This happened to me with Delta/Northwest, only the online system wouldn't allow me to check in. Despite many attempts, I was able to get a seat assignment for the last leg of my flight at the gate, 15 minutes prior to take-off. This was after the gate agents had confirmed some stand-by passengers! I did complain to the airline and get a $50 voucher, but I would have much preferred a seat assignment earlier in the process or a good explanation as to why the airline couldn't (wouldn't) give me one.

Posted By Laura on July 29, 2009, 8:41 AM

This is an ongoing airline issue. On an upcoming flight on US Air, most seats were blocked out and I was told that they were available for purchase ($30 each) 24 hours in advance. This is also a regular occurrence on American - routinely blocking out all the seats as "premium". All of this nickel and diming of every aspect of flying is why we may only have a few airlines left in 10 years!

Posted By Ellen on July 30, 2009, 10:18 AM

United is doing the same thing. It allowed me to book my daughter and me on a flight, but no seat assignment is available.

Posted By Judy on July 30, 2009, 11:26 AM

That is why I drive everywhere now. Not worth the trouble. Or better yet stay at home and save money on taxes and more taxes for the traveler

Posted By larry on July 30, 2009, 11:53 AM

Continental also did this on one leg of a flight that I just completed. At the time of online booking, a helpful customer rep waited patiently on the phone as I completed my online transaction. She then opened up a business-class seat, close to the front of the plane, for me at the economy rate.

Posted By Kurt on July 30, 2009, 12:37 PM

Same problem on British Airways in Premium Economy, both legs of a trip LAX-LHR. Highly frustrating, and customer service reps simply gave us the runaround. About to do the trip again in Business, so am awaiting the outcome with great interest. I may have to switch to Virgin!

Posted By Tony on July 30, 2009, 1:29 PM

Just flew Virgin this weekend. I booked the flight 2 weeks ago and was unable to get an assigned seat for my flight to London (was assigned one for the return flight home). After three calls and being transferred to a different department, I finally got someone who told me that Virgin reserves approximately 30% of its seats for assignment at the airport. Why? I couldn't get an answer. Got to the airport 3 hours early to make sure that I got a seat because I was worried that they might be overbooked even though the agent on the phone said that they weren't. I got the aisle seat that I requested. I'd estimate that at least 1/4 of the seats ended on that flight were empty.

Posted By Kim on July 30, 2009, 3:41 PM

The best way to handle airlines that will not give you a seat assignment in advance is to take another airline. For a short hop it makes no difference to me but if I'm cooped up in an aluminum tube for 8 to 9 hours in ever shrinking sized seats, I want to know I can get a good seat. So for those airlines that refuse to assign me a seat in advance, adios.

Posted By Mark on July 30, 2009, 4:34 PM

Time to invest in rapid high speed rail to provide competition to the airlines. The airlines are as notorious as the credit card issuers for nickel and diming customers, and changing the rules in "midflight". I hope that their current business model fails.

Posted By foxroswell on July 30, 2009, 5:17 PM

I booked a vacation on the Hawaiian Airlines web site in May. Air travel involves both flights from the mainland to the islands, as well as inter-island flights. When I received the confirmation via email we had seats assigned on the inter-island flights, but not on the outbound or inbound mainland flights. After several frustrating phone conversations with reservation agents over the next two months to secure the unassigned seats, I finally called the Consumer Advocate desk at Hawaiian Airlines to see if they could help. They really couldn't, but told me that Hawaiian holds back 30% of the seats (at least on this flight) and they release them when online check-in becomes available; presumably 24 hours prior to the flight. The agents always referred to the fact that the flight was "locked-down" by the airport and that is why they couldn't assign me a seat. Presumably it also means that when I made the reservation, two months before flying, at least 70% of the plane was already full. I'll let you'all know what happens when I show up at the airport tomorrow...real early!

Posted By Mark P. on July 30, 2009, 7:18 PM

I just booked a Spirit flight and was willing to pay for a seat. But that link did not show prices or choices of seats. So, I guess I'll hold out until I find out which seat the "computer randomly assigns" me. I hope it realizes that my husband and I would like to sit together although after reading these stories, I guess I'll just have to be grateful to get any seat.

