codeshare paid seat assignments missing

A few months back I booked airfare for our July cruise with KLM. Our outbound flights are KLM and return flights are codeshare on Air France. At that time I also paid for seat assignments together (the five of us) on the two KLM flights and the overseas Air France flight home. In December, Air France changed that flight number to a new flight number which according to the email they sent would still keep our seat assignments the same, and the seats still showed on our reservation. However, this week I checked the reservation and those seats assignments are now blank. I called Air France yesterday and told them how I had paid for the seats (which was processed through KLM since I booked with them) and that they are now missing on our reservation. The gal put us back into those seats and they showed on the reservation again. But today, they are blank again. I really don't want to keep calling and repeating this process if it isn't solving the problem. Has anyone had a similar issue with paid seat assignments disappearing from a reservation? I'm wondering if KLM has to reinstate the seats somehow, but the phone number I called from the AF website says it is for AF and KLM both (and Delta too) so I would think this could have been handled by the gal on the phone...so confused right now!

What website are you looking at to show your Air France seats? We flew to AMS last summer, booked through Delta with AF on the way over and KLM on the way back. The Air France website showed our seats for their flight, KLM website showed our seats for their flight and Delta only showed the seats for the Air France site.

Try both websites and perhaps seats will show up somewhere? We had no issues and had our preselected seats for all legs of travel.

When did KLM/AF start to charge for seat selection? I have never had that levied on me...

I'm checking both the KLM and AF websites. Also their mobile apps. All show no seat assignments for that flight. I emailed KLM customer service and am hoping to hear back.

We used both of these airlines two years ago and had no issues, and yes it's true that they didn't charge for seat assignments back then. So they obviously started charging like most of the other airlines.

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I'm in the same boat so to speak

I booked on delta ...JFK to orly. ...And then Naples to degaulle to JFK

I thought I was on delta but come to find I'm on Air France

I spoke to a lovely supervisor to reconfirm some stuff but I'm wondering if I should pay for seats now

Me an my 22 and 16yo well traveled kids but we really dont want to be separated

$69 per person for all the legs in total

We got great prices on the tix. I'm contemplating the extra $210 though but my fear is they will move us anyway. Also I can pick seats for free 30 hours out I'm told or just get assigned at checkin

Suggestions? Thanks

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I'm in the same boat so to speak

 

I booked on delta ...JFK to orly. ...And then Naples to degaulle to JFK

 

I thought I was on delta but come to find I'm on Air France

 

 

I spoke to a lovely supervisor to reconfirm some stuff but I'm wondering if I should pay for seats now

 

Me an my 22 and 16yo well traveled kids but we really dont want to be separated

 

 

$69 per person for all the legs in total

 

 

We got great prices on the tix. I'm contemplating the extra $210 though but my fear is they will move us anyway. Also I can pick seats for free 30 hours out I'm told or just get assigned at checkin

 

 

Suggestions? Thanks

 

 

 

 

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Well, you can certainly wait for T-30hr or wait until check-in. But, you are getting the choice of the leftovers. And the chances for having enough seats together at that point are slim to none. And, no airline will tell others to move so you can have seats together.

I'd pay for the seats now if you must sit together...

I booked on delta ...JFK to orly....I thought I was on delta but come to find I'm on Air France

All airlines and travel agents are required to advise you about the operating carrier for codeshares. So DL actually showed you that it was operated by AF. Whether or not you paid attention is a different question, but from the get go, you should have known AF was the operating carrier.

Me an my 22 and 16yo well traveled kids but we really dont want to be separated

If you don't want to be separated, pay for the seats. So many folks want things but don't like that their preferences cost money. What's it worth to you?

We got great prices on the tix

TAANSTAFL. Had you flown with DL as the operating carrier, you would have gotten seat selection. Let me guess - the price to ORY was less than to CDG on DL metal.

My experience is that Air France will give your seats away and lie straight to your face that they didn't do so. Also good luck with them in even getting boarding passes. It took them HOURS of me standing at the counter and them making repeated calls to Paris to get mine printed. They claimed they could see the reservation but the system wouldn't allow them to print the boarding passes. Customer service on board was terrible. Broken seat, broken lav, and a six ounce bottle of water all they want to offer for a seven hour flight.

All airlines and travel agents are required to advise you about the operating carrier for codeshares. So DL actually showed you that it was operated by AF. Whether or not you paid attention is a different question, but from the get go, you should have known AF was the operating carrier.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you don't want to be separated, pay for the seats. So many folks want things but don't like that their preferences cost money. What's it worth to you?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TAANSTAFL. Had you flown with DL as the operating carrier, you would have gotten seat selection. Let me guess - the price to ORY was less than to CDG on DL metal.

