Tickets with No Seat Reservations - A Danger??
 

HELP. I just booked a flight for early November on Continental Airlines website. I reserved a seat on the way out, but couldn't make seat reservations for the return flight from Las Vegas. The Continental Airlines website advised me that I would get my seat reservation at the airport when leaving Las Vegas.

Should I worry? Am I at greater likelihood of being bumped off the return flight at the Las Vegas airport because I won't have reserved seating?

I have 24 hours to cancel my tickets without penalty. If my risk of being bumped on the return flight is higher without the seat reservation, I may want to cancel before tomorrow night. HELP!!

There was a long thread about this type of situation a while back, but I can't seem to find it.

Only a certain percentage (it may vary) of seats are available for regular cheapo-ticket travelers to select at purchase time. That you were not able to select a seat does not mean plane is full or that you will likely get bumped. Even if you have a specifi seat, that could change (has happened to me at check-in all the time - sometimes for unknown reasons, sometimes because equipment has changed) You may not get the seat type you want, but very few people in normal circumstances are involuntarily bumped (get ready for all sorts of responses about people who were).

You have a reservation for the flight. You just don't have a seat assignment yet. Turn up in plenty of time to check in the day you fly home and you get your seat assignment then. The people who get involuntarily bumped, if that's going to happen at all, are more likely to be the ones who checked in last.

There's no guarantee of anything in this world, but I really think you should be okay. Gail is right.

No one has a really reserved seat, as, if you read the carriage of contract, you will see that the airlines reserve the right to change seat assignments at will.

Like most airlines, Continental holds a certain percentage of seat assignments for assignment at the gate. So whether or not the flight is oversubscribed, less than 100 percent of the seats will be assigned on purchase (some airlines don't assign any seats on purchase).

Holding some seats for assignment at the gate makes it easier for the airline to handle passengers who have unique seating requirements, such as the handicapped, and families with small children.

If the flight is convenient for you, I would hold onto it. At the gate they will assign you a seat (you could even ask for an exit row seat, with more room, as sometimes these open up at the last minute). In the event the flight is oversold, the gate agent will seek volunteers, offering compensation for taking a later flight. Rarely do they not find willing volunteers, so your chance of getting a seat on that flight is quite good.

I wouldn't worry. Check back once in a while, and then more frequently from the 5-day mark. That's when CO start upgrading elite customers to FC and you may see some seat movements and opening.

And you can do online check-in at 24 hour mark. You can get bulkhead seats, exit row seats, all kinds of stuff available to you then.

No need to worry.

Continental holds fewer seats at the gate than any other airline I know of. I think bumping is last come last serve, but expect to get the least desirable seat on the plane.

As I said, go do online check-in at the 24hr mark and you'll not have any problem.