I've had a similar situation with British Airways, they've done that for years, which is one reason I won't fly them anymore. All passengers won't need it, probably just ones booking through AA like you. You can probably do it within the day before, see http://www.travelingbetter.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5057

I have not flown Iberia, but my Orbitz voucher has this statement for a United (actually Lufthansa) flight to Krakow:

"Seats are unassigned on one or more of your flights. The airline will assign your seats at check-in."

That's one of the reasons that I always book directly with Iberia.

Hi Stu,
Regrettably I also booked my Iberia flights for an upcoming trip through American. I called Iberia yesterday, and they told me that 24 hours before the flight I would be able to use my AA booking number to select seats on the Iberia website.

Lesson learned. If I fly Iberia again, I will book directly through them.

Thanks all - I guess I'll just have to live with it.

Stu Dudley

This is similar to a problem I had with an Orbitz booked flight to Italy. Good price but I couldn't get a seat assignment on the return flight until I checked in. Had to work hard to get my wife seated next to me. No such problem booking directly with the carrier.

I haven't really had troubles booking Iberia thrugh AA.

It's quite possible that you have a different locator number for the Iberia portion of the trip. You can get that information from AA. If they won't do it, press on with Iberia.

As noted above, that problem exists with BA. I managed to get around that policy by finding out my locator # for the BA portion of the trip. Once you have the locator #, you're golden.

Rasta

If you follow Christna's link, it seems that Iberia has a firm policy/practice of not assigning seats until 24 hours before departure - with a slightly different policy for those not booking through AA. Christna's info was almost exactly the same as what the AA agent told me.

I had no problems booking Iberia through AA - the problem was only with seat assignments on the Iberia leg. Were you actually able to get an Iberia seat assignment on a trip booked through AA on a flight departing after 2007?

Stu Dudley

I have just had this same experience. I booked my tickets on AA, because my first leg was on American Eagle, and then I flew Iberia from Chicago. No matter which locator number you get from American, be it their locator or an "Amadeus" locator, or one other locator whose name I forget, I don't think you can get your Iberia seat. Those who book through Iberia, I believe, now have to pay for advance seat assignment, which means that many/most seats must now be booked at check-in.

I was kind of peeved because I really had a short trip and had to hit the ground running (and dreadfully wanted to avoid a center seat). When I checked in at the American counter for the first leg, they printed out a boarding pass for the Eagle flight and the Iberia flight. I saw I was in the very back of the plane in the middle. As soon as the boarding gate staff showed up at the O'Hare gate, I got in line and asked if they could change my seat. As it turns out, I had four seats entirely to myself in a row up towards the front! On the way home, I again got my seat at check-in, but they were very willing to try to satisfy my preference for aisle, etc.

p.s. When I first learned I wouldn't be able to advance book a seat on Iberia, I complained to AA customer service, and the AA person I complained to gave me a $200 voucher, so it might be worth a phone call!

p.s. Although I had been told I could get my seat assignment online a day before the flight, I was unable to do that on either the AA or IB website. Maybe you'll have better luck.

That is really not good. I will remember if I should book with AA again. On my upcoming Delta flight, I am flying two segments on KLM. I was able to book my seat on the transatlantic segment, but not on NCE-AMS. I don't mind that since it's a short flight.

You can get your record locator from Iberia if you press very hard..they can find it, they will tell you No and all the rules but you just need to be firm with them. This happened to me when I booked Greece.
However, ultimately I cancelled and re-booked using only BA as my connections given the Iberia service and seating assignment-I eventually got AA to not charge the change fee for my hassles, but I am a Platinum member so don't know if that helped or not. Either way as lreynold suggests..try to get a voucher or similar

Stu,

All I know is that I managed to get assigned seats ahead of time, with the proper locator number.

I've flown Iberia a number of times. Today I started a "false" check on my reservations. The site let me go as far as booking assignment for seats before it wanted my name and locator number.

Stu, it certainly doesn't hurt to try. I've always been successful, and not due to luck, but to perserverance.

It will seem like pulling teeth, and expect some runarounds, but I'm anal enough to make it work. Give it a shot and you can become anal also. (haha)

Stu, I checked the link, and my last flight was 90+ days AFTER the effective date stated for Iberia.

I like third party chat sites, but I prefer to work the system myself. I flew IB JFK>MAD>MRS.