Not sure why you are coming across with such an attitude. I'm just considering paying for the seats and asked opinions

I did book on delta btw and the confirmation said delta and had a delta flight number

A few days later the new confirmation came through with Air France flight number

The cost of the seats are not an issue. I'm just wondering what others do or suggest

There was no need to belittle the price I paid for the tix

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My experience is that Air France will give your seats away and lie straight to your face that they didn't do so. Also good luck with them in even getting boarding passes. It took them HOURS of me standing at the counter and them making repeated calls to Paris to get mine printed. They claimed they could see the reservation but the system wouldn't allow them to print the boarding passes. Customer service on board was terrible. Broken seat, broken lav, and a six ounce bottle of water all they want to offer for a seven hour flight.

Seats you paid extra for they will give away?

Can you please detail your personal situation that you are referring to?

Are you claiming I will not be able to print outgoing boarding passes from home?

Or returning boarding passes at my hotel?

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When you purchase a flight, it will clearly say "operated by" which tells you on what carrier you will be flying.

Codeshares are often a pain.

No seat assignment is ever guaranteed, but you should have no problem printing your boarding passes.

Ducklite flew to Tahiti in premium Economy on AF and did not have a good flight. This can happen to anyone on any flight.

I flew AF to Tahiti in Economy and flight was ok. Worst food I've ever had on a plane, but no problem getting water. Flight was so empty, we all could move and get a row to ourselves.

I am not an AF fan and avoid flying them, but to PPT, there are limited options.

Seats you paid extra for they will give away?

 

Can you please detail your personal situation that you are referring to?

 

Are you claiming I will not be able to print outgoing boarding passes from home?

 

Or returning boarding passes at my hotel?

 

 

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I paid for PE seats--seat selection is included. I was unable to check in online as they had a computer problem. I waited on hold for 45 minutes and was told I'd need to check in at the airport. We arrived at LAX almost five hours prior to our flight time--the AF counter wasn't even open yet. We were first in line to check in. When the counter opened we walk up and they were unable to check us in. We stood there for over two hours while they click the keys and made calls to Paris. I specifically asked and was specifically told our seats were protected and we would have the seats we had selected and booked the day bookings opened for that flight.

Fast forward three hours, we finally got boarding passes and they had us scattered in the cabin. Not acceptable. Argued with them for 15 minutes and told the guy he lied to may face, they finally put us back in the original seats. By then the lines for security were out the door--we waited in line to get through security for over an hour.

The plane was filthy, the lav in PE was broken both directions--it was the same plane as there was an ink stain on my seat that was the same in both directions. My seat was broken. When I asked for another bottle of water you'd think I was asking for the crown jewels. Additionally the FA let three guys from back in economy hang out in the galley area with her laughing all night and instead of servicing the cabin, they kept everyone awake.

We had the same problem on the way back at the PPT airport with not being able to get checked in and them giving away our seats. They weren't the least bit apologetic, and even claimed I was lying about the seat assignments, even though I had all of the paperwork with me.

Never again.

I paid for PE seats--seat selection is included. I was unable to check in online as they had a computer problem. I waited on hold for 45 minutes and was told I'd need to check in at the airport. We arrived at LAX almost five hours prior to our flight time--the AF counter wasn't even open yet. We were first in line to check in. When the counter opened we walk up and they were unable to check us in. We stood there for over two hours while they click the keys and made calls to Paris. I specifically asked and was specifically told our seats were protected and we would have the seats we had selected and booked the day bookings opened for that flight.

 

 

 

Fast forward three hours, we finally got boarding passes and they had us scattered in the cabin. Not acceptable. Argued with them for 15 minutes and told the guy he lied to may face, they finally put us back in the original seats. By then the lines for security were out the door--we waited in line to get through security for over an hour.

 

 

 

The plane was filthy, the lav in PE was broken both directions--it was the same plane as there was an ink stain on my seat that was the same in both directions. My seat was broken. When I asked for another bottle of water you'd think I was asking for the crown jewels. Additionally the FA let three guys from back in economy hang out in the galley area with her laughing all night and instead of servicing the cabin, they kept everyone awake.

 

 

 

We had the same problem on the way back at the PPT airport with not being able to get checked in and them giving away our seats. They weren't the least bit apologetic, and even claimed I was lying about the seat assignments, even though I had all of the paperwork with me.

 

 

 

Never again.

However...while it took some arguing you did eventually get in the seats you paid for didn't you?

Btw I just paid a very reasonable price for assigned seats and spoke with a lovely agent in Atlanta

I don't know about you, but she clearly answered my questions with a great deal of knowledge and spoke perfect English, was not French, and totally understood why I was buying these seats. I also made sure she documented the reason I paid for these seats and required an aisle seat.

Of course I'm no idiot and will keep track of this reservation and call in again to reconfirm all the details and seat assignments prior to the flight.