Posted By Kaysy on July 30, 2009, 8:32 PM

We had confirmed seat assignments for a flight to Boston 3 weeks ago (United), but when we checked in online, without any explanation or warning, our boarding passes printed out with the seats changed to the last row, by the bathrooms!! Frustrating! We went to the airport way early to get them changed back & were told at the ticket desk they couldn't do anything---we'd have to wait at the gate for the agents there. 1/2 hour before boarding, the agent changed our seats to good ones--nice, but it was an aggravating and tense time. So, even with seat assignments, there are no guarantees (no one could tell us why they were changed).

Posted By Terri on July 30, 2009, 8:44 PM

i've flown out of charlotte nc to miami, jfk and mexico city several times in the past three years and never had a problem getting a seat assignment with on line booking........HOWEVER delta usually changes the flights a few weeks before departure and gives me a crummy seat......i've had no trouble going back on line and getting a better seat

Posted By mike norwood on July 30, 2009, 8:50 PM

This drives me CRAZY! I am a very frequent flier, but have gold status on only one airline, because I always have to buy the cheapest tickets I can for work. In a few weeks, I will start a big trip through Asia and I can't get a seat assignment for the 14-1/2 hour flight to Sydney!!! I don't mind the length of the flight, but no seat assignment??? Come on!! As Brad says, try to get as close into the 24-hour window as possible to have a chance. Even that doesn't always work! I don't have time to keep calling the airlines back! This (and TSA checkpoints) are the most frustrating thing about flying today. The uncertainty just kills you!

Posted By Stans on July 30, 2009, 9:27 PM

Luckily we live in a small city so it's easy to drive back and forth to the airport. A few months ago we wanted to get seat assignments for our frequent-flier tickets and couldn't online, so we went to the airline check-in desk at the airport, and the agent assigned us good seats, about a month ahead of time. We kept checking online to make sure they hadn't been changed.

Posted By mary on July 30, 2009, 11:27 PM

I was very lucky! In April my husband and I both traveled to Florida on NWA. My flight was booked through my job and we booked his flight on Expedia. On our return flight, I couldn't get a seat assignment and was sent to the gate to wait for one. I was worried that the flight was overbooked (Spring Break) and I was going to get bumped. Nope! Not only did she seat my husband and I together...she put us in First Class!

Posted By Nancy on July 31, 2009, 10:41 AM

Have taken 3 trips this summer...France, Alaska (cruise), and Australia. Only Quantas did not assign us a seat to Brisbane from LAX because at the time of reservation 70% of the flight was full and policy is they would assign seats at the aiport. We checked in four hours early and got assigned at the airport but our seats were next to the galley, very noise. Seat assignments made at reservation on all other flights (Delta to/from Sacramento and France, Air France within France, and United from Sacramento to Vancouver and back for cruise).

Also have a frequent flier flight booked in late September from SFO to Kona Hawaii and was able to book seats at the time of reservation in May. Guess every reservation is different these days no matter the airline.

BTW...U.S. air carriers are really nickle and diming. On our one-hour flight from Paris to Cannes, Air France offered us a FREE sandwich for lunch. On Quantas flights to/from Brisbane to Cairns we were offered morning tea/coffee and cake and breakfast...ALL FREE! Even our checked bags flew free and we each had one large check-in bag at max. weight! Our United flight from SFO to Vancouver (2 hours) had NO FREE snacks, not even peanuts...all snacks had to be bought! Pathetic especially since this reservation was almost as expensive as our Quantas flight! Now that's frustrating!

