FLIGHT QUESTION!!! When does a seat get assigned to your plane ticket?

Question

I have never flown before - and I'm flying with my fiance, but we are buying our tickets from different places. I was told that our seats are assigned upon payment, whereas he was told they are assigned upon checking in at the airport. Which (if either) is correct?

Answer 1

It depends on the airline. Discount carriers like Southwest, AirTran and many others do not offer pre-assigned seating. Some fares on Air Tran will allow you select seats at purchase. If you book online with some websites there are options for seat selections, but be advised discount sites like Priceline, Hotwire, Cheap Tickets and many others do not allow you select the seat nor is it a guarentee that will be your assignment at check in. The airlines have the right to change seating at any time. What you select is a preference, not a guarentee. Since you didn't purchase your tickets together, be aware that since you are not in the same reservation that your seats can be moved and you can be sat apart. Sometimes they change aircrafts or schedules and there is just an automatic re-seating done. If it is a different aircraft, passengers are assigned a seat. Reservations with mulitple parties are usually kept together when possible, but single passengers are usually used to fill the holes. So, keep in mind that since you are in seperate reservations, you could be split apart still. ITs not the end of the world.

If you are using a discount carrier or website, you will get an assignment at check in or the gate depending on the airline, that is the big factor in your question, who are you flying, then we can better tell you. If you used a bulk consolidator website such as one I listed above or any website that makes you purchase before telling you your flight information will not allow you to select your seats and you will be at the mercy of what is left. That is part of the price people pay to save money, when in actuality you arent saving anything. The airlines have cheaper fares on their websites and you can select your seat preferences.

I reiterated PREFERENCE, a seat selection is merely a preference and NEVER a guarentee. You purchase a reservation with the airline for a certain destination. Flight times, aircraft and seats are all subject to change with out notice.

Once you get your confimation number, if from another website, there will be an airline record locator. Log into the airlines website and enter that, you may be able to select your seats, depending on who you used, it may be one of the above mentioned websites and you will be prevented from pre-assigned seating. It will be spelled out in the fare rules from your purchase agreement. You can also call the airlines reservations number, but usually you will get routed to Bombay, India and they wont be able to understand half of what you are saying and you'll just end up more confused and frustrated than you were before.

Answer 2

Actually when you purchase the ticket, you will be assigned a seat number and when you check in at the airport, you will be asked if you would still take that seat that has been assigned to you when you purchased your ticket or would you like to change that seat number. And if you want to seat beside your fiance then you can, but just make sure that that seat next to him is not yet taken...

Answer 3

Most of the time it's when you buy the ticket. Sometimes when the flight is nearly full, they won't assign seats until you check in, so they can accomodate people who want to fly together, elite members who want an aisle seat, etc. What ever airline you fly, you should definitely join their frequent flier program, so that you can go online and change your seat. Yes you can look at seatguru.com. Also yes Southwest does not have assigned seats - you get put into Group A, B or C

Answer 4

Call the airline or go to the airport, travel agencies do not guarantee seat assignments. There's always a chance that the flight is overbooked, or the seats that are left are blocked and only agents that work the flight the day of, have access to those seats. Sometimes it does help to arrive early, but normally they way it works is that you're put on a list of passengers that are awaiting a seat, and it's not first come first served, they based it on the value of your ticket. But it doesn't hurt to go on-line or call often in case a seat opens up, they can assign it.

Answer 5

It can be assigned either way:
- At the time of purchase
- At the time of checkin

or both. If you want to change seats, check in with your friend and ask for adjoining seats. They can change them, especially if the the plane is not crowded.

On Southworst air, it is first come first serve. Get to the checkin first and you get boarded first and get your preferred seat. Last one there gets pot luck.

One other way os to log on the airline and see if you can assign your own seats...that is typically on some airlines with web services to buy tickets. I do that a lot.

Answer 6

Seat can be assigned in advance. Almost all American and European carriers accept advance seat assignment but only a few Asian carriers do so. You can ask for seat assignment when you make a reservation or at the time of ticket purchase.

Answer 7

It depends on where you buy them from. Most are assigned at the time of purchase, but some of the online discounters don't do it until you check in.

If you want an emergency row seat, you can only request those at the boarding desk, since they need to see that you're physically and mentally capable of the.handling the task.

Answer 8

They are usually assigned when you purchase the tickets. You can request specific seats. Here's a great site that tells you what seats are like on different planes.

Select your airline and the type of plane (it will indicate it on the reservation--are you doing it online?). It lets you know what seats are good, which have better leg room, etc.

www.flightguru.com

Answer 9

In US domestic flights, depends on the airline, actually. I flew Southwest from San Diego to San Francisco and they didn't assign seats so you can choose any seat. Other airlines assign it upon check-in. Or you choose while doing the reservation online.

Answer 10

On US domestic flights, you can select at the time of purchase. On international flights, sometimes you have to wait until check in. Southwest airlines is an exception, I think - no assigned seats.