So on the return leg, I finally was able to get a seat assignment online (in the middle of the night), naturally not sitting anywhere near my wife.
On the day of my return flight to JFK from SEA, we arrived at the airport early so I can try to get seats together. SEA was very crowded unlike the days I used to live there over 10 years ago. At a DL kiosk I was surprised to see so many available seats for seat change. In a hurry, I got 19D and E, right behind the emergency exit. Later I realized that 18E was avail, but not 18D. Oh well, we head for the security lines thinking I might be able to ask for it at the gate.
At the gate, there was a line of 6-7 people already. The gate agent came out behind the desk and started asking questions, like pre screening. I was surprised that everyone got a big NO from her:
-No Crown Room
-No First Class seats avail.
-No Wi-Fi here
When it was my turn, I mentioned that I am happy with 19D and E but would like to know if 18D becomes avail. I would like to get 18E,D (exit row).
Her reply: "I am sorry but I am overbooked on this flight, no seats left"
I was: "I can tell you that I just moved our seats at the kiosk at check in and there were many avail seats."
She is like: "No way". Giving me the look "Don't tell me how to do my job."
And I gave her the look: "Exactly that is what I want to do", but smiled and said nothing.
She brushed me away, and went on to the next person, etc....
Very unprofessional behavior, but we are all used to this by now from airlines.
And guess what, when the doors closed I heard the pax numbers:
"26J, 142Y, and 1 in the cockpit (jump-seat)" out of 26J, 158Y seats on the plane.
19F ended up being empty, so we got the whole row to ourselves.
Why would she say that the flight was overbooked, I don't get it. She was in a "No" mood and didn't want to deal with me maybe. I know most of the people lining up there want a seat change, upgrade but isn't that part of her job, everyday?
On a side note, this was the first time in over 20 years flying in the US, I saw a person standing up, walking to the front of the plane and talking to business associate (for less than a min. mind you) and returning back to her seat, and not being yelled at, during push back.
Panamair From United States, joined Oct 2001, 2894 posts, RR: 15 Reply 1, posted (1 month 2 weeks 2 hours ago) and read 4692 times:
Quoting TK787 (Thread starter): 19F ended up being empty, so we got the whole row to ourselves.
Why would she say that the flight was overbooked, I don't get it.
It could be that it was really overbooked but there were no-shows at departure time.
FlyCMH From United States, joined Jul 1999, 2147 posts, RR: 11 Reply 2, posted (1 month 2 weeks 2 hours ago) and read 4676 times:
Quoting TK787 (Thread starter): Why would she say that the flight was overbooked, I don't get it.
The flight indeed may have been overbooked. There are many instances in which a flight is overbooked but in fact leaves the gate with empty seats. The reasons are many, such as double-bookings, late check-ins, no-shows, security holdups, or late inbound connections on other flights/airlines. Either way, the gate agent or agents will usually treat the flight as oversold, since many times in an oversold situation, it's not known whether they will or will not need to take denied boarding until close to departure time.
Quoting TK787 (Thread starter): I was: "I can tell you that I just moved our seats at the kiosk at check in and there were many avail seats."
Again, even though the kiosk or computer shows seats available, that doesn't necessarily mean the flight isn't overbooked. It's surprising, even nowadays with so many ways to do it, but a lot of people still show up at the ticket counter with a confirmed reservation, but no seat assignment. The ticket counter should be assigning seats at the point of check in, but sometimes the kiosk will issue a boarding card without a seat assignment and instruct the customer to inquire at the gate, making an oversold situation a bit more challenging for the gate agent.
Quoting TK787 (Thread starter): On a side note, this was the first time in over 20 years flying in the US, I saw a person standing up, walking to the front of the plane and talking to business associate (for less than a min. mind you) and returning back to her seat, and not being yelled at, during push back.
Well now that one I can't explain. Were the F/A's still doing their demo, or had they just finished? The only thing I can think of is that they were preping the galley a completing their own safety checks and happened to miss the pax getting up out of his seat.
Brakes released, steering in-op, you are clear to push.
Goldenshield From United States, joined Jan 2001, 3193 posts, RR: 7 Reply 3, posted (1 month 2 weeks 2 hours ago) and read 4616 times:
Quoting TK787 (Thread starter): 19F ended up being empty, so we got the whole row to ourselves.
Why would she say that the flight was overbooked, I don't get it.
Even in oversold situations, there are times when non-revs can find plenty of seats onboard.
