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Lufthansa - no seat assignment until 23 hrs before flight


Moxiefurball
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i have booked through Princess EZAir. Two of the flights home are United but operated by Lufthansa. So I have since discovered that Lufthansa doe not allow actual seat assignments until 23 hrs before flight and if you want an assignment before then, you have to pay?

 

Who has experience with this. ?

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i have booked through Princess EZAir. Two of the flights home are United but operated by Lufthansa. So I have since discovered that Lufthansa doe not allow actual seat assignments until 23 hrs before flight and if you want an assignment before then, you have to pay?

 

 

 

Who has experience with this. ?

 

 

 

That’s how it works with Lufthansa and other European airlines in coach even if you book direct. Personally, I paid. I want to have my choice and not be stuck in the middle seat.

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That’s how it works with Lufthansa and other European airlines in coach even if you book direct. Personally, I paid. I want to have my choice and not be stuck in the middle seat.

 

So when can you actually pay for the right to select a seat? After I’ve paid final cruise deposit and airfare?

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Do you have a locator/reference number? You go online use your locator number and credit card.

 

No, I don’t seem to see a locator number. I called Lufthansa directly and they told me because it was booked a certain way by Princess , that makes the flight a UA flight operated by Lufthansa, even once it is ticketed I would not even be able to pay to select a seat. The way it’s booked I can only select a seat at that 23 hr before time, which seems ludicrous to me . Lufthansa told me that princess needs to rebook directly through Lufthansa and then and then only then could I buy to select earlier.

This all sounds crazy to me. I’ll have to call Princess , but I’ve got a good fare and I bet if they re book direct with a Lufthansa the fare increases.

Edited by Moxiefurball
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If you do decide to pay to select seats in advance, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on your flights and seat assignment. A change in equipment could mean seats that are no longer as you selected. It happened to us with LH. Fortunately, I caught it early and they fixed it.

 

On one of our LH flights within Europe, we did not pay to select early as it was a short flight. When we checked in online 23 hrs prior, I saw that they had already assigned us seats together. There was an option to select other available seats but we were satisfied with their assignment.

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No, I don’t seem to see a locator number. I called Lufthansa directly and they told me because it was booked a certain way by Princess , that makes the flight a UA flight operated by Lufthansa, even once it is ticketed I would not even be able to pay to select a seat. The way it’s booked I can only select a seat at that 23 hr before time, which seems ludicrous to me . Lufthansa told me that princess needs to rebook directly through Lufthansa and then and then only then could I buy to select earlier.

This all sounds crazy to me. I’ll have to call Princess , but I’ve got a good fare and I bet if they re book direct with a Lufthansa the fare increases.

 

 

 

Did you try going to UA site then? It’s a UA flight. It should be free on UA.

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Did you try going to UA site then? It’s a UA flight. It should be free on UA.

 

The UA site would not allow. This is all a moot point now as I’ve found another better fare not on Lufthansa with the ridiculous pay for seat selection.

I magic all airlines will eventually go to pay to select seat at some point.

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The way it’s booked I can only select a seat at that 23 hr before time, which seems ludicrous to me ..... I’ve got a good fare and I bet if they re book direct with a Lufthansa the fare increases.

 

Why is it ludicrous? To some degree, you get what you paid for. You got a bargain, but are asking for the bells and whistles that likely go with a higher fare.

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If you are actually flying on an LH plane, you can’t choose a seat before online check in, even if you are willing to pay, unless it’s booked with an LH flight number.

Yours is booked with a UA flight number, thus no advance seat selection,

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I just had this happen last week. I booked through United. The outbound flight was on United, the return on Lufthansa. I booked my (free) seat on the United site, then went to Lufthansa to buy my seat. They wouldn't let me. I telephoned, and was told, "it's a codeshare". Yes, I understand that, and was prepared to pay for my seat assignment, but there was no way to do it. It wasn't as if I booked through a discount site.

 

It was within 24 hours of purchase, so I cancelled and booked r/t on United with a slightly awkward connection, but it's actually working to my advantage. And I prefer the aircraft type, anyway.

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Why is it ludicrous? To some degree, you get what you paid for. You got a bargain, but are asking for the bells and whistles that likely go with a higher fare.

 

It’s ludicrous to have to pay to select a seat, I don’t care how good a fare it is. First it started with food, then baggage fees now pay to seat select, what’s next pay to go bathroom or extra for toilet paper use?

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I will give you an idea of how Lufthansa seat assignments work. Most European airlines are similar.

I have a small group of people going to Dubai in November, booked on the same routing, with flights operated by Lufthansa and United, and one leg by Swiss. Due to booking at different times, and in different manners, depending on current pricing, we all have the same routing but with slightly different seat assignment restrictions.