I have twice booked Iberia flights through AA and always got the Iberia locator number when I asked, so I would press AA for that code.

In any event, if you're flying coach, Iberia will not give you a seat assignment ahead of time unless you pay a fee. I have no idea how much is that fee but depending on cost it might be worth it. The interesting thing is that if you get the Iberia reservation with miles you're able to get seat assignment for free!

I Booked a trip JFK -San Sebastion, then Bilbao -Madrid then Madrid -Paris.
I used American Air frequent flyer miles and had an agent on the phone do the trip.
Since this is not a American Airline route they booked me with Iberia.
The agent was able to get me all my seats. Not sure if the reason is that I am flying business class.
After reading these posts I think that I got lucky.

One other thought on the above trip. I booked the flight in September 2011 for my May 2012 trip.

I cannot believe a simple phone call to Iberia wouldn't have answered this question in the first place and in finality

A "simple" phone call to Iberia usually isn't.

Yes, business class seat assignments can be had in advance; however in the (pre-merger) past, Iberia tended to switch things around anyway.

Iberia's merger with British Airways (or, more specifically, their merger at the corporate level, through the International Airline Group or IAG) is starting to have its impact felt at the passenger level. Paying in advance for seat selection (a la BA) is also on the way, I believe. Iberia is starting to impose fuel surcharges on award tickets, a la BA (but not - yet - at the same astronomical levels) and this week IB announced it's cancelling its Madrid - Johannesburg service, making BA the only European carrier in Oneworld now serving southern Africa, which is basically doomsday for redemption travelers in business or first class. If this isn't IAG exercising monopoly power in that market, I don't know what it would be.

I happen to like Iberia's product and services in general, and I really like Barajas airport. But changes are afoot, and not for the better IMO.

Same thing holds true on many overseas flights, or has in the past.

They, of course, know where they are seating you, but because equipment may change or high status shows up or people with different last names turn out to be a family who want to travel together.

Since they have to do all the passport checks, issuing you a seat at check in is a trivial addition.

I find it less annoying to get the seat the airport than to think I have a particular seat and have it changed.

It doesn't hurt at assignment time to be well-dressed and polite when you approach the desk.

tdk320,

It wasn't a matter of being "lucky". As I explained, for whatever reason Iberia lets you get seats assigned at time of reservation for no additional cost if you get your flights with FF miles. In addition, you were getting Business Class seats, therefore, regardless if they were obtained with FF miles or by purchasing them a passenger would be able to get seats assigned at time of reservation at no additional cost. This is what I was explained by Iberia on the phone and is also in writing in their website.

I should update my comments above. Booking directly with Iberia, as I did last week, is no longer a guarantee of being able to choose your seat as it was for my 2011 flights.

I booked a coach ticket for October. Not FF. The only way I could secure a seat assignment was by buying a preferred seat; these seats were priced at about US$38 and about US$70 each way, if I am remembering correctly.

In case anyone is interested, the RT price from JFK to MAD direct , and from Malaga to JFK with a change in MAD, came to $900 or so, inclusive of taxes and fees, not including the fee for the premium seats.

Hi Stu:
We are on the same boat, we have tickets bought directly with Iberia and seats are assigned 24 hours before flight.
Unrelated to your post: I have sent an e mail to you aboyt one of your famous itiniraries in the south of france.

ttt for Stu Dudley; re: itinerary.

Did you receive the itinerary???

I have sent out all the itineraries that have been requested - no backlog. If you have not received one, send me another e-mail at StuDudley@aol.com

Stu Dudley

Stu:
Sent a new mail yo you a few minutes ago; thanks!!

"- Iberia airlines will not accept any contact from an AA customer for seat assignment
- Seat assignment can only be made at the departing airport."

Not true! I was told the same with the AA advantage operator when I asked for my seat numbers. We flew Iberia in 2010 from Chicago and our other legs were AA.

As I was traveling with kids I took no chances and called Iberia directly and got my seat numbers. It helped that I spoke in Spanish with them, but I believe you will get help either way.

I believe AA tell that white lie to the AA costumers so they don't deal directly with Iberia.

pookymimi

I flew AA/Iberia around 2006 and did not encounter this seat thing. I believe that it is a new practice/policy that may not have been in effect in 2010 when you flew.

Stu Dudley