If the upgrade comes through, she gets the seat in the front of the bus and I ride in steerage.

Just ask them to link the records and that will take care of it. Its a simple step to assure all actions on one reservation will bring up the other record.

Cheers

 

[GrayFal]

I always do this when we travel together on a paid fare since my wife does not have Elite Status and I do. If the upgrade comes through, she gets the seat in the front of the bus and I ride in steerage.

Just ask them to link the records and that will take care of it. Its a simple step to assure all actions on one reservation will bring up the other record.

Cheers

This has also worked for me.....link the resies.

 

[3kids4me]

AA claims they are linked, although I cannot see both when logging on with his FF number. They also tell me that, even if they are linked, if he and my daughter get upgraded, then the rest of us will lose our seats because they are only for platinum members. Does this sound right?

 

[x3 skier]

You can't see the record linkage on the web site. If it makes you nervous, call a couple of times and ask.

I don't understand the second part of your question. My guess is what they are telling you is that because one of the passengers is platinum, they allow all of you to sit together in "better" seats. If the upgrades occur, you lose that benefit of getting in the "better" seats back in steerage.

Usually, the only thing "better" seats implies is they are probably closer to the front door or exit row with more room or you may get to board earlier than others to get the overhead storage before it becomes jammed with Guitars, Coolers, Tubas and other assorted strange things brought on board. If these are important to you, you can give up any chance for an upgrade and all sit together.

I would stay with your current arrangements if it were me.

Cheers

 

[Hoc]

They also tell me that, even if they are linked, if he and my daughter get upgraded, then the rest of us will lose our seats because they are only for platinum members. Does this sound right?

Yes, that sounds right. On AA, exit row seats and certain more desirable seats are for platinum or gold members and their travel companions only. If the platinum member gets upgraded, and the remaining members do not have status, their seats will be relocated to ordinary seats on the plane.