Posted By Tina C on July 31, 2009, 1:18 PM

The airlines are digging their own graves. If they have not learned anything from Southwest..it is because of their arrogance prevents it. As our president would say.." they are acting stupidly"

Posted By Pete on July 31, 2009, 4:52 PM

I recently booked a flight from Philadelphia to Orlando on US Airways and was not given a seat assignment. I called and asked a customer service rep if I was on stand-by, and he told me absolutely not - there were still plenty of seats available on the flight, and I would definitely be on board - they just weren't issuing seat assignments until check in. To my shock, when I checked in, I was still not given a seat assignment - I had been put on standby, and if it weren't for two VERY nice people who decided to upgrade to first class at the last second, I would not have made the flight. To me - this was very disrespectful - I know when I booked my flight, there were still seats available, so to have been moved to standby at the last minute made me not want to fly this airline again. I paid just as much as other people on that flight and checked in before most of them. I believe this was done because I was flying "by myself" and had no check-in luggage, though I was actually flying with a group that booked seperately. If this is the way airlines are treating customers now...I'll drive.

Posted By Becky on July 31, 2009, 6:07 PM

Booked a flight for my sister and niece on Delta using my skymiles. To get from Burlington, VT to Atlanta, they have to fly from Burlington to JFK, then to Reagan (DCA), then on to ATL. The return trip is similar. Delta flys non-stop into Burlington and back from ATL a couple of times a day. So much for treating its' premium passengers with hundreds of thousands of Skymiles with some respect. Yes, some of the seats are unassigned. I'm hoping they will keep my young niece beside my sister rather than plunking her down with some letch.

Posted By Scott Morehouse on August 1, 2009, 3:43 AM

I also had this happen on Northwest. I phoned them up and they told me to check back 24 hours before the flight - which is when they release all the premium seats. I checked in online 24 hours before and I was able to get a seat and not have to pay more for it.

Posted By Cindy H on August 1, 2009, 3:49 AM

I booked seats from LAX to Portland on Alaska Airlines, months in advance, and was able to choose seats in the center of the plane-- 2 across the aisle and one center for myself and very tall husband and son. Outgoing, we were in the seats I booked. When I got the boarding passes for the return, with no notification of any kind, we were moved to 3 seats in one row at the back of the plane. When I tried to get our original seats back, I was told they moved us because they could. No GOOD reason, no apology, no accomodation. So, even when you choose a seat, it doesn't mean a thing on Alaska.

Posted By Rosalie G on August 1, 2009, 1:28 PM

Poor booboos. What are you going to do if something bad happens to you?

Posted By T. Buqo on August 1, 2009, 6:50 PM

Reading this blog makes me more and more happy that work caused us to move to Europe last year. Why are the european carriers nearly all so superior to the US carriers? We had a free hot breakfast served on the 40-minute flight from Amsterdam to Hamburg. My husband flies frequently (both throughout Europe and between Europe & Asia) for his work, and he's never yet been denied a seat assignment. No charges for checked bags. No nickel-and-diming on board. Professional and attentive service on board - whether in economy or business class. Could it be because the excellent and reliable high-speed rail system offers an alternative that keeps the airlines on their toes?

Air travel is stressful enough without having to worry if you'll be unable to board the flight you booked weeks or months ago. If the airline takes your money for a seat, they ought to be prepared to give you a seat assignment!

Posted By Tammy Fine on August 3, 2009, 4:20 PM

My husband and I just flew British Air rountrip Atlanta to Heathrow in Business Class (Club World). Seat assignments could not be chosen until check-in. We met families who had been separated because of this policy. We paid $$ for our tickets --this was not with frequent flier miles. We rode Eurostar from London to Paris - it was Heaven compared to flying. The airlines need to get together and charge fares that can make them a profit and quit this ridiculous nitpicking.

Posted By Marcia on August 3, 2009, 10:56 PM

I have exactly this problem going on right now. My husband and I leave on a flight from Orlando to Mexico this Saturday. In total we have 4 flights: Orlando to Miami, Miami to Cancun, Cancun to Miami, Miami to Orlando. Out of all 4 flights, we have one confirmed set of seats on the very last of the 4 flights. I keep looking on the American Airline website and they have all the seats on all the flights not bookable except for like 3 randomly scattered in the middle of the rows. I call AA and they tell me to check in early at the airport as they have at least 5 rows blocked on the planes for last minute checkins. I want to checkin online and would like our seats to be together as it is our 6th anniversary and it is a special vacation plus I travel alot for business so I am rarely on flights with anyone I know. I called both the airline and the travel company we booked thru and got the same answer: to checkin early. I have never dealt with this and can definitely see why people are sooo frustrated even my husband feels this is crazy. I will post in about 2 weeks to let everyone knows what happened.

