Seat assignments for Delta codeshare Air France?

I got my ticket through Delta (frequent flyer award)around nine months ago. I leave in less than 2 weeks. I'm on Air France and had no trouble booking seats even that far in advance. Call Air France. Happy Travels!

Have you tried calling Delta? The problem may be that you are buying from a consolidator. I have flown AF when it was a Delta codeshare (on a Delta ticket once) and didn't have any trouble getting seats, which is why I wondered if you had called. It may have changed, but at one time, AF made you call for seat assignments, you couldn't even do it online, so even AF clients had to call them up.

My understanding is that Air France doesn't let you select seats in economy until check-in, or maybe a day before. Very annoying, I know!

I've booked many times with 1800flyeurope and have always been able to select seats upon booking. Perhaps there's something unusual about your return flight.

Call 1800flyeurope. Call Air France. If you are ultimately unable to confirm seats ahead of check-in, just be sure to get to CDG extra early. Last trip home, we did have confirmed seats, but were able to snare seats on the upper level (heaven - larger seats, fewer people, very quiet!).

Hi TN,

Unfortunately, your code share is AF for Delta instead of the reverse.

When I booked our tickets on AF, they gave me seats on the outward leg, but not for the return flight on Delta. I called Delta and got my seat assignments.

Try calling AF, but don't be upset if they tell you that they don't assign seats until departure.

Also, call Delta to find out if you check in at the CDG Delta desk or the AF desk.

Bon voyage.

I fly Delta to Paris all the time and often AF codeshare. That is what I am doing on April 14. I have my confirmed seat from A/F on my outbound flight from ATL. My return flight on May 13 is a Delta flight You have to call A/F...800 237 2747. Delta is only able to request the seats from them...

I'm pretty sure that outbound from Europe, Air France will not assign seats until check-in.

The other reason that s*cks is b/c we don't go to check-in - we print our boarding passes and go directly to security. (no bags to check). So... rats. (ok, ok, I saved at least $200 per ticket, so this is my sacrifice.)

Also - I don't think I've ever departed from CDG on a codeshare, so thanks for reminding me to find out which counter we go to on departure day.

Travelnut--

I have been in this situation before and I remember having to jump through hoops to get seats. You have to call AirFrance and tell them you are booked on a Delta codeshare. If I remember correctly, AF & DL don't use the same record locator. There's something screwy where AF can see the reservation that DL makes but, they don't see the seat assignments they give you. I remember the agent I spoke to on AF told me that he thought DL had no right to assign seats on their flights. Quite a partnership they have, huh? I've never run into this on any other codeshare flight I've been on. Anyway, when you call AF, just give them your last name, AF flight number if you have it and/or the date of the flight. They will be able to assign you seats on their end.

Delta should be able to give you an AF confirmation number. Then call AF for seat assignments. Some airlines will not allow you to select seat until 90 before flight departure.

ok then. I can quit whining.
Air France says my seats are assigned but sometimes the 'systems don't talk to each other well'. I should be able to print our passes in Paris and avoid check-in. If we do need to go to check-in, it would be the Air France counter, T2E. Cool, closest to the RER station. Now I might be 101% happy. Thank you!

I always get both Delta and AF Confirmation numbers and flight numbers that I will be flying. My ticket# is generally Delta..sosmetimes I have bought from A/F, as they were cheaper..same flights. That is what I did when there in Dec. My April/May are Delta.

My next Nov/Dec Paris 6 week stay, I bought from the 1800flyeurope. First time I used them. I have all my seats, the confirmation # from them and from Delta and the Delta ticket # along with A/F flt. #.

I do always take the same 9:00 return flight from Paris, which happens to be a Delta flight.

If you have Medallion status it makes all the check-ins much, much easier for CDG.

