How i ended up getting around crazy wait times for seat assignments with airlines

[jacketwatch]

These days you can be on hold for inordinate amounts of time with airlines. We booked a flight early next year through the UA website with legs on Air China and Air Canada so seats for these cant be assigned through United. I was on hold twice with Air Canada each time literally nearly an hour but finally got through. Air China was another crazy hold time too. I was on hold three separate occasions for 40 minutes before I gave up. Then I thought to look at contact numbers per the Air China website and it showed  several offices in the US. I called the one in Honolulu and spoke to a live person after 4 rings. This is promising I thought. Next thing you know BINGO!  Got the seats. So if there is a clogged artery try going around it.   Maybe I learned a trick or two during my 24 years of taking care of patients post coronary bypass surgery. ?

BTW my emails to Air China unanswered for 4 days. ?

[Jan115]

Larry,  couldn’t  you have gotten the Airline Ref. numbers from both Air Canada and Air China and gone on line for both and picked your seats?  Usually works that way for me.

[jacketwatch]

If there is a next time I will try that. 

Navigating the Air China website is difficult to say the least.

 

I hope if there is any reason to call them I can get through.

[jacketwatch]

I tried seat selection online per AC as you suggested.  So the seats are indeed assigned but it says modifications can't be made online. I am not sure what that means but thee is no where I can see to change the seat selection, not that I want to anyway. 

[Jan115]

Code sharing and multiple airlines complicate everything, don’t they. ? Not sure why seat assignments can’t me modified directly with the airline, but maybe it’s due to the type of ticket or just seat assignment policies with AC.

[jacketwatch]

I know right. Too complicated. 

[jacketwatch]

I recently booked biz saver award tickets ORD-DEL for two. I noticed that I could only get one seat on some some carriers, LOT and ANA for example but two seats were not available. Does this mean there is only one per member or just one period?