American Airlines gave our seat assignments away

[CruisingAlong4Now]

Check your fare class. Is it A or P? Eg: Fare class P is not really first class although it is sold as FC. The airlines call it FC and let you pick a seat in FC,but the T&C state that it is an upgrade from Economy and the Upgrade is Space Available. Could this be the problem? Only F is truly First Class.

[Globaliser]

Oh you are so wise. I must write your sage advise down.. I will pull it out when trying to afford my next flight.

The price difference between basic economy and normal economy is not that big, especially when you compare it to the total cost of a cruise holiday including flights, accommodation, transfers, cruise, excursions and incidentals.

 

Having the frills of normal economy like selecting your own seats is obviously important to you, otherwise you wouldn't be ranting here about things on which the airline's policies are absolutely clear. The airline gave you exactly what it promised, and exactly what you had paid for. Merely being an AAdvantage member doesn't make anyone special to the airline.

 

So it's very hard to believe your suggestion that the small price increment from basic economy is going to be the deal-breaker that means that your trip suddenly becomes unaffordable. You pays your money (or not), and you takes your choice.

[fbgd]

This felt like such a blatant attempt to gauge us into paying for seat assignments.

 

Well, yes, middle seats are the worst and therefore the cheapest. People are happy to therefore pay a premium for window seats or aisles and so the airlines will charge for those. It's a free market....you want the cheapest, you get the leftovers. You want something better, then pay for it.

 

UA and DL both have basic economy themselves, so you better look at Netjets from now on...

 

Check your fare class. Is it A or P? Eg: Fare class P is not really first class although it is sold as FC. The airlines call it FC and let you pick a seat in FC,but the T&C state that it is an upgrade from Economy and the Upgrade is Space Available. Could this be the problem? Only F is truly First Class.

 

AA now work with J, C, D and I on domestic FC with J being the most flexible, I the least.

[rapata]

Yes,happened to us in January. i had booked our flights and chose our seats. We had a notification that the flight was changed, I never thought to check the seating, and arrived at the airport to find they had moved us. If you have ANY change to your flights, check the sets right away.

 

 

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[Keith1010]

I had my seat changed on a flight to Paris last year. I was called to the check in desk about 15 minutes before we boarded. I asked why and they could not say. Once we boarded I figured it out. I was likely moved because the air marshal was placed in that seat.

 

Fast forward to a few weeks ago and and less then 24 hours before our return flight both my seat and my wife's seats moved from the left side of the aircraft to the right on a Sydney to Los Angeles flight. I suspect that we also were moved so that the air marshal could have our seat.

 

So for our next international flight I have just moved our seats from the left side of the plane to the right side figuring that I should just do it now rather then it possibly happening again.

 

Keith

[FlyerTalker]

Lost in most of this discussion is the crucial distinction - are we talking about a loss/change of a seating assignment within a cabin OR are we talking about an involuntary downgrade to a lower cabin of service??

 

I'm truly not sure what the situation for the OP is, as the rhetoric obscures the factual presentation of what the status of her husband's ticket is.

[Ashland]

I had my seat changed on a flight to Paris last year. I was called to the check in desk about 15 minutes before we boarded. I asked why and they could not say. Once we boarded I figured it out. I was likely moved because the air marshal was placed in that seat.

 

Fast forward to a few weeks ago and and less then 24 hours before our return flight both my seat and my wife's seats moved from the left side of the aircraft to the right on a Sydney to Los Angeles flight. I suspect that we also were moved so that the air marshal could have our seat.

 

So for our next international flight I have just moved our seats from the left side of the plane to the right side figuring that I should just do it now rather then it possibly happening again.

 

Keith

So air marshal's are put on at the last minute :confused:... I thought they were scheduled way ahead of time and the seat they would be occupying would be blocked off, showing not available to book on the seating chart.

[Keith1010]

So air marshal's are put on at the last minute :confused:... I thought they were scheduled way ahead of time and the seat they would be occupying would be blocked off, showing not available to book on the seating chart.

 

Well on the first one there is no doubt in my mind. Aircraft was changed at last minute. The seat I was originally assigned to was facing forward. The seat that the other person was assigned to faced backwards. First time I had that on AA but have seen it on BA flights in Business Class. I was told one thing that the guy didn't like to fact backwards. I am sure it was an air marshal.