I'm very courteous to customer service people and never have a problem getting exactly the info I need....of course as an industrial engineer, I not only have plan b/c/d at the ready, I also generally know the answers but just calling to reconfirm those answers

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However...while it took some arguing you did eventually get in the seats you paid for

 

 

 

 

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Yes. I should never have had to fight for something they had my money for and reassured me several times I would get. It was incredibly stressful--particularly when they told me at one point that they weren't sure that we would even fly that night if they couldn't get their systems figured out. Add in the really crappy on board experience, and just say no.

I was nothing but polite and had rechecked everything several times leading up to the day of the flight. It was 100% a computer problem on their part, which they freely admitted. I don't appreciate the insinuation that I was in any way responsible for the problems I had with them.

Yes. I should never have had to fight for something they had my money for and reassured me several times I would get. It was incredibly stressful--particularly when they told me at one point that they weren't sure that we would even fly that night if they couldn't get their systems figured out. Add in the really crappy on board experience, and just say no.

 

I was nothing but polite and had rechecked everything several times leading up to the day of the flight. It was 100% a computer problem on their part, which they freely admitted. I don't appreciate the insinuation that I was in any way responsible for the problems I had with them.

So it was 100% a computer problem. It wasn't that they purposely booted you from your seats

A better way to state you issue would have been....

AF was having serious computer issue on the day we were supposed to fly but after some stressful hours it was sorted out

The way I read your initial post on this issue is that even though you paid for seat assignments that they purposely took them away from you

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So it was 100% a computer problem. It wasn't that they purposely booted you from your seats

 

 

A better way to state you issue would have been....

 

 

AF was having serious computer issue on the day we were supposed to fly but after some stressful hours it was sorted out

 

 

The way I read your initial post on this issue is that even though you paid for seat assignments that they purposely took them away from you

 

 

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They did purposefully take them away. As I said, we were assured three times while standing at the counter trying to get checked in that we still had our seat assignments. When they finally handed us the boarding passes, they had been given away--on purpose--to a couple who had booked late and wanted to sit together. Because we weren't checked in through no fault of our own, they were taken from us, even though we were assured that wouldn't happen. So yes, they purposely took them away, and I had to fight with them to get them back.

A few months back I booked airfare for our July cruise with KLM. Our outbound flights are KLM and return flights are codeshare on Air France. At that time I also paid for seat assignments together (the five of us) on the two KLM flights and the overseas Air France flight home. In December, Air France changed that flight number to a new flight number which according to the email they sent would still keep our seat assignments the same, and the seats still showed on our reservation. However, this week I checked the reservation and those seats assignments are now blank. I called Air France yesterday and told them how I had paid for the seats (which was processed through KLM since I booked with them) and that they are now missing on our reservation. The gal put us back into those seats and they showed on the reservation again. But today, they are blank again. I really don't want to keep calling and repeating this process if it isn't solving the problem. Has anyone had a similar issue with paid seat assignments disappearing from a reservation? I'm wondering if KLM has to reinstate the seats somehow, but the phone number I called from the AF website says it is for AF and KLM both (and Delta too) so I would think this could have been handled by the gal on the phone...so confused right now!

As your question appears to be lost in the conversation -- simply call again to reassure yourself. I have assigned seats on Icelandair that show on their end but not when I check on-line. Make sure the type of plane has not changed.....

 

I did book on delta btw and the confirmation said delta and had a delta flight number

 

A few days later the new confirmation came through with Air France flight number

One can book a flight on through Delta that is a codeshare operated by another airline. In this case you will indeed get your confirmation from Delta because that's who you booked with, and as a codeshare the flight will have 2 (or more) flight numbers... one will be a DL flight number. BUT, on the Delta booking page it clearly says, albeit in smaller print, "flight XXX operated by Air France (or whatever.)"

They did purposefully take them away.

I suspect what happened is that at some point prior to when you were able to be checked in, the deadline passed for the time that one must be checked in. At that point the system showed that you weren't checked in and thus showed your seats as available for others wanting to switch or awaiting seat assignment. So I don't know that they purposefully said "aha, let's take her seats from her" as much as another agent or the system simply saw them as available and had no way of knowing that the pax originally assigned to the seat was indeed present at the departure airport and that they were having difficulty getting the system to show that due to the computer issue.

A reference point. I booked my Air France flight through Delta and selected my seats on the Air France website and both my Delta Booking Reference Code and Air France itinerary shows the same seat assignment.

If I run into an issue at the airport I just try and go with the flow and ask if there is a better window seat. Granted on Air France it may not be worth the $$$ for Premium Economy if they can't do the basics of assigning you a seat unless your seat was blocked due to a mechanical issue etc.

Remember the airline has a right to change your seat assignment and in very rare cases upgrade or downgrade you. You may be bumped off the flight. Flying sadly has come down to Russian Roulette at times.