Enjoy,

Joan

I flew Delta codeshare with Air France when I went to Europe last October. I had assigned seats from Austin to New York and from New York to Paris, but I couldn't get my seat assignment from Paris to Budapest until I landed at Charles de Gaulle. I didn't have a problem on the return as I flew Delta codeshare with Czech Air direct from Prague to New York. Unfortunately, I'm afraid you'll just have to wait (I didn't want to either.).

It is possible to get AF seats assigned, both ways across the Atlantic.

Call DL to find out your AF confirmation number. Then go to AF's website and get your seat.

Now, intra-Europe legs are a different story. They don't usually assign them until check-in.

A question with a twist on this one, so do not mean to hijack this thread. I bought tickets flying Air France leaving at the end of April. The tickets were purchased in September 2008. At that time we had good seats in economy. To make a long story short, the flight was cancelled recently and Air France booked us on a flight a day earlier. To my dismay, the only seats left were in front of the lav at the back of the plane!! Looking online, there are better seats available but the agent stated that we would have to get to the airport early and request a change. She also stated that this could not be done online. Does anyone have any actual experience with this situation. Needless to say I am not too happy with Air France right now.

I'm in Economy Class and have an assigned seat both to and from Europe on Air France, booked through Delta. Happy Travels!

Based on what rkkwan said, can't you pull up your itinerary on AF website and reselect your seats?

Cindy who did you book the tickets with? Air France? Or a third-party site?

Hi CJ,

I think that the seats they assigned you (row 40?) are the default seats for everyone.

AF just has this thing about not assigning seats.

Try calling again. Maybe another agent will help you.

CindyJo,

I had a somewhat similar thing with Delta. They cancelled a flight from ATL to CDG and put me on another without contacting me to ask my preference! They had me on a flight arriving at 6:30 in the morning. Nothing is open! I called them and let them know that I was extremely annoyed with the way this was handled. I did get it changed to my satisfaction for arrival at 8:35 which is when I like to arrive in Paris.

You purchased thru AF and need to call them. Do speak with a supervisor. I don't know how they can put you on a flight a day earlier without your approval and without some sort of compensation for lodging for that day early arrival. What are you supposed to do? Doesn't make any sense. I think if you call you should be able to get it straightened out in some manner.

Joan

Cindy Jo,

Exactly what Ira said, call back and speak to another agent. Eventually you will find one who will be helpful.

Today I rechecked with Air France and they gave me the same seat numbers they told me when I called after this post, so I feel like I do have the assigned seats (Paris-Atlanta). The 'agent' told me that we have to go to the AF counter to check in, and we cannot check in online. I forgot to ask if that was because it was an international flight - anyone know? and, anyone ever do online checkin when flying Paris-US?

If the AF flight departs from T2E, do you board the plane directly, take a bus out to the tarmac or 'depends'..?

Travelnut,

The seats will not show on the Delta website for that particular flight..always unassigned..A/F and Delta do not work together with that. If you have gone to A/F and received the seat and have asked for their confirmation #, you are all set.

I don't check in online, but never a problem at CDG..if Medallion status, even faster.

I, too did 1800fly europe for my Nov/Dec. trip.
I had A/F seats and called a month ago to re-confirm the seat and they were not sure what plane they were going to use for my flight with them. They are all making sure that they fill all seats, so wait as long as they can to see what size plane they need!

I am also A/F CDG to ATL..going over it is Delta.
They have a strange working relationship, but I have been doing this with them at least twice a year.

Joan

I have checked in online for Northwest flight from CDG, but couldn't last week for a Delta flight (the check in kiosks at the airport weren't working either). I was with friends who were checking in for an Air France flight. The number of the check in desk isn't posted until 3 hours before the flight (Delta wouldn't let us get in line until exactly 3 hours), but the friends whipped through check-in on AF and were emailing me from the business lounge while I was still standing in line. Also, I had to take a train to the outer Delta terminal and go through security there. AF is easier- although apparently the food is no longer as good as it used to be.