 

As to the other situation we were switched at the last minute. Looking at the person who ended up occupying one of our two seats that is my guess. Maybe yes. Maybe not. I think yes.

 

Keith

[waterbug123]

I apologize to TruckerDave and Cole Thornton if I offended them by posting on the "wrong board". This is the reason I normally do not post on social media or boards like these.

Thank you to everyone else who was kind enough to reply with supportive comments and suggestions. .

 

The posters you mentioned also gave you a good suggestion, namely to post on the cruise air board where knowledgeable frequent flyers could potentially be of far more help.

 

 

I am familiar with the above. I am not a novice flyer. The issue was their failure to provide ANY seat within the cabin of our class of service. More importantly, the issues are the way AA has handled the entire episode.

 

So have they actually assigned your husband a coach seat or simply listed him as "seat to be assigned" which means he very well may be seated in the first class cabin?

[fbgd]

So air marshal's (sic) are put on at the last minute :confused:... I thought they were scheduled way ahead of time and the seat they would be occupying would be blocked off, showing not available to book on the seating chart.

 

They might only get seat assignments late on. I've found myself as soon as OLCI opened being moved back a row. The seat profile (first row of international FC) for the plan for a FAM as did the person who sat there and their behaviour.

 

I've seen other FAMs onboard but haven't been affected by their seat assignments.

[Budget Queen]

There seems to be some "guessing" "speculation" in some posts??? Some first "claiming", then backing off later to a guess. Not a great way to present an answer.

[Hlitner]

I happen to be a parent of two retired AA employees, one was a VP. What AA just did to the OP is totally unacceptable and I would be furious. that being said, absolutely NO, they would not, for any reason put an employee is a passengers assigned seat.

 

Perhaps not...but if somebody with some "status" wanted those seats...........

 

Hank

[Keith1010]

They might only get seat assignments late on. I've found myself as soon as OLCI opened being moved back a row. The seat profile (first row of international FC) for the plan for a FAM as did the person who sat there and their behaviour.

 

I've seen other FAMs onboard but haven't been affected by their seat assignments.

 

I'm not sure how it works but as I mentioned on that first of the flights the equipment changed and the air marshal didn't want his seat since it faced backwards and we got it.

On the last flight no equipment change but very close to the flight our business class international seats move from left side to right side and my wife looked at one of the people in our original seats and was pretty sure they were an air marshal. I probably shouldn't have mentioned all of this on the thread but it is fresh in my mind since it never happened to us before and one happened last June and the other one just a couple of weeks ago returning from Sydney, Australia. Because of this on a couple of pending international flights we have I went ahead as soon as we got home and moved our sets to the right side.

 

Keith

[Globaliser]

On the last flight no equipment change but very close to the flight our business class international seats move from left side to right side and my wife looked at one of the people in our original seats and was pretty sure they were an air marshal. ... Because of this on a couple of pending international flights we have I went ahead as soon as we got home and moved our sets to the right side.

Murphy will ensure that the air marshals on those flights will insist on sitting on the right hand side of your aircraft. Isn't the better defence against this to fly on airlines that don't have air marshals on board? ;)

[critterchick]

Perhaps not...but if somebody with some "status" wanted those seats...........

 

I don't think AA operate that way. United seem to, though.

[travelplus]

Just finished with American Airlinres and am beyond upset. They could provide no explanation for a "seat fix" that they made March 1st. The only suggestions they offered were to take a chance on a seat becoming available, downgrade to a main cabin seat or move to a flight departing 2 hours and twenty minutes later. We were on the same reservation when purchased last October. In my opinion they oversold the flight and either deliberately or randomly chose to take away one of our seats. This is unacceptable. I will be sending letters to Customer Relations and AA Corporate office seeking an explanation and apology. Planning ahead did absolutely no good because of the way the airline chooses to operate.

 

Sorry to hear this Can you get rebooked on Delta.Jet Blue or Alaska if booked with Cruise Air? Any flight oversold should give you compensation or refunding you the one way fare and AA paying you the difference in cash to rebook in First Class think AA interlines with Jet Blue. Ask them to rebook you I FC. You are owed denied boarding compensation too in the amount of the one way fare at the prevailing rate us delay.

 

I booked my flights for our upcoming trip in a month and I look at our reservations twice a week especially on a Saturday when airlines tend to change details.

