Q – We’ve been following traveltruth for the past two years and we love every bit of it – but there is one question I don’t think you’ve ever addressed. When is the best time to get awful assigned seats changed to something better? Whenever we call the airlines they say the seating is “closed”.
A – Airlines, bless their hearts, close their seating down when their computer software tells them that just about all of their sucker seats are gone. This means regular folks coach seating. But every airline holds some seats for their most preferred elite status flyers. So the trick is to try to get those seats when they are released. This is what the pros do:
Set the airline on speed dial and sit down with a watch that is accurate. At exactly 23 hours, 59 minutes and 59 seconds prior to your departure time, hit speed dial. Better yet, use two phones. Seats are released for general sale at precisely 24 hours prior to scheduled departure from the gate. By the way, this call will also serve to reconfirm your flight, not a bad idea when the airlines operate under rules that allow them to take your seats and offer them to an Elite Status flyer. Always ask for an e-mail confirmation of anything promised to you in airlines reservations. It turns out the ad about “The Friendly Skies” was, alas, just an ad, not a statement of policy and practice.
