[cookieles1948]

We booked a code-share flight on Northwest and Air France from Grand Rapids to Paris. The flight is in September. I've been told by both airlines that we cannot request seat assignments in Economy until the day of departure. I've never had this experience before! Is this a new policy? We're worried that we'll get horrible seats or worse, bumped, from a long-anticipated trip.

[Jetliner]

If they won't assign seats then you won't have anymore chance of getting bumped than any other passenger. It's possible that Northwest may not be able to assign the seats from their system, however it seems rather odd that Air France doesn't assign seats. One suggestion is to talk to Delta as they are also a partner airline, and might be able to help.

[Grunko]

I guess this practice is not new. However, I have flown on International flights to Spain, Panama, Great Britain and Italy in this same period (2008 to 2012) and never encountered this practice.

The other part, in violation of Air France's own disclosure rules, is that this is never announced up-front. It took me two months of on-line attempts and calls to Air France reservations and Support to get an unequivocal answer.

At the very least, Kayak and the other travel sites should include the warning that at the stated fare, seat assignments will not made until one gets to the gate before the flight.

[The_Judge]

This thread is 4 1/2 years old.