Yeah, that was another thing... My reservations are Delta except for this segment is Air France... wondering if I end up at T2E terminal, or the S3/'Galeries Parisienne' terminal? (which sounds like where you went, via the "Lisa" lightrail).

I suppose that is a quick hop - you had to go thru security check before you got on the lightrail, and then another before your gate at S3? (my goal is to make sure 3 hours is enough time, plan to arrive via RER at 7:29 and our flight departs at 10:40am).

Thanks for all the responses...!

<<Looking online, there are better seats available but the agent stated that we would have to get to the airport early and request a change. She also stated that this could not be done online. Does anyone have any actual experience with this situation.>>

I'm glad to see this topic. We are flying IAD-CDG in two weeks on AF codesharing with Delta. We called AF and got our flight numbers (we're flying to CDG from MRS at the end of our trip). We were given seats, but they aren't together. AF told us that we would be able to change our seat assignment 30 hours ahead of time online.

Will write back if successful. As an aside the Delta and AF computers can't communicate with one another. Once I was flying on a free ticket, but got miles on my Delta account. I didn't complain about that.

I hope this flight will be near the RER. We're coming home to ATL on Delta so we'll most likely be in the new inconvenient terminal- the one with the long bus ride, or perhaps that has changed. It's been a couple of years since we've gone to Paris.

I flew out of CDG on Delta in May. I don't recall a bus ride, but it was a hike from the main area to the boarding area.

"..I hope this flight will be near the RER. We're coming home to ATL on Delta so we'll most likely be in the new inconvenient terminal- the one with the long bus ride.."

The 'long bus ride' should relate to the new Schengen (sp?) terminal 2G, not to a departing flight to the US. The RER station is 'next' to 2E where Delta/AF flights depart, the slight caveat that there is a satellite S3 that requires a quick (45 second?) 'rail' connection from 2E. We'll be arriving at CDG using the RER as well. (have done this for T1, 2A and 2C but not 2E as yet).

Two years ago there was some repair being done for the gate that collapsed I think and that's why we had a bus ride that took some time.

This trip our RER ride will be into Paris. The trip back to Atlanta will come after we make our connection after our flight to CDG from Marseilles. I think we have a long enough layover to make our connection.

CDG is always a puzzle, but I'm glad to hear that no one has had to ride a bus out to their plane lately.

Thanks for the info, CarolA and Travelnut

No bus rides anymore..new terminal has been fine for both my April/May, 2009 trip and my two trips last year. Next one is Nov/Dec. I fly ATL/CDG often..Usually Delta going over and A/F on return for the schedules that I prefer. I have also done the CDG/Marseilles.

The security lines are there, nothing you can do about them..almost worse when you get into ATL.

Joan

Do you people remember the old days when seats were assigned by pulling little stickers off of a sheet and sticking them on your boarding pass?

kerouac...

Yes, I remember those little stickers..had completely forgotten......

Joan

Travelnut- my friends did not have to take the train to the satellite terminal for their Air France flight. I had to go through passport control before getting on the train, but went through security after, at the satellite. It was better than previous trips where they did another security check at the gate, but the whole thing still took quite a while. Air France didn't post the check-in stand to go to until exactly 3 hours before the flight, so it won't do any good to get there earlier than that. Delta did post the number, but then wouldn't let us get in line, so there was a mob forming to get into the line- you had to be aggressive to get near the front. But the Air France check in apparently went a lot smoother, so it didn't take my friends as long. They got in their line half an hour after I did, but were at passport control 3 people behind me.

Concerning your seat selection: My return flight in Dec. is A/F..going over it is Delta. As in previous message..the 2 airlines do not communicate well. Last time I talked with A/F, they had not decided on the plane for my flight. I just called them and they now have the plane and I just confirmed my seat with them for 12/14. The important thing to do when talking with A/F, is to ask them for THEIR confirmation number ( also called reference number).By having this, you only need to go online and click on the "other options" and enter the # in the slot and you will pull up your complete itinerary with A/F..same as what you have with Delta.

