Picking seats on award travel reservation

[SoBaycruiser]

We just booked our outgoing travel yesterday for May 2013 travel. We had points with United but ended up on one of their partner airlines, Lufthansa, LA to Frankfurt (first leg). At the end when it came to choosing a seat, it did not allow us a seat choice. Is this because it is so far in the future or because it is a partner airline? The message said pick a seat when checking in. Well obviously we don't want to do that as we want to sit together as well as choose a good seat. Before I call United, I thought I'd ask all of you what your experience has been. We have had award travel before but have never booked it this far out.

 

Note: the plane was shown as 747-400. However Lufthansa has recently announced that they will be rolling out the new 747-8 on some of their long flights in the fall. Their website mentions LA. Could that be the reason they didn't allow us to choose a seat?

[CruiserBruce]

Don't think the 747-8 will be that widely distributed yet. June 1st was their first FRA-IAD flight. They will receive another 2-4 new planes this year.Think I heard the LA was 4 or 5 on the priority list.

 

Get your booking number from UA and call LH. They will issue the seats.

[Lisah101]

You have to call Lufthansa to reserve your seat. Unless United gave you your LH confirmation code, then you might be able to do it online through Lufthansa's website.

 

I booked using US Airways miles on Air Canada and Lufthansa with a return on Swiss Air. Although I booked through US, I had to call all three airlines to get seat assignments.

 

Note: LH only does economy class seat assignments on intercontinental flights, for domestic flights you have to wait until check in. That is more common on European carriers - no advanced seat assignment on short/medium haul flights.

 

I did one of my seat selections online but can't remember if it was LH or LX. You just have to get their booking codes which are different from United's booking code.

[Lisah101]

Link for more information on LH economy seating:

 

http://www.lufthansa.com/us/en/Economy-Class?blt_p=DE&blt_l=en

[scubagirrl]

You have to call Lufthansa to reserve your seat. Unless United gave you your LH confirmation code, then you might be able to do it online through Lufthansa's website.

 

I booked using US Airways miles on Air Canada and Lufthansa with a return on Swiss Air. Although I booked through US, I had to call all three airlines to get seat assignments.

 

Note: LH only does economy class seat assignments on intercontinental flights, for domestic flights you have to wait until check in. That is more common on European carriers - no advanced seat assignment on short/medium haul flights.

 

I did one of my seat selections online but can't remember if it was LH or LX. You just have to get their booking codes which are different from United's booking code.

 

 

Some european flight do NOT allow you to choose your seat until you check in.. 24 hours in advance. I just did this in May.. had to wait until 24 hours or PAY to choose my seat. I paid on the outgoing flight. Coming back..I got my seat at check in.

My flights were with British Air/ American.

 

It sucks with families..

[Carol & Jim]

I just booked FF on United, SFO to Venice and then Rome to SFO, when I got to the seat selection it just jumped to the pay for it page. Then when I went back to check the flights I did have seats for the two long flights, not the short Frankfurt to Venice/Rome to Frankfurt flighs. I did not pick the seat, they did but they went by my preference of an aisle seat. Go back and check your reservation you might see the seat assignments now.

[SoBaycruiser]

We splurged with miles and got Business class going from LA to Frankfurt. We were lucky to get "saver" seats at half the points. I'll give Lufthansa a call about seat assignment. Thanks!

[kenish]

Don't think the 747-8 will be that widely distributed yet. June 1st was their first FRA-IAD flight. They will receive another 2-4 new planes this year.Think I heard the LA was 4 or 5 on the priority list.

 

Get your booking number from UA and call LH. They will issue the seats.

 

From the LH website:

 

 

The new jumbo will enter service on the Frankfurt - Washington route and flights can now be booked. By late summer, 747-8 flights will be offered to Delhi, Bangalore, Chicago and Los Angeles.

[frugaltravel]

Don't think the 747-8 will be that widely distributed yet. June 1st was their first FRA-IAD flight. They will receive another 2-4 new planes this year.Think I heard the LA was 4 or 5 on the priority list.

 

Get your booking number from UA and call LH. They will issue the seats.

 

From the LH website:

 

The new jumbo will enter service on the Frankfurt - Washington route and flights can now be booked. By late summer, 747-8 flights will be offered to Delhi, Bangalore, Chicago and Los Angeles.

 

kenish is correct. LH is planning on using the 747-800 from LAX later this summer and beyond.

[CruiserBruce]

kenish is correct. LH is planning on using the 747-800 from LAX later this summer and beyond.

 

Just not getting how it will be this fast. LH is expecting their second 747-8 delivery in July, and maybe a total of 5 by the end of 2012. It takes a month or two to put the plane in service. If there is any 747-8 service to LA this year, it will be very late 2012, and perhaps only 2 days a week.

 

The question would be if LH will be putting more planes on the FRA-IAD route to give it 7 day coverage, or partial coverage on the other routes.

[SoBaycruiser]

Our reservation is for May 2013 so it sounds like the plane will be in service.

[Clay Clayton]

Several years ago when we uses US award points to fly biz to Atens with a return from Istanbul we were able to pick our seats on all flights via the respective airlines website. We were on UA from RDU to Dulles to Frankfort. We then were LH on to Athens. The entire return was on LH. We were already UA FF members but had to join LH's program (I think) to be able to book the seats. As biz class you can Pick the domestic flights also.

 

Enjoy!

[grandma*knows*best]

Yes, you can chose your seats. As someone already noted, you need to get the Lufthansa confirmation number from UA and then go to the Lufthansa website for seat selection.