Let's say a family of 4 is flying Delta on a 3+3 plane with exact Main cabin seating already purchased and selected.

I understand the airline can reassign seating for a number of reasons, including balancing the plane.

What I am curious about is who gets bumped off the flight when seats are no longer eligible or seating is reduced? My guess is economy tickets that did not have a specific seat are the first to go?

As another example, if 3 of the family members are sitting in 3 seats together but then the middle seat is no longer available, what usually happens?

If you book together they know you are traveling together and they may leave them together. Families booking together likely are fine sitting next to each other and the airline may just leave them.

Separate booking might trigger the system differently them bookings together.

Depends when you book. If you book early, the chances of getting seats together are greater.

After seats are assigned, the airline can move seating for weight and balance purposes, but that generally only applies to cases in which a disproportionate number are forward or aft. That seldom happens.

If you seek a seat reassignment, it will usually depend on whether others are willing to give up their seat. If seats have been assigned, especially seats for which others have paid or arranged in advance, then the airline will not switch seats without checking with the involved parties.

While SWA is the lone wolf when it comes to first-come seating and doesn't do seat assignments, for most airlines, the seating assignments will also be used in the event of a mishap to help piece together whomever or whatever is left. Moving seats hampers that effort considerably.

If you book a family of four and book late, you're unlikely to bump other passengers who booked earlier.

Before an airline bumps passengers for overbooking, the airline will offer up vouchers in exchange for moving to a different flight.

I've twice had pre-booked seats on Delta re-assigned. When I complained that in one case, they had split my wife and I up so instead of having a window and aisle we now had two aisle seats with a stranger between us, their reply was 'ask the person between you to switch'. The other time had my wife, daughter, and I - instead of sitting together - sitting in three different rows and different parts of the cabin. In both cases we booked months in advance. Both aircraft were 2-3-2 seating.

Whatever criteria they use, they don't GaS who it inconveniences.

In my example, the seats were booked very early. The issue is Delta has removed middle seat availability. Hopefully families can still sit together utilizing all 3 seats as originally planned as suggested above.

quote:

Originally posted by Oz_Shadow:
In my example, the seats were booked very early. The issue is Delta has removed middle seat availability. Hopefully families can still sit together utilizing all 3 seats as originally planned as suggested above.

You can. If you call them or speak with a gate agent at the time of travel, they will likely accommodate families to keep them together.

quote:

Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:

quote:

Originally posted by Oz_Shadow:
In my example, the seats were booked very early. The issue is Delta has removed middle seat availability. Hopefully families can still sit together utilizing all 3 seats as originally planned as suggested above.

You can. If you call them or speak with a gate agent at the time of travel, they will likely accommodate families to keep them together.

Like hell they will. I called Delta before the flight(s), I spoke to the reservation clerk, I spoke to the gate agent, I spoke to the cabin purser - on both occasions. In neither case did they make any attempt to honor our original seat allocations.

I even went up the chain on our return home and did not get so much as an acknowledgement or an apology.

quote:

Originally posted by Pyker:

Like hell they will. I called Delta before the flight(s), I spoke to the reservation clerk, I spoke to the gate agent, I spoke to the cabin purser - on both occasions. In neither case did they make any attempt to honor our original seat allocations.

I even went up the chain on our return home and did not get so much as an acknowledgement or an apology.

I wasn't referring to your situation. I was saying that currently middle seat assignments are blocked (speaking in regards to Delta only), but families will still be able to utilize those middle seats if you explain that you're together

Are airlines still operating over there?

0-0

Yes they are. But barely.

Airlines may or may not block middle seats, and they may or may not open them.

I flew to Chicago recently, and had someone sitting next to me, when I was in an aisle seat. On a flight from Anchorage a couple of days ago, and again From Seattle, some middle seats were occupied, some weren't.

I'm seeing more people flying now than I did two weeks ago, and two weeks ago, nearly every person on the passenger deck was a crewmember going to or from work. Even yesterday, crew still make up the majority of the passengers, but there are still a lot of seats open.

I offered my seat to a family to allow them to sit together, and they declined. A family of three sat directly behind me, occupying 3 seats.