OhNo!

Going to France this summer on U.S. Airways. We called and got our assigned seats; now I find out we're in 2 non-reclining seats, and it sounds very uncomfortable for such a long flight! The flight is now sold out. Is there any way to change our seating??

pam

seat assignments are not guarenteed until you check in. We have almost always been able to change seat assignments at check-in.<BR>

Sue

My guess is that is an exit row and you could tell them at check-in that you are unable to handle the responsibility. They may ask someone else to do it but if they have any clue, they will refuse.<BR><BR>I was in a non-reclining seat once to Europe and thought I would die because I had to be in a meeting when I landed and needed to sleep.

Suzy

We had reserved seats with USAirways to Lonodn last summer, double-checked and confirmed them. Then they switched them on us at check-in, even though we were early. So I'd say you shouldn't worry too much, a change is not only possble, it's likely!

OhNo!

Thanks for the responses. When we check in, should we just ask them to change our seating assignment? <BR><BR>By the way, we are on the very last row in the back.

Rex

Unless you are a very long distance from the (any?) airport, I believe that your chances are best if you go to the airport 8-24 hours before your flight and try to secure new seats/boarding passes.<BR><BR>Best wishes,<BR><BR>Rex<BR>

OhNo!

Unfortunately, we are quite a distance from the airport we're flying out of. Will calling U.S. Airways & asking for a re-assignment do any good?

Ex-Airline employee

A seat that doesn't recline means that you are either the row in front of an emergency row or in front of a bulkhead wall. <BR><BR>Om most aircraft, seats in emergency rows do recline, except if there is another emergency row behind you.<BR><BR>Also, just because a flight is sold out, that doesn't automatically mean that seats are not available. Not everyone makes a seat assignment prior to departure. Call the airline and ask about changing seats. See what else is available.<BR><BR>Perhaps what is unavailable are 2 seats together and that is causing the problem in finding better seats. Call the airline and ask if they have any "aisles across" remaining. Alternatively, consider splitting up as you might find single seats on the aisle or window.<BR><BR>If it is an emergency row, I'd be careful saying "we can't help out and need to move." If the flight is fully booked and all seats are assigned, that seat change will be taken care of on board. If they can't find two people who are together who are willing to trade seats, you may both find yourself in middle seats if two singles volunteer to move. At that point, you ARE moving because you indicated you could be a safety risk.<BR><BR>

kate

tell them you have a pinched nerve and you must be able to recline your seat. if you don't have one -then you will after sitting straight up in that seat for 7 hours!<BR>Good luck..and have a great time in France.

Tinat

Seating changes typically cannot be done prior to airport check-in, via over the phone.<BR>You have a good chance of getting seat changes made at the airport especially if you arrive 2 hours early. Seat changes are quite frequent and things change the day of the flight.

ex-airline employee

One last point, if it is an emergency row, without another emergency row behind you, you are actually giving up a valueable seat. True, you have a seat that does not recline. But you get more leg room and the seat in front of you won't recline into your lap.<BR><BR>The worst of both world's is being in the row in front of the emergency row. In that case, try and change.

me again

make that "with aother emergency row behind you"<BR><BR>BTW, you can change your seat by phone. At least on Continental. I do it all the time.

Ann

I never recline my seat, unless the bozo in front of me does. But then again, I also use my turn signal while driving, so I guess I'm headed for extinction.

x

Ann, it's not just being able to recline, but those non-reclining seats are stiff! No 'give' to them at all!

Therese

The non-reclining seat may not be the worst seat in the house. If it's a bulkhead seat I still take it, as it means I can put my feet up on the bulkhead wall in front of me. This might not appeal to the non-flexible out there, but I like being able to stretch out this much (plus my feet and legs will swell less), and never really find the reclined seats to be worth the trouble in any case---they just make me long for a seat that REALLY reclines.<BR><BR>You can certainly try to re-assign seats, but flights in the summer tend to be heavily booked, and you could be stuck, or end up in even worse seats (apart, in the middle).

xxx

I go out of my way to get a non-reclining exit row seat. The leg space compensates the non-reclining back.

KK

Be a squeaky wheel, my friend. Call once a week asking if any other seats have become available; make up some reason you can't be in the last row or in a non-reclining seat (you have phlebitis or something); call the night before and ask them to put a note in your record requesting a seat change, then check in an extra hour earlier than others and tell them you did so expressly to get another seat.<BR><BR>In other words, squeak -- don't roar, don't be belligerant, presumptuous, arrogant -- but be persistant, meek but undeterrable. Eventually you may find one reservation agent or a supervisor or a ticket or gate agent who will bend.

ja

Just my 2 cent's worth - I don't find airplane seats comfortable in the reclining position. It's not enough of a "tilt" for me to be able to relax, so I end up straining to lift my head off the headrest. Of course, I don't sleep on airplanes, so that may be part pf my problem.<BR>ja<BR><BR>

topping

BA told us that only one third of the flight we are on can be pre booked, so its always worth turning up early and asking.

Sue

Much to our dismay, we found ourselves in row 11 on USAirways PIT to CDG; it was not an emerg. exit row, just the last row in that section of the plane. It was not as bad as I thought it would be, perhaps b/c I,too, as another poster mentioned, do not sleep on plane. The person beside me complained about her seat so she got moved, and I had a vacant seat next to me, going and returning. I will try to avoid this in future, however.