Selected seat now a "preferred" seat...

[tgmtgm]

Booked my rt. airfare last month on AA for a cruise I'm taking next March. (LAX/BCN connecting in Miami on the outbound). The return flight was on USAirways via PHL when I originally booked, but has since converted to AA due to the merger. My question: On the return flight I selected seat 17A for free during the booking process. Now since the merger, my selected seat comes up on the seating chart as being a "preferred" seat with a surcharge of $71. Will I be forced to pay that additional amount at check in, or risk being kicked out of it?

 

Thanks for any insights you all might have.

 

Tony

Edited August 29, 2015 by tgmtgm

[Theredofshaw]

Booked my rt. airfare last month on AA for a cruise I'm taking next March. (LAX/BCN connecting in Miami on the outbound). The return flight was on USAirways via PHL when I originally booked, but has since converted to AA due to the merger. My question: On the return flight I selected seat 17A for free during the booking process. Now since the merger, my selected seat comes up on the seating chart as being a "preferred" seat with a surcharge of $71. Will I be forced to pay that additional amount at check in, or risk being kicked out of it?

 

Thanks for any insights you all might have.

 

Tony

 

shouldn't be forced to pay it. if you had it confirmed prior to the merger and upgrade be sure to have proof of such.

[headhunterke]

I don't know the policy of the airline, but no seat you get assigned before you do the actual check-in is confirmed. They might change your seat unless you pay, they might not change it. It will come down on the company's policy. And even then, it might depend on the agent you check in with. Some might waive it, some might not.

 

Best is just to send the airline a quick message through Twitter, Facebook or their website, that way you're sure.

[Theredofshaw]

on the other hand, if they did "upgrade" the seat and you knew before you were fine with the seat choice, guess it wouldn't matter if they moved you a row or two in either direction. I'd be more upset with them if I chose an aisle (need it due to height and being able to occasionally stretch legs) and they shoved me in the back and a middle seat.

[retird]

I flew Toronto to Sydney Australia , last year and selected and paid in full for an aisle seat for return flight. A month before the flight, the seat I had chosen was upgraded to preferred and I was given the option of paying the premium or take another aisle seat nearby. I pursued it to head office and final decision was I either paid the premium or took another seat. That was Cathay Pacific , however.

[Ashland]

Booked my rt. airfare last month on AA for a cruise I'm taking next March. (LAX/BCN connecting in Miami on the outbound). The return flight was on USAirways via PHL when I originally booked, but has since converted to AA due to the merger. My question: On the return flight I selected seat 17A for free during the booking process. Now since the merger, my selected seat comes up on the seating chart as being a "preferred" seat with a surcharge of $71. Will I be forced to pay that additional amount at check in, or risk being kicked out of it?

 

Thanks for any insights you all might have.

 

Tony

I would have already called AA about this the minute I took notice of the change ;)

[Keith1010]

I would have already called AA about this the minute I took notice of the change ;)

 

Ditto.

 

Rather than getting opinion here, I would just have called to get the answer.

 

Keith

[tgmtgm]

Ditto.

 

Rather than getting opinion here, I would just have called to get the answer.

 

Keith

 

 

I feel it's important to have advice/information in hand before placing said call. Lots of great real world experience on this board, and I am always appreciative of that.

 

I did call this morning, and was told that since no outstanding balance is due on the reservation, then the seat assignment is not at risk of being pulled or made to pay extra at check in.

 

Thanks everyone for the feedback. ;)

 

Tony

[6rugrats]

Seat assignments are always "at risk of being pulled".

[tgmtgm]

Seat assignments are always "at risk of being pulled".

 

That's true of any airline reservation, I agree. What I'm alluding to is the seat being pulled because of non payment of an additional fee on my part.

[TSUmom]

I had this happen to me also. I check my reservations often because of things like this. My DH and I have two separate reservations, I used miles on mine and then booked his. I know that was not too smart because now our reservations are not linked. To make a long story short, AA has twice now changed planes and seats so I have to reselect our seating so that we can sit together. This last change they had me in a preferred seat which they did not charge me for but I had to move him into a select seat and pay or move both of us into new seating. We chose to move both as it is a short flight from DFW to MIA.

Edited August 31, 2015 by TSUmom

[jagoffee]

That's true of any airline reservation, I agree. What I'm alluding to is the seat being pulled because of non payment of an additional fee on my part.

 

This does make sense. You do not need to worry about being moved just because it is now a preferred seat. This is also true on AA when one loses status. You are not moved from the exit row for instance.

The main risk will be an aircraft change that would cause you to be assigned another seat. You would almost certainly not be able to move into a different preferred seat without status or paying a fee.

Good luck