Posted By Caroline on August 5, 2009, 7:56 AM

Had the same problems with Virgin from SFO to NYC. I was traveling with a toddler & husband was given no seat assignment. I kept checking and eventually they gave us seats (scattered)... how stupid can an airline be not giving seats together for a family. I called Virgin several times and was told just to wait till we got to the airport and request seats together.... heck no.. I called Virgin everyday until I got a nice woman on the phone that gave us three seats together next to the bathroom at the very back but at least we were together smelling the stink!!

Posted By Lisa on August 5, 2009, 1:30 PM

Well.. here is the update to my above post. Our first flight, we were assigned exit row seats together and our second flight from miami to cancun, we rec'd seats together as well. That flight however was CRAZY. They actually put us all on the plane, sat at the gate for 2 hours, told us they didn't have a pilot to fly the plane and then let us watch "hotel for dogs" while we waited for the pilot to show up. Our flight home from cancun to miami, we were assigned separate seats as were the rest of the families on that flight. There were so many people asking people to change seats, it was laughable. The final flight was fine as we were together. Reflecting back, I have no idea how American Airlines made this simple task so difficult..

Posted By Caroline on August 18, 2009, 7:19 PM

What Caroline describes happened to us at Washington-Dulles: quick boarding of the aircraft, 'to meet the allocated departure time-slot', only to deplane again because the pilots were delayed. We were told that this would take at least three hours, but an hour later we were invited back in because another pilot team had been assigned to this flight. Unfortuntaley this cause a number of people to miss the flight, since they did no report back in time

Since this is about the seating assigment -or lack thereof- we had the same problems with United during our intercontinental flights AMS-IAD and vice versa: no seat assignments until at the gate.

We were new at this, asked about clarification and we were told this policy applies to every passenger, wich is clearly not true. Maybe that's the most frustrating: to be treated like a child.

On the return flight we managed to avoid this by checking in in person 24 hours before the flight. A friendly ground staff employee gave us our seat assignments. So, apparently, they CAN do something if they want to. On the actual flight, however, we found that our seat assignments had been changed
without notification, and we probably would have found out only upon boarding. Since we decided on an upgrade to Economy Plus, this was however not a problem.

On the nickel-and-diming theme: we found out that this is not longer an appropriate term for what they do: at least not on United flights. You need a credit card and credit card only to purchase food or drinks, cash (as in nickels and dimes) is no longer accepted. Unless it is for duty-free shopping en route, since that is 'another company'. Crazy!

As United is so kind to remind us at the end of each flight "We realize you have a choice in airlines..." we will choose not to fly with them again, at least not for the intercontinental segment. This site is helpful to determine which other airlines should be avoided. Thanks for sharing!

Posted By Ron on September 4, 2009, 3:13 AM

This just happened to me. I'm trying to check in for a flight on AA online and was told that in order to check in, I needed seat assignments. I clicked the select seats button only to be shown a plane with no available seats and an error message stating that they are currently unable to assign seats for this flight. This means I can't check in online, and have to deal with getting my boarding pass at the airport.

Frankly, I'd rather fly Southwest everywhere. They don't assign seats, its first check in, first seat options, and honestly if I can check in online and print a boarding pass without worrying about seat selection, I'm okay with that.

Thanks for sharing.

Posted By Melanie on September 18, 2009, 8:46 AM

I travel between NYC and Denver several times a year and use Frontier Airlines.

The classic fare costs $20 more than economy and provides advance seat assignment, allows two baggages to be checked at no additional cost, and includes direct tv. A fair compromise.

The 33" seat pitch allows more legroom and their all Airbus fleet allows a little more seat width. While you still have to pay for food, their caterer is Udi's and for $9 you can have a nice 8oz fruit cup and decent sandwich on their longer flights.

Posted By Leon Hojegian on October 10, 2009, 3:17 PM