United to BKK
 

For anyone traveling to Bangkok on United, beware that your seat assignments may change. They changed the seating configuration that shows up on the website. Both of our flights here, we thought we had window and aisle, and when we got on the plane, we had window and middle seat. I had checked the seat map the day we left and the new info was not on it. Now all the aisle seats are already taken for our flights home later this month, so we might be stuck with middle seats again. I know this merger is causing havoc. Two other flights that I have for later this year, have already been changed and the flights they put me on, were terrible.. After calling United, I was able to change them to something better with no charge.

The Narita-Bangkok portion of that trip uses a 777 (at this point of the year, anyway), and there are two different configurations of 777 currently in the United fleet. The 777s are undergoing an interior upgrade that includes changing the seating from 2-5-2 to 3-3-3 in economy. There's a wiki site that keeps track of the conversions and it looks like it's a little over half way done at this point.

United does rotate 777s and it's possible for an equipment swap on any route that uses a 777. Sometimes the change is planned and the seat map changes in advance, but it is also quite possible to have a last minute substitution of one type for the other--could be old to new or new to old. It happened to us on this route last month. It also happened to us (day-of change) on an Chicago-Frankfurt flight late last year--definitely not an issue limited to BKK.

Yes, the equipment swaps have been frustrating. However, on our last flight from Bangkok to Narita they had switched to a 777 with the new lay-flat biz seats. I couldn't complain about that.

If you reserve your flights well in advance like we do, it pays to check from time to time just to make sure that your seats haven't been changed. It has happened several times with us but I've usually caught it in time to put things right and avoid disappointment.

You are right, Craig, it does pay to keep tabs on your seats assignments. The equipment change we experienced in Dec was literally at the last minute - it didn't show on the website the day before. Even the flight attandants were surprised.

I could not agree more. I watch my chosen seats like a hawk! I have upgrades already cleared for my April BKK trip, and so far, the NRT-BKK-NRT segments are on new 777s. Hope it holds!

So how do you guys keep tabs on the seats? Do you call every couple of days? I check the website the last few hours that we left and that didn't help. Do the agents know when you call what is the current configuration? Or you telling me that there is no way to tel? I would love to know the way that works the best for you.

The OP's situation is a bit unique, as United has been converting its 777 from a 2-5-2 to a 3-3-3 layout. As aircraft are rotated throughout the system and doesn't stay on one route, there is simply no way to tell in advance. With other aircraft, this won't be an issue at this time.

Yes, the changes can happen close in to travel and the seat map never updates. This also is an issue sometimes with the domestic Airbus fleet (A319s and A320s) but that affects number of rows (and upgrades). There is a way to check for possible last minute configuration changes on the United Cargo site, but too long to type on my phone. Will try to do that later.

I check by going to "my itineraries" on the United site and looking at the seats I'm assigned, then viewing the seating configuration. You situation (and mine) was such that the seats online had not been changed because it was a last minute equipment switch. As I mentioned even the flight attendants were surprised. One said to me, "we didn't have this plane yesterday!"

We always buy our tickets far in advance (11 months) so I check our seats periodically when I'm booking another flight or whatever on United.com

Thanks for all your help.

Am not a fan of the new United.