I've personally been on flights where the flight was oversold by 30, but ended up leaving half full.
"I heard that there are rumors on the internets" -- G. W. Bush at the second 2004 debate
Brons2 From United States, joined Sep 2001, 2342 posts, RR: 3 Reply 4, posted (1 month 2 weeks 2 hours ago) and read 4536 times:
Quoting Goldenshield (Reply 3): I've personally been on flights where the flight was oversold by 30, but ended up leaving half full.
Wow, I bet UA appreciates me canceling my SJC-AUS flight on July 8th then
Rather than just not showing up that is. UA gets to keep all the money anyways, as the change fee is higher than the ticket cost . I could not make my trip to the left coast due to health issues and the doctor not clearing me for airplane travel.
But this way I figured they could at least rebook the seat in a tough environment, maybe every $150 helps...
Firings, if well done, are good for employee morale.
TK787 From United States, joined Jan 2006, 1560 posts, RR: 2 Reply 5, posted (1 month 2 weeks 2 hours ago) and read 4515 times:
Thanks for the replies. As you can imagine it is really confusing to me when I can move seats around at a kiosk, but hear from an employee that the flight is overbooked. But now I understand.
Quoting FlyCMH (Reply 2): Well now that one I can't explain. Were the F/A's still doing their demo, or had they just finished? The only thing I can think of is that they were preping the galley a completing their own safety checks and happened to miss the pax getting up out of his seat.
They were finished with the demo, and I think they missed it since they were prepping the carts. I guess not a big deal, but like I said never seen it before in the US.
Also during landing at JFK, we were down to 3000 feet or so, when the FA up front helped a 2-4 year old kid to use the bathroom. She waited at the door till he was done, and rushed him back to his seat.
Ikramerica From United States, joined May 2005, 15038 posts, RR: 45 Reply 6, posted (1 month 2 weeks 1 hour ago) and read 4448 times:
Quoting FlyCMH (Reply 2): The ticket counter should be assigning seats at the point of check in, but sometimes the kiosk will issue a boarding card without a seat assignment and instruct the customer to inquire at the gate, making an oversold situation a bit more challenging for the gate agent.
In my experience this happens within 30 minutes, where control of the plane is handed off to the gate. If you don't have an assigned seat before then, you won't get one until you reach the gate, and sometimes even if you had an assigned seat, your seat mysteriously gets taen away.
Quoting Goldenshield (Reply 3): I've personally been on flights where the flight was oversold by 30, but ended up leaving half full.
Was there bad weather or something. This is unusual.
Of all the things to worry about... the Wookie has no pants.
Goldenshield From United States, joined Jan 2001, 3193 posts, RR: 7 Reply 8, posted (1 month 2 weeks 1 hour ago) and read 4362 times:
Quoting Ikramerica (Reply 6): Was there bad weather or something. This is unusual.
It was an originating flight going to Vegas. Most likely, people booked the flight that day wanting to go to Vegas, but ended up not going. A lot of Vegas flights tend to have that problem.
"I heard that there are rumors on the internets" -- G. W. Bush at the second 2004 debate
Eghansen From United States, joined Nov 2007, 619 posts, RR: 0 Reply 10, posted (1 month 2 weeks ago) and read 3850 times:
Quoting TK787 (Thread starter): I got 19D and E, right behind the emergency exit. Later I realized that 18E was avail, but not 18D. Oh well, we head for the security lines thinking I might be able to ask for it at the gate.
Sorry, but I just don't get it. I have been traveling for decades and never have any problems with airline employees. They always seem wonderful to me on all the airlines I fly.
Maybe it is because if I am flying from SEA to JFK and have obtained two seats together, I would just go and sit down in the waiting area and take my two seats. I would suspect that this is what 90% of the passengers would do. I would not even think of bothering the gate agents to switch my seats to ones that do not show available in the seat map so that I can have the extra two millimeters of legroom that is available in an exit row.
In addition, if I really want the exit row and am sitting in the row behind, I usually just wait until the door is closed and move to my preferred seat. This is so much easier for the gate employees all around as it does not bother them at all.
I never have problems with airline employees because I don't think that I am all that important in the world and am usually happy with what is available the first time and don't need anything special.
Dispatchguy From United States, joined Jan 2006, 544 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (1 month 2 weeks ago) and read 3704 times:
Quoting TK787 (Reply 5): Also during landing at JFK, we were down to 3000 feet or so, when the FA up front helped a 2-4 year old kid to use the bathroom. She waited at the door till he was done, and rushed him back to his seat.