Enjoy..

Joan

Gracejoan,

Are the security lines in Marseilles long? How long before your flight to you go to the airport?

Thanks, Evelyn

I have not been in the Marseilles airport since all the security changes. It is a small, nice airport with easy car rental access.

I always like to allow plenty of time..would hate the mess of missing a flight! I think a couple of hours would be ample time. You will be able to check your luggage to ATL and then only have your connection at CDG. Is ATL your final, or a connection to ?. ATL is a mess..takes forever. You do need connection time there. Often a tail wind, so arrives early, but don't count on it. I have to take a shuttle from there to home..Asheville..I always allow plenty of time and if tail wind I may have to sit, but the shuttles are always full and if one missed, then I could have a problem..and by this time I am pooped!! Joan

Joan, Atlanta is our final destination, but we have a 1 1/2 hour drive home to Anniston, Alabama. We will be tired! Hopefully, our daughter will pick us up and drive us home.

I think the tail wind you are talking about is going to France- the wind blows west to east. The flight back takes nearly an hour longer than going. Still it's worth it all.

BTW we always allow plenty of time when going to Atlanta and CDG. Actually we get to most flights early to avoid worry and the problem of lost luggage, etc.

Evelyn

Efoss3,

My flight in May to ATL arrived over an hour early. I could have booked the eralier shuttle to AVL..but, you never know, and the shuttles are always pretty full to AVL. The tail wind must take turns in directions bcause I have also arrived over an hour early into CDG! Hard to figure, isn't it!!

Yes, I always allow plenty of time and arrive in ATL eary.I would rather sit there knowing that I am where my Intl flight leaves from. Have found one restaurant that is decent. I usually eat there and then I can avoid the plane food..or most of it!

Yes, you are tired when you arrive in ATL and go through all of that mess. Good to have someone drive you home from the airport..hopefully your daughter will drive you!
Have a good trip....

Joan

Thanks for the info on getting seats. I called Delta to get an AF confirmation # and was able to select seats on the AF website just now. (The new seat info showed up right away on both AF and KLM websites, but Delta's site still says "Not assigned"). Anyone know if it's possible to select seats for the KLM segments?

Call Air France. I am flying to Paris in June, 2010. Booked the flights thru Delta website but flying Air France. Already got out seat assignments. Yippee! Happy Travels!

Fifi,

Delta's site will continue to show not assigned. They don't really work well together. A/F does not give them any information. With the separate AF conf. # and having seats confirmed with them, you are all set.

They are doing a lot of changing planes. If you get seats too far ahead they could easily not be any good, as they are constantly changing planes, depending on number of passengers. Also for flights way into next year they might cancel your flight entirely and put you on something else without even asking you...this is happening more often now. They did that to me a couple months ago for my Nov/Dec trip. I caught it early and really chewed them out about it. Check your Delta itinerary regularly. You will often find changes of a few minutes, but there might be a biggie, too! The automatic contact is only to notify you like a month in advance, when too late to make the changes that you might have wanted to make. You really have to monitor it yourself.

Joan

Thanks for your info, Gracejoan. I'm in the process of getting better seats for our flight next week. I'm hoping that we get that tailwind coming back to Atlanta like you had once!

Evelyn

Efoss,
Hope you have good luck with your seats. They are cancelling so many flights that most are now flying quite full..not fun!! That's why I stay so long..the return flight doesn't come up so fast!

Yes, hard to believe that the tail wind could blow in both directions!! Something strange about that!

Have you started watching the Paris weather? I just looked. It looks pretty good to me.

Have a good flight and trip...

Joan

Joan

Air France is slashing schedules and employees this autumn, so pay close attention to how the flights evolve.

Deleting many flights, changing planes according to the number of passengers, charging for everything..all of them, not just A/F. Flying is not fun, or pleasant...