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 [email protected]

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

Stu
In July 2011 we had this experience. I purchased AA tickets for myself ,LAX to TLS (Toulouse) and for my son and family CVG(Cincinnati) to TLS.The leg ORD (Chicago) to MAD (Madrid) was on Iberia and the leg MAD to TLS was on Air Nostrum for Iberia.There were two record locators.

Armed with my seating chart from SeatGuru I called AA for seat assignments. At that time the AA agent said she had read only access to the Iberia seating so she allowed me to select seats from those available. AA would then send an email to Iberia requesting those seats. She told me there was a chance that Iberia could assign those seats before they processed the email. As it turned out we got the seats that I selected within a day or two.

The Air Nostrum seats could not be requested because the AA agent did not have access to the seat availability. She told me those seats would be assigned at the airport.It turned out the seats were assigned later, but before travel day.