bucky

I booked 4 tickets on Aer Lingus for our June 23rd flight. These were booked through American Airlines using frequent flyer miles. I booked these seats last August, and was told I couldn't choose seats, that Aer Lingus did it.

When I called last month, I was told that seat assignments for the outgoing flight would be made at the airport, but they did assign us four seats together for the return flight.

I thought this was strange, and called again today. They told me the flight was packed, and though we are confirmed, they could not assign any seats, we had to wait till check in, and to get there 3 hours ahead. They said most of the seats had been assigned in advance.

I'm frustrated by this. I can't remember exactly what they told me last August, but somehow I missed out on seat assignments. I probably should have called Aer Lingus myself, but that wasn't made clear to me. American did assign the return flight. I have called both Aer Lingus and American today, but there is nothing they can do. Now I'm concerned we won't be able to sit with our kids (teens) on the flight.

American told me to get there 2 hours before flight time, but Aer Lingus told me 3, I guess because of the seat assignment thing. (Maybe the flight is overbooked? I am not that experienced of a flyer, but I know that happens.)

Has anyone experienced anything like this? Do you think we should get there 3 hours ahead? I don't want to get there that early, but if the flight is full, and we don't have seats assigned, could we be bumped? After I called a second time, American said they only had two seats they could assign, but I didn't take them, thinking it might be easier to sit near each other if we had all four assigned at the gate.

Thanks for advice.

socialworker

HI--while I sympathize w/the aggravation, esp if you think you could have gotten the seats if you had called, I am not sure I understand what sounds like worry. Maybe I am misunderstanding you, but if kids are teens, they will be fine not sitting w/parents, esp on an airline that is staffed w/native speakers of English.

nytraveler

Yes - if the flight is oversold and you are not there first you could easily be bumped. If they say three hours I would definitely do it.

As for sitting together - don't sweat it - your children are teens - not little kids - and are certainly capable of sitting in a seat in a plane by themelves (children from the age of 7 up fly alone all the time - it;s no big deal.)

(If you want you might each ask to trade seats with someone sitting next to one of your kids - if you have an equivalent seat to trade - no one's going to trade an aisle for a middle - but you can;t count on this working.)

If you angst over tiny details like this you won;t enjoy your vacation whenever things go wrong - and some things always do. You just need to make the best preparation you can and then learn to roll with the punches.

bucky

Thanks for your replies.

I wasn't so much worried about the kids sitting alone as just preferring to sit nearby for such a long flight because it would be more pleasant. We've never gone overseas as a family and 8 hours sounds long to me. Having booked these tickets 10 months in advance, I didn't expect this to be a problem.

I do tend to over worry, and you're right, seat assignments are not that important.

I am still worried about being bumped from the flight (not a tiny detail to me), so I guess we'll have to get there 3 hours ahead as recommended.

yale

When we flew AerLingus in March both our flights were overbooked. We were checked in 3 hours in advance though, so we didn't get bumped. They did offer us $300 each plus a hotel room to take the next day's flight. Our itinerary wouldn't allow us to though.

nytraveler

Agree - getting bumped is not a tiny detail - it's a big fat mess. I would defiitelty get there as early as you can and make yourself extra charming to whoever's in charge.

rkkwan

Seriously, very few people ever get bumped involuntarily. And that usually only happens during major holidays when no one will volunteer - like Christmas Eve, day before Thanksgiving, etc...

Otherwise, tonnes of people will volunteer to be bumped for a compensation. Every time they ask for volunteers, people will sprint to the desk to be put on the list first.

So, to worry about being involuntarily bumped is border on ridiculous. 200 other things may go wrong on any trip before you'll get involuntarily bumped from a confirmed flight.

highledge

Some airlines, like BA, are assigning fewer and fewer seats ahead of time. Having booked frequent flyer tickets through a code share airline pretty much puts you at the bottom of the pile!
Go early and see what the ticket agent can do for you. BE VERY NICE. Be very apologetic and explain that you're rather anxious about the issue of seats and that you've been trying and trying to sort it out. If it doesn;t work, let it go! You could also offer to have three sit together if you;re really worried about this issue.
However, I have to agree that it's really not that big of a deal. Teens will be with you morning, noon, and night and might not mind a bit of alone time!

mixd

I disagree with rkkwan. You do not want to be bumped from a once-a-day transatlantic flight. I would imagine, given your trip timing and destination, that the vast majority of people on the flight will be vacationers that, like you, have booked far in advance. So, I doubt there will be many people flocking to get vouchers, etc. You should show up early.

bucky

Thanks everybody. I'm no longer worried if we sit together. In fact, I think the teenagers might not be the only ones who may want some space! Especially since my 15 year old frequently gets airsick. (I do plan to give him some bonine before we board.)

As far as bumping, the Aer Lingus agent told me we are confirmed, so we can't get bumped, even if we don't have seats assigned. I'm not sure about that as I don't have that much experience flying. But I do plan to get there 3 hours in advance as advised.

Luckily, I do most of my worrying and obsessing before a trip and usually manage to go with the flow and have a good time once we arrive. I just hate the getting there part.

nytraveler

Confirmed has nothing to do with bumping - they always confirm more people than they have seats. (We were once bumped by the dreaded PanAm - 156 of us - from the same flight - even though we had boarding passes - they had given out doubles - and we had to wait almost four hours for them to pull out another plane.)

And agree that while there are often volunteers on short domestic flights (when there will be another in a couple of hours) that is much rarer on overnight international flights.

bucky

That's what I suspected, NYtraveler.

Can you get bumped if you have seats assigned already, but haven't gotten your boarding pass yet?

bucky

Let me rephrase that, since obviously, you were bumped on the Pan Am flight even WITH a boarding pass.

I guess what I'm asking is, if someone without assigned seats arrives at check-in ahead of those with assigned seats, and the plane is overbooked, will they make them wait till everyone else has checked in before assigning them seats?

nytraveler

If there are seats not yet assigned when you arrive they will let you have them.

If all seats have already been assigned there is a cut off point - exactly when depends on airline and time of flight - at which they will start to give away assigned seats which people have not claimed by picking up boarding passes. This may be 30 minutes before take off time.

Even if you have picked up a boarding pass if you don;t turn up to board (perhaps 10 minutes before pull back) - they will give away your seat too - but only after PA calls.

nytraveler

Sorry - forgot to mention. If all seats have been assigned and you are waiting for people not to turn up - this is when to become best friends with the gate agents. If you have been there all along waiting - your name is at the top of the list - and you have been persistent but charming - you have a better chance than someone who shows up later and is pushy/rude.

I would go to the web sit - or call the airline - to try to find out if the flight is in fact very oversold - or if they're just holding back a lot of seat assignments for the airport.

rkkwan

It's kind of amusing to see that some travellers worry so much about being bumped, while many others think the airlines don't overbook frequently enough.

Trust me, there are plenty of people willing to take a voucher for being bumped on any flight, most days of a year. And ticketed on a overbooked flight (and having high FF status) is probably the last chance of being upgraded on an international flight these days...