Airport-assigned seats?

[DNW]

I've never heard of this practice before, until today. I'll be flying out of LaGuardia tomorrow to go to Denver via O'Hare. From O'Hare to Denver, I have a seat assigned. From LaGuardia to O'Hare, I have no seat. A call to United tells me that 60% of the seats are assigned by the airlines, while the rest by the airport. This got me to wonder, what business does the airport have in telling the airlines where their customers may sit? How did they come up with this arrangement in the first place?

I'm a little apprehensive about this practice because, for the past 2 Christmases, my gf--who I'll be flying with tomorrow--have been delayed overnight at stopover airports. If this happens again, she'll probably have a breakdown.

BTW, how's the weather in Chicago?

 

[jgold47]

Originally Posted by DarkNWorn

while the rest by the airport. This got me to wonder, what business does the airport have in telling the airlines where their customers may sit? How did they come up with this arrangement in the first place?

Its AT the airport, by the agents at the gate.

 

[DNW]

Originally Posted by jgold47

Its AT the airport, by the agents at the gate.

I understand this, but according to the phone service rep, it's airport controlled. This means to me that the airport has a say in who sits where.

 

[jgold47]

Thats not correct. Its done by gate/ticket/customer service agents of the airline or its partner AT the airport at either the time of check in, or at the time of departure. However I would suggest getting there early because people without a seat assignment are the ones who get bumped first.

I dont know why you were told that the airport had anything to do with it (or why you would think that). Jet Blast works for an airline, I am sure he can put it to bed.

 

[JetBlast]

The airports have no reason to control where you sit onboard the aircraft. The agent meant that the agents at the airport will assign seating and was saying that it is airport-controlled as opposed to over-the-phone-controlled.

Some employees (myself included) will use internal airline terminology over the phone and forget that we are speaking to a passenger who may not know what we are talking about. I can assure you that a United agent will be assigning your seat, not the airport management at O'Hare.

 

[indy116]

Weather a couple hours south of Chicago is ****** right now. I don't think Chicago is much better. Supposed to improve tomorrow.

 

[DNW]

Originally Posted by JetBlast

Some employees (myself included) will use internal airline terminology over the phone and forget that we are speaking to a passenger who may not know what we are talking about. I can assure you that a United agent will be assigning your seat, not the airport management at O'Hare.

So, how do I make sure I'll get a seat, other than arriving 3 hours before flight time?

 

[Agnacious]

This happened to me once when I booked a ticket using miles on AA 24 hours before the flight. I called and was told that this is because the flight was oversold but not to worry because I had status etc etc.

I would suggest getting to the airport early because getting stuck at ohare may be the least of your problems.

 

[mafoofan Jr.]

I always show up in line early for the tail seats (safest in case of crash). Now these fools are going to put me right up in front next to pilot, where some Saudi loaded with strapped bombs could be standing, AK-47 slinging.

 

[grimslade]

I think I'm in love with your avatar, DNW.

 

[JetBlast]

Originally Posted by DarkNWorn

So, how do I make sure I'll get a seat, other than arriving 3 hours before flight time?

Exactly as you said, arriving a few hours before your flight is supposed to leave. If the flight is overbooked and you show up 5 minutes before departure time, chances are you aren't getting on the airplane.

I don't see why people have a problem with allowing themselves enough time to get to the airport and leave room for error, it's ridiculous how many people show up 10 minutes before their flight begging to get through the security line. I know I work in customer service, but if I helped every single person who has come up to me asking me to take them through the crew line because they have two and a half minutes to get to their gate, I would never get any flights done.

 

[DNW]

Originally Posted by JetBlast

Exactly as you said, arriving a few hours before your flight is supposed to leave. If the flight is overbooked and you show up 5 minutes before departure time, chances are you aren't getting on the airplane.

I don't see why people have a problem with allowing themselves enough time to get to the airport and leave room for error, it's ridiculous how many people show up 10 minutes before their flight begging to get through the security line. I know I work in customer service, but if I helped every single person who has come up to me asking me to take them through the crew line because they have two and a half minutes to get to their gate, I would never get any flights done.

There's a difference between showing up 10 minutes before flight time and expecting airline employees to do you a favor and showing up an hour before flight time expecting to get a seat BECAUSE YOU ******* PAID FOR IT. The airlines' practice of overbooking is absurd. If I have already paid for my ticket, I want my ******* seat. Period. Is this too much to ask?

 

[JetBlast]

Originally Posted by DarkNWorn

There's a difference between showing up 10 minutes before flight time and expecting airline employees to do you a favor and showing up an hour before flight time expecting to get a seat BECAUSE YOU ******* PAID FOR IT. The airlines' practice of overbooking is absurd. If I have already paid for my ticket, I want my ******* seat. Period. Is this too much to ask?

Is it too much to ask to have us not have to delay a flight as you run down the concourse, late? I would hope not.

I do not support overbooking personally, it's not my idea, I don't book the tickets or have anything to do with that, my job is to get your ass on the plane and off to wherever it is you are going. I do things as the book tells me to, unless it is for the passenger's benefit and will not put my job on the line. If you have a problem with it, send an email to the airline, don't whine at the agent about it. They're just going to tell you to do the same thing. Overbooking is done because it is expected that some passengers on the flight will end up canceling (which occurs more often than you would think).

 

[odoreater]

Originally Posted by JetBlast

Is it too much to ask to have us not have to delay a flight as you run down the concourse, late? I would hope not.

I do not support overbooking personally, it's not my idea, I don't book the tickets or have anything to do with that, my job is to get your ass on the plane and off to wherever it is you are going. I do things as the book tells me to, unless it is for the passenger's benefit and will not put my job on the line. If you have a problem with it, send an email to the airline, don't whine at the agent about it. They're just going to tell you to do the same thing. Overbooking is done because it is expected that some passengers on the flight will end up canceling (which occurs more often than you would think).

This is ridiculous. The agent is a representative of the airline, so "whining to the agent" is the same as complaining to the airline. And telling people that it's their own fault for not getting on a flight that they paid for because they didn't get their 3 hours before the flight takes off is similarly marsupialed. No wonder the airlines are failing.

 

[JayJay]

Originally Posted by DarkNWorn

There's a difference between showing up 10 minutes before flight time and expecting airline employees to do you a favor and showing up an hour before flight time expecting to get a seat BECAUSE YOU ******* PAID FOR IT. The airlines' practice of overbooking is absurd. If I have already paid for my ticket, I want my ******* seat. Period. Is this too much to ask?
I hope your travel is without a glitch.

I've had flight problems on my last three flights, all within the span of two months. Fortunately, in all three cases the agents went out of their respective ways to get me on my way that night rather than the next day.

Rather than pitching a fit as I saw a couple of people do, I did my best to be nice and respectful. I got on my way, they didn't. It may not always work but regardless of how wrong they might be, and how deserving the airline is of a piece of your mind, the agents seem to have a lot of discretion at their disposal to go beyond the call of duty to accommodate your situation.