 

Perhaps a clerical error unassigned your seats.

[travelplus]

Continuing....You made reservations (confirmed) 5 months ago..... No reason to be bumped. Assuming you do not want to depart 2 1/2 hours later.... and they do not or are unable to find your husband a seat..... I would demand full refund for the seating differences and a "inconvience" AA future flight voucher for some amount...(maybe a free upgrade to First Class) and assurances both of you would be seated together (get an exit row for stretching out). They moved your husband...they can move someone else to accomodate this minor request. Good Luck

 

Refuse Economy Class

[travelplus]

Could it be a Federal Air Marshal who neded your seat? Hence why I don't sit in Row 2.Could it be on a different version of the Airbus 321 where your row does not exist and you were not moved properly?

 

AA has to bump the last passenger who was upgraded using miles or comped upgrade and throw them bonus miles. You are booked in paid FC whethr using miles or cash booked in October.

[travelplus]

So air marshal's are put on at the last minute :confused:... I thought they were scheduled way ahead of time and the seat they would be occupying would be blocked off, showing not available to book on the seating chart.

 

Can we as taxpaying citizens hold the FAM program responsible for the downgrade? Yes I know they are here for safety but I am displaced to an inferior cabin.

[travelplus]

So if this happened to me would I be forced into a middle Y seat? OP the least you could do is say you need a bulkhead window aisle guaranteed or a row with the middle seat block towards the front in Man Cabin Extra due to a disability for AA to give you the catered FC meal with first choice served in FC style and unlimited alcohol served in glassware from FC and the dedicated service from the FC flight attendant and pursuer Admirals Club access and compensation with the promise of guaranteed First Class without restrictions on a future flight.

[Keith1010]

Murphy will ensure that the air marshals on those flights will insist on sitting on the right hand side of your aircraft. Isn't the better defence against this to fly on airlines that don't have air marshals on board? ;)

 

I love it. ;p

 

Often I will talk about Murphy's Law and who knows maybe it will apply to both sides of the aircraft. :D

 

Keith

[parrotfeathers]

Happened to me with Delta a couple years ago. Purchased ticket early and picked seats. Got to airport and found they reassigned me to a middle seat. I explained to the agent I had reserved an aisle seat and could she tell me why I now had to sit in the middle. She told me she would call security if I did not go sit down. So I did.

[waterbug123]

So if this happened to me would I be forced into a middle Y seat? OP the least you could do is say you need a bulkhead window aisle guaranteed or a row with the middle seat block towards the front in Man Cabin Extra due to a disability for AA to give you the catered FC meal with first choice served in FC style and unlimited alcohol served in glassware from FC and the dedicated service from the FC flight attendant and pursuer Admirals Club access and compensation with the promise of guaranteed First Class without restrictions on a future flight.

 

Sorry, but that's not realistic. AA has offered to rebook them in F on a flight 2 hours later; they can't instead demand first class service while seated in the coach cabin. You cant just expect the FA infirst to keep running back to row 37 to check on you. :rolleyes:

 

OP- is there a reason you refuse to take the later booking?

[6rugrats]

Can we as taxpaying citizens hold the FAM program responsible for the downgrade? Yes I know they are here for safety but I am displaced to an inferior cabin.

A quick read of your other posts shows you aren't serious with these comments.

 

In regard to your other post/s, OP is not owed denied boarding compensation, a seat on another airline paid for by AA, plus cash, or an F meal with unlimited alcohol, a seat with the middle seat blocked, Admiral's Club admission and a free F ticket for future travel.

 

None of that is true.

Edited March 11, 2018 by 6rugrats

[endless travel]

To answer some of the questions asked:

We paid money not miles for our FC seats in October 2017 when we booked and choose seats.

The flight in question is our return flight home.

We will not make any demands for compensation from AA for the treatment we have received.

We will ask for an explanation concerning this experience and forward our complaint to the appropriate agencies.

We rebooked on the later flight because we didn’t want to gamble on seat availability. We now arrive home very late at night.

 

I believe purchasing a product (airline flights) months ahead of time, paying in full, I should receive the product I purchased. I have traveled by air enough to know “stuff” happens that airlines cannot control. This situation was totally in their control.

 

Thank you for sharing your stories and suggestions. Happy travels to each of you!