Comments on: Reader mail: Why can’t the airline keep my seat reservation? http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2006/10/25/reader-mail-why-cant-the-airline-keep-my-seat-reservation/ Living the first class life -- at coach prices Thu, 04 Dec 2008 00:42:57 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=3041 By: Susan http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2006/10/25/reader-mail-why-cant-the-airline-keep-my-seat-reservation/#comment-18642 Susan Sat, 22 Dec 2007 00:07:29 +0000 http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2006/10/25/reader-mail-why-cant-the-airline-keep-my-seat-reservation/#comment-18642 For the first time this year, I discovered this problem the hard way. I just flew from DC to West Palm on Delta and, although I reserved my flight and seats in September, a week before the flight they made slight changes to the schedule that took away my seats and, because of the changes, I was forced to wait in line for the ticket counter. Now, the same thing has happened for my flight to Tulsa this weekend. Its not getting better, its getting worse. For the first time this year, I discovered this problem the hard way. I just flew from DC to West Palm on Delta and, although I reserved my flight and seats in September, a week before the flight they made slight changes to the schedule that took away my seats and, because of the changes, I was forced to wait in line for the ticket counter. Now, the same thing has happened for my flight to Tulsa this weekend. Its not getting better, its getting worse.

]]> By: Mark Ashley http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2006/10/25/reader-mail-why-cant-the-airline-keep-my-seat-reservation/#comment-17749 Mark Ashley Fri, 09 Nov 2007 14:21:07 +0000 http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2006/10/25/reader-mail-why-cant-the-airline-keep-my-seat-reservation/#comment-17749 I'm happy to hear that improvements are coming. Thanks, Phil! I’m happy to hear that improvements are coming. Thanks, Phil!

]]> By: Phil http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2006/10/25/reader-mail-why-cant-the-airline-keep-my-seat-reservation/#comment-17733 Phil Fri, 09 Nov 2007 01:10:26 +0000 http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2006/10/25/reader-mail-why-cant-the-airline-keep-my-seat-reservation/#comment-17733 I have to say that I have only encountered both exceptional service as well as professionalism each time I have flown with Lufthansa. I always call to confirm my reservation, and I always end up with the seat I originally wanted to be in. Nowadays, flights are so full that airlines often have to make last minute adjustments. Since Lufthansa, for example, has an unusually high load in their business class, the airline often has to move overbooked business class passengers into the best rows available in economy class. If you go to http://www.lufthansa.com, you can read about the fact that online seat selection is right around the corner, and this new function should resolve the problems discussed in this thread. I have to say that I have only encountered both exceptional service as well as professionalism each time I have flown with Lufthansa. I always call to confirm my reservation, and I always end up with the seat I originally wanted to be in. Nowadays, flights are so full that airlines often have to make last minute adjustments. Since Lufthansa, for example, has an unusually high load in their business class, the airline often has to move overbooked business class passengers into the best rows available in economy class. If you go to http://www.lufthansa.com, you can read about the fact that online seat selection is right around the corner, and this new function should resolve the problems discussed in this thread.

]]> By: Anonymous NLB http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2006/10/25/reader-mail-why-cant-the-airline-keep-my-seat-reservation/#comment-380 Anonymous NLB Mon, 20 Nov 2006 21:51:54 +0000 http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2006/10/25/reader-mail-why-cant-the-airline-keep-my-seat-reservation/#comment-380 We just came back from a hideous trip on Lufthansa SFO to Crete and return. No way to pin down seat assignments. We could not confirm them to leave SFO. When we go to SFO we had them confirmed for the return trip. When we got to the airport in Iraklio, they were gone. Ended up in the next to the last row in the middle. I was so uncomfortable I was literally in tears for a good part of the trip. It'll be a cold day in hell before I fly Lufthansa again. We just came back from a hideous trip on Lufthansa SFO to Crete and return. No way to pin down seat assignments. We could not confirm them to leave SFO. When we go to SFO we had them confirmed for the return trip. When we got to the airport in Iraklio, they were gone. Ended up in the next to the last row in the middle. I was so uncomfortable I was literally in tears for a good part of the trip. It’ll be a cold day in hell before I fly Lufthansa again.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2006/10/25/reader-mail-why-cant-the-airline-keep-my-seat-reservation/#comment-289 Anonymous Fri, 03 Nov 2006 19:22:00 +0000 http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2006/10/25/reader-mail-why-cant-the-airline-keep-my-seat-reservation/#comment-289 I just had a similar experience with United. When i phoned to complain that my carefully selected Economy Plus seat with extra leg room had been reassigned (RIGHT to the back of the plane) I was given the following explanation. The schedule had been changed (albeit only by 2 minutes). Therefore all the seat assignments had been lost (despite the fact it was the same model of the same plane). And 'no it shouldn't really do that' but it was 'terribly hard to get the programmers to change the computer system' (sic) They were 'suprised' that we had not been notified but then 'it was only a small schedule change'. Caveat emptor I just had a similar experience with United. When i phoned to complain that my carefully selected Economy Plus seat with extra leg room had been reassigned (RIGHT to the back of the plane) I was given the following explanation.
The schedule had been changed (albeit only by 2 minutes). Therefore all the seat assignments had been lost (despite the fact it was the same model of the same plane). And ‘no it shouldn’t really do that’ but it was ‘terribly hard to get the programmers to change the computer system’ (sic)
They were ’suprised’ that we had not been notified but then ‘it was only a small schedule change’.
Caveat emptor

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2006/10/25/reader-mail-why-cant-the-airline-keep-my-seat-reservation/#comment-288 Anonymous Fri, 27 Oct 2006 21:10:00 +0000 http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2006/10/25/reader-mail-why-cant-the-airline-keep-my-seat-reservation/#comment-288 Alitalia is horrible, too. It's a Southwest-like cattle call with them. Alitalia is horrible, too. It’s a Southwest-like cattle call with them.

]]> By: Chinmong http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2006/10/25/reader-mail-why-cant-the-airline-keep-my-seat-reservation/#comment-287 Chinmong Fri, 27 Oct 2006 18:58:00 +0000 http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2006/10/25/reader-mail-why-cant-the-airline-keep-my-seat-reservation/#comment-287 I totally understand your concern. We just got back from a trip to Germany last week and Lufthansa didn't have <B>any</B> of our seat assignments correct. They had my wife sitting across the aisle from each other during our flight from SFO to MUC. It was really bad. I think it had something to do with using Expedia to book our flight and most were code shares...but it was still ridiculous. And I won't even go into how they couldn't print our boarding passes for a connecting flight or how small the seats were. (I had more leg room on my US Airways flight). I'm not a very happy Lufthansa customer, that's for sure. I totally understand your concern.

We just got back from a trip to Germany last week and Lufthansa didn’t have any of our seat assignments correct. They had my wife sitting across the aisle from each other during our flight from SFO to MUC. It was really bad. I think it had something to do with using Expedia to book our flight and most were code shares…but it was still ridiculous.

And I won’t even go into how they couldn’t print our boarding passes for a connecting flight or how small the seats were. (I had more leg room on my US Airways flight).

I’m not a very happy Lufthansa customer, that’s for sure.

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