Gato Volador:

Muchas gracias for the amazingly helpful information! It is much appreciated by this JFK-Madrid-Naples-bound Iberia traveler!! (And Iberia Plus member!!)

You can also phone AA and ask if they have an Iberia (Amadeus) PNR locator that they can give you - on multi-carrier itineraries they often do. Then phone IB and see if the res agent can pull it up, at which point they can assign seats if they've a mind.

I am flying Venice - Madrid - Chicago - LA in June. First two legs are on Iberia (also booked through AA).

I just called the 800 number Yorkshire gave above, and I got my seat assignments from Madrid to Chicago portion of the trip (the Venice-Madrid part I have to do in Venice). I got through on first call, and they were very pleasant.

((H))

Well, if you don't get seats assigned with your children, and no one will willingly trade with you, I suggest you tell your kids to compain very loudly that they are afraid they "MIGHT HAVE TO THROW UP IF THE PLANE HITS ANY ROUGH PATCHES."

I bet you'll find some takers for the trade ...

Now that I have gone and returned, thought I'd share the outcome for anyone who is interested in this topic.

I made another vigorous effort through American to get seats assigned on the Iberia portion, and American sent me an itinerary with assigned seats. I called Iberia to confirm, and they said there were NO seat assignments and still refused to make those assignments. When we got to Miami (by the way, it is an unpleasant haul to get from the American gates where we arrived to where we have to re-check in with Iberia in a completely different location) we got our seat assignments -- on the very back row, but at least together. Thankfully, the agents at the actual departure gate were able to give us bulkhead seats at the last minute, still together.

An unexpected problem arose on our return, AFTER we had flown from Madrid to the U.S. Very surprisingly, we did not have assigned seats on the AMERICAN domestic flight. About 7 months before, American emailed me my flight itinerary with our assigned seats. When we arrived in the U.S. about an hour before our final flight home, I got boarding passes for the final leg, and it said we had no assigned seats. When I asked at the gate, the agent told me that is because we checked in late. No, I said, I checked in 11 hours ago in Madrid, for the Iberia flight booked through American, for which I paid American and which flight had just arrived. Why couldn't I have the seats that American assigned us 7 months ago? They gave them away to other people who "checked in earlier". My family did not sit together. (Not a problem for a less-than-2-hour flight, but very surprising since I expected the only seating issues to be on the Iberia portions). This codeshare stuff is NOT seamless. I am forwarned for next time.

By the way, Iberia lost two of our four bags for 3 days on the trip to Spain and American lost 2 of our bags on the return trip for 1 night. All were returned to us and we had a wonderful trip despite the frustrations and inconveniences and added expense of buying additional needed items.

Thanks to all (especially GatoVolador!) for the helpful information.

thanks for reporting back. I agree with you the codeshare stuff is really a hit-or-miss. I flew BA/AA from MAD-LHR then LHR-BOS. When I checked in at MAD at BA counter, the agent insisted that she couldn't give me my LHR-BOS boarding pass and couldn't check me in for that flight.

I knew there's an AA counter at MAD, so I went to search for it. The agent was just about to close the counter for the day and I caught her just in time. She was kind enough to work beyond her hours and checked me in and printed a BP for my LHR-BOS flight.

Sorry to hear about the luggage problem but at least you got them back!

yk, you were smart to have sought out an AA agent in Madrid. I had no clue we wouldn't have our assigned seats in the U.S., but even if I had known, I'm not sure I would have been clever enough to hunt down an AA agent in Madrid to get boarding passes! I'll remember that for next time....if I ever decide to fly a codeshare again.

This may or may not be of import, or even news, to anyone here, but I thought I would relate the information that the better economy seats can now be purchased on Iberia...50Euro each way for an exit row on trans-Atlantic flights; 10 euro on domestic flights.