OLCI - a "13 hour rule" - is this new?

[preiffer]

Random, and maybe I have just missed it for years (granted, I've not read the screen properly for ___ years now!) but I just noticed this text at the top of the seat map when I clicked it after confirming OLCI:

Select a seat for the highlighted passenger by clicking available seats on the map below, or type an available seat number into the box next to the passenger name. Finish by clicking 'submit'. Please note some seats are held for assignment at check in.

To honour this request, Online Check In needs to be completed no later than 13 hours before your flight departs. Whilst we will always try our best to meet your requirements, please note that seat numbers are never guaranteed and are subject to operational changes.

Does this explain some of the annoyed people on FB who have selected their seats only to find them changed when they got to the airport? Why on earth it's 13 hours is beyond me though.... What's the point in "finally" selecting your seat when the aircraft is known if they will unlikely honour anything made within over half of the OLCI time window?!?

its not new, the 13 hour check in before they release your seats is just flights from Heathrow, other airports its 2 hours

[preiffer]

Hmmm - this is HKG *to* LHR...

It's been around for a while. At least I've noticed the 13-hr rule since I started OLCI about 3 years ago.

Also, you really aren't guaranteed your seats even after checking in. I remember last year when I was travelling with my mum, I got the beep at the gate and thought oh no they're upgrading only me. I needn't have worried, they just moved me to a different seat without explanation (even though I asked for one).

[Neil]

I always thought it was just for Y/PE pax, thought UC pax were excluded from this rule, so has that changed or have I just misunderstood previously.

I always thought it was just for Y/PE pax, thought UC pax were excluded from this rule, so has that changed or have I just misunderstood previously.

Unsure if the rule applies to UC pax / LHR only... I have travelled home from JFK to LHR & done OLCI at T-24 - my seat was as originally requested (in Upper). Some friends did OLCI at about T-5 (before leaving the hotel for JFK) and they had lost their requested seats. The concierge in the JFK Clubhouse managed to get them snooze zone seats (which is what they wanted).

I always thought it was just for Y/PE pax, thought UC pax were excluded from this rule, so has that changed or have I just misunderstood previously.

The webpage has been the same for a couple of years and does not state anything about class of travel it just quotes 2 hour or 13 from LHR.

-Steve

I've always believed the 13 hr rule also applied to UC.

UC has been included in the rule for about 2 years now I think

I am pretty sure it applies to UC. There was a recent thread on flyertalk where someone had fallen foul of it and been moved, much to his chagrin.

[preiffer]

Well, the wording was displayed at my UC check-in confirmation, so I'd say it's a safe bet that it applies...

Yes it used to say it excluded UC from the rule.