V-Flyer

Finally moved to register and put a first post up. I've been a VA flying clubber since 08 and gold for a while generally collecting 3-4k tier a year on the US/UK. I fly others as well depending on route, timing and need so some AA, Emirates and Singapore too, but the typical feature is that they're always booked bit more than ten days in advance.

Recently I've taken a few non US flights on VA and it seems that on each occasion after doing the seat selection by the time I get to the airport which could be the next week or same day I invariably get bumped.

Cust relations position is it happens / tough. Obviously not the ideal response (or expected one) but I'm curious as to thoughts on other people's experiences of the unexpected or asked for seat move and if there are any more tangible reasons than the CRs saying it happens.

Thanks

Welcome to V-Flyer!

The official line is seat requests are never guaranteed and you can always be moved for operational reasons. In other words - it happens, tough.

Why? Any number of reasons. Aircraft changes, broken seats, priority for disabled pax/infants/VIPs/crew rest/the captain’s family etc etc.

Do you have any redress? In a word, no. It happens on every airline in every cabin. I was seat shifted at the gate on my first and only flight in Emirates First. It’s annoying but you just have to suck it up as one of the joys of air travel.

Thanks, it's not so much the redress but more something more solid from customer relations as to the why. 6/8 seats moved feels like it not particularly random, or one of those things and the tough line has worn thin and so was wondering what other people's experiences were.

I just noticed to that in my original post "not" came out as "bit" from my phone. It would be a minor miracle if I ever booked more than ten days in advance, typically it's more like five or six days and ,apart from one PE booking, in UC.

Everything gumshoe has said is obviously true, but I still find your experience strange. I have only once been moved from my selected seat in UC. That was within 24 hours of the flight and because the seat I had chosen was broken (indeed it was broken and labelled as such when I got onboard).

It's all guess work, you'll never find out why, but do you have an example seat move? Is it possible you're being moved to what is perceived a 'better' seat, like maybe an A seat on the 789? 3-4k tier points a year and booking pretty last minute (which would mean you're buying I fares at a minimum) would make you a valuable customer I suspect, so are they trying to do you a favour?

Well you might think they would put a value on that but nope never an improvement.
In fact the exact opposite of your example. I always go for As and last time had the gift of 11K, with a full bar on a night flight from Hong Kong.
I have to admit it didn't register at check in as once again was in a hurry and was more concerned about getting my golf clubs to oversized, so on this occasion I had my you've got to be kidding me moment at the door. The crew as ever were very good about it, possibly too good as they went as far as offering to ask the person in the seat to move, and in the interests of karma and embarrassment all round declined and we agreed that customer relations was the way forward.
So the resounding whatever from them in answer to the why does this keep happening and the original ask on here if anyone has had similar experiences of being consistently moved.