Hi, everyone. This summer a friend and I flew from Paris back to the US (via Munich) on Lufthansa using Frequent Flyer miles. Our schedule in Paris would not permit an early enough departure to accomplish the journey in one day; thus, an overnight in Munich was required.

We were issued boarding passes in Paris at check in for both legs of the trip, each showing the seat assignments we had requested months before. When we re-checked our bags in Munich the next morning, the agent issued new boarding passes for the Munich-US part of the trip, a fact we didn't realize until we got on the plane.

My seat wasn't too bad, but my friend was stuck far in the back amidst crying children. Am I stupid to think that once we had checked in for the flight and had our boarding passes, that the seats issued to us were really ours? I would appreciate any insight so that I can be more watchful next time. Thanks!

There is nothing to be done really.

A seat assignment is never guaranteed. Seats get changed all the time for all sorts of reasons.

I've had this happen before, so I always check my seat assignments before leaving the desk when I am issued a boarding pass. Usually the agent will change it back if you insist.

Sometimes there is a change of equipment and the seat configuration may be different thus necessitating different seat. But that is odd to have happened so close to the check in, though not impossible. Actually I don't agree with november_moon -- they will not change it back all the time.

A last minute change of aircraft with different configurations can affect seat assignments.

yestravel:

Good to "see" you. You may recall that we were on the same UA flight from Buenos Aires to Dulles a couple of years ago...

Just curious - if you checked in at Paris all the way to your final destination why did you have to recheck bags at MUC?

ah yes Weekender -- how r u? Been doing lots of weekends all over the world? We were in Chile and BA this past winter -- still love BA.

Hi Seamus,
To answer your question, CDG unexpectedly made me check my carry-on as has happened to me there on one other occasion. Since my purse wasn't large enough to carry personal items needed for the overnight in Munich, I was forced to check the luggage only to Germany and re-check the next morning.

"Actually I don't agree with november_moon -- they will not change it back all the time."

Uhhhh, yeah - that's why I said "usually".