New Orleans MSY - EWR Newark (UA), Newark EWR - ZRH Zurich (UA), Zurich ZRH - DXB Dubai (Swiss).

Dubai DXB - FRA Frankfurt (LH), Frankfurt FRA - IAD Dulles (UA), Dulles IAD - MSY New Orleans (UA).

We all have record locators for both United and Lufthansa, allowing us to see the entire route on either site.

For those who are booked through United, they are able to get regular economy seats assignments for free on the United legs, and Economy Comfort for $134 pp Newark-Zurich, and $172 Frankfurt-Dulles pp. They are not able to get seat assignments on Lufthansa for free or for a fee until 23 hours before departure; they are not able to get seat assignments on Swiss for free or for a fee until check in.

For those who are booked through Lufthansa, they are able to get seats assigned for free on the United legs, and were able to get Economy Comfort for similar pricing. They are able to get seats assigned on the Lufthansa leg for $35 each in regular economy, and no option (as of yet) for Economy Comfort/Premium Economy; they are not able to get seat assignments on Swiss for free or for a fee until check in.

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No, I don’t seem to see a locator number. I called Lufthansa directly and they told me because it was booked a certain way by Princess , that makes the flight a UA flight operated by Lufthansa, even once it is ticketed I would not even be able to pay to select a seat. The way it’s booked I can only select a seat at that 23 hr before time, which seems ludicrous to me . Lufthansa told me that princess needs to rebook directly through Lufthansa and then and then only then could I buy to select earlier.

This all sounds crazy to me. I’ll have to call Princess , but I’ve got a good fare and I bet if they re book direct with a Lufthansa the fare increases.

 

One of the hazards of buying consolidator tickets thru the cruiselines air program.

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It’s ludicrous to have to pay to select a seat, I don’t care how good a fare it is. First it started with food, then baggage fees now pay to seat select, what’s next pay to go bathroom or extra for toilet paper use?

 

Yes, and adjusted for inflation, fares are still a lot cheaper than they were years ago when everyone got to select a seat for free, check a bag for free, get a meal served onboard etc. By voting with their dollars, consumers have told the airlines that above almost everything else, they want a cheaper fare and airlines have obliged, by removing various options and making them available for those who want a particular "add on."

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It’s ludicrous to have to pay to select a seat, I don’t care how good a fare it is.
But others care very much and you have been outvoted. The airlines with cheaper fares and charges for seat selection got more business. That's why other airlines have adapted to those ways.

 

That's exactly the same with other aspects of the business. Free seat selection and free airline food are not basic human rights.

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I sometimes just have to laugh at some of the things posters on here get torqued up over. :rolleyes:

 

Yes....let's talk about the real problems, such as when the airline ran out of Krug and I had to drink Veuve Clicquot instead.

 

 

;););)

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No, I don’t seem to see a locator number. I called Lufthansa directly and they told me because it was booked a certain way by Princess , that makes the flight a UA flight operated by Lufthansa, even once it is ticketed I would not even be able to pay to select a seat. The way it’s booked I can only select a seat at that 23 hr before time, which seems ludicrous to me . Lufthansa told me that princess needs to rebook directly through Lufthansa and then and then only then could I buy to select ear

This all sounds crazy to me. I’ll have to call Princess , but I’ve got a good fare and I bet if they re book direct with a Lufthansa the fare increases.

 

If you booked your flight through EZAIR you should be able to see the airline's location number...although the EZAIR site usually calls it a "Confirmation" number. Just log on to the Princess site and bring up your cruise. The click on "Manage my Reservation" and finally either "Travel Arrangements" at the top of the screen of "flight schedule" at the right side. This should bring up your flights and next to each flight there should be "Confirmation" number which is the airline's locator code that should get you into the airline's system. Ignore the "Air Booking Number" towards the top of your airline reservation page (on the EZAIR site) as that number is strictly an EZAIR number.

 

Hank

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Hank,

True, but none of this matters. If the poster to whom you’re responding doesn’t have their LH flight booked with LH flight numbers, no advanced seat selection is possible, even if they’re willing to pay.

Appears they’re booked under UA flight numbers, so they have to wait for online check in.

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Hank,

True, but none of this matters. If the poster to whom you’re responding doesn’t have their LH flight booked with LH flight numbers, no advanced seat selection is possible, even if they’re willing to pay.

Appears they’re booked under UA flight numbers, so they have to wait for online check in.

 

Interesting. Our most recent EZAIR flights were ticked through AA but our departing flight was on China Airlines. The EZAIR reservation page (which shows on one's personal account) did have the locator numbers for both our China Air and AA flights. We made the assumption that this was the norm..but could certainly be wrong. We also have outstanding (future) reservations also ticketed through AA. But the locator number for the associated Virgin Australia flight is also visible on the EZAIR page.

 

Hank

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