Do airlines show different seats to different customers during online check-in?
I was flying with a group of friends on Emirates and I decided to check in online the exact moment the online check-in is enabled on the website.
To my surprise I found about 10 seats only available to choose from with the rest of the seats marked as already booked. This was an Airbus A380-800 plane with an insane number of seats on board
The weird thing is my friends were shown different seats when they tried to check in, but they were also shown a limited number of seats.
Questions
- Do airlines show different seats to different passengers?
- Do airlines limit the number of seats shown to passengers during check-in?
Best Answer
It depends on the airline, but yes, they typically show only a certain selection. Depending on your frequent flyer status, you might see more forward seats, aisle seats, or window seats, whereas if you are a 'nobody' for them, you get mostly middle seats and seats towards the back offered.
The selection changes slowly over the hours, as the plane fills up. You can of course game that, and there is an optimal moment, where they potentially have to show some forward aisle seats (when all others are taken, and no more high-status members are awaited), but it's easy to miss and then you get a middle seat in the back.
You can also call them, and they will typically accomodate the wish to have several people sit together, but again you have little choice on the location then.your best chance might be 'everybody try to grab an aisle seat in the forward part', and then in the plane go and offer switches (as you will have preferred locations to offer, people will switch)
Pictures about "Do airlines show different seats to different customers during online check-in?"
Can you choose seats when checking in online?
Choosing your seatThe only way for you to select your seat yourself rather than having it randomly assigned to you is to check-in online.Do airlines assign seats together?
Many airlines allow consumers to reserve seats next to each other without paying an additional fee. To best ensure that your family sits together, make sure the ticket that you are purchasing allows you to reserve specific seats on your flight.Do airlines show all available seats?
Depending on your airline, you're almost certainly able to get a peak at the seat map during the check-in process, which starts 24 hours before departure. This usually comes with the chance to select or purchase seats, and as such will show you how many open seats are available the day before your flight.Will I get my seat number when I check-in?
Your seat number will be shown on the boarding pass upon completion of check-in. Tips: Web check-in and Mobile check-in available 14 days prior to your flight departure up to 1 hour prior to STD (scheduled time of departure).How to check in and choose a seat online with turkish airlines 2019
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Tim Douglas, Tim Douglas, Anna Shvets, George Milton