Well, especially for a kid, its better do to the blue room rush than having to change a seat cushion
TK787 From United States, joined Jan 2006, 1560 posts, RR: 2 Reply 12, posted (1 month 1 week 6 days 23 hours ago) and read 3665 times:
Quoting Eghansen (Reply 10): Sorry, but I just don't get it. I have been traveling for decades and never have any problems with airline employees. They always seem wonderful to me on all the airlines I fly.
Lucky you. May you have many more years of happy travels.
By the way, I am sorry but this got moved to Trip Reports. I had no intentions for a Trip Report, so no photos or any other flight details.
VikingA346 From United States, joined Oct 2006, 302 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (1 month 1 week 6 days 22 hours ago) and read 3505 times:
I wouldn't be surprised if the flight was not oversold - I have had this happen to me at least a dozen times.
I often non-rev on these crappy US carriers, especially US, and it seems that even when the flight isn't anywhere near sold out, the agents tell me its overbooked. In fact, one time i called the Useless airways staff listing number and asked how many seats were available, after being told the flight was oversold by the ticket agent. "There are 34 seats available, 8 on standby". Ok well, this was 2 hours before departure.... Somebody obviously isn't telling the truth.
I don't know what the reason is for saying this but it happens to me a lot and now I don't even bother asking the flight loads on checkin because it really doesn't mean jack squat... Just as said previously, you can get onloaded as a nonrev even if a flight is way oversold..
and once you have tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been and ther
JER757 From United Kingdom, joined Jun 2006, 104 posts, RR: 0 Reply 15, posted (1 month 1 week 6 days 17 hours ago) and read 3002 times:
Quoting Eghansen (Reply 10): In addition, if I really want the exit row and am sitting in the row behind, I usually just wait until the door is closed and move to my preferred seat. This is so much easier for the gate employees all around as it does not bother them at all.
Good man, it is indeed the easiest way all round. Changing seat assignments at the gate has a tendency to lead to chaos inside the cabin, even if we (ground staff) think we've got everything sorted out, so its best left alone. But if the seats you want are free once you're on board, go for it.
Plus requests to change seats just gives more hassle to the (usually understaffed) ground crew and means they're less likely to make the turnaround, leading to stress!
LCCs with no seat assignments are a dream from the ground staff's perspective - send the families/preboards on first, Group A, B, C. Done. If you're sat together and got the exit, congratulations, if you're sat apart in middle seats because you were 188th and 189th to check in on a Y189 a/c... tough, better luck next time!
AA767LOVER From Guatemala, joined Aug 2007, 395 posts, RR: 0 Reply 16, posted (1 month 1 week 16 hours ago) and read 1893 times:
My buddy told me about his experience with UA, flying from HKG-SFO-IAH, and he missed a connection. When he went to the counter, the lady told him to Go Away. He slammed the desk and left. Good stuff! I'm proud of him.
J.I. Tsui, American Advantage Member, CO OnePass Silver Elite
44k From United States, joined Aug 2007, 224 posts, RR: 0 Reply 18, posted (1 month 4 days 21 hours ago) and read 1215 times:
Quoting AA767LOVER (Reply 16): he missed a connection. When he went to the counter, the lady told him to Go Away. He slammed the desk and left. Good stuff! I'm proud of him.
How can you be proud of such immature, uncivilized and un-gentleman like behavior?!
I can assure you that no CSR, not even the rudest one in the world would tell anyone "go away". I'm sure it was more like: "you need to go to location A or B for re-booking assistance".
Quoting Sleeperseat (Reply 17): Furthermore, i would set up a letter and send it to the customer service to let them know about the rude behaviour of one of their employees.
Excuse me, why was the behavior of the DL GA so rude??! I've read the OP and I can't find anywhere where the DL GA was so rude that you would need to call for a supervisor or write a complaint letter? Did I miss it? If so, point it out to me please!
Sponsor Message: 
From United States, joined Jan 2006, 1560 posts, 
. I could not make my trip to the left coast due to health issues and the doctor not clearing me for airplane travel.
From Netherlands, joined May 2008, 267 posts, 
From United Kingdom, joined Jun 2006, 104 posts, 
From Guatemala, joined Aug 2007, 395 posts, 
From Germany, joined Apr 2008, 83 posts,