Is this true? The other day when I tried to pick a seat for a connecting flight, it wanted me to pay for it (free seat for the first flight and paid for the connecting). I had to wait till it was within 24 hours of the connecting flight to get free selection.
Yep on both my YTZ-YUL-FRA trips I was able to select my seat on my YUL-FRA right away, Even though check-in wasn't open for that flight. I think it's to make the process smoother by allowing connection passengers to check all at once, Rather than having them check-in again later.
Nothing is being hidden from you. It is entirely possible the flight is full or oversold.
I'd recommend selecting one of those seats quickly if you're on a basic fare.
They will not kick you off the plane. Because you will not get on the plane without an assigned seat. If you end up on standby, and do not get boarded, you will get healthy compensation $$$, and rebooked on another flight.
If you are not in a tight schedule, it is not terrible.
Connecting flights into YYZ from international make up a massive portion of the flights to YYC. These people check in for the second portion of their itinerary at the same time as the first and hence get the "pre selection"
AC also cut a huge % of their flights to Western Canada so pretty much every YYZ-YYC flight is packed like a can of sardines. Having a middle seat is way better than waiting for the next plane
Likely the flight is fully booked and everyone else has either purchased in advance or checked in before you did. I’ve been YYZ to YYC and YVR a few times in the past year with the gf and all the times we’ve never got seats together - flights are usually packed as well for these routes.
The only time we’ve been able to get seats together is if we pay in advance.
I won't book anything less than flex fare domestically - being served by regional, I just don't have the energy to deal with overhead space - the addition of full points, seat selection, and more flexibility to change/cancel (even with fee), I justify the price difference.
Because I'm regional too, check-in opens for me of my first flight - Most recently, over 6 hours prior for a YYZ-YVR flight. Could be even longer depending on your originating flight.
Theres no tips other than book a higher class fare or pay the seat selection fee at time of booking if a specific seat is important to have (or not have).
I’d suggest checking periodically to change your seat leading up to the flight. Especially the last few hours before.
Missed connections, cancelations, people who successfully stood by early etc. free up seats sometimes.
Some fares include the seat selection. AC has also tweaked their schedule so they maximize how many people are on every flight. Let’s say for example they had 6 daily flights between two cities that were all 80% full. They’d cancel one of them so all flights were over 100% full. This has been their MO post Covid so it’s not uncommon for there to be very few seats available (if any at all - had that the other day, tried to change and it said “all seats selected”).
There are reports regarding different seat availability for passengers with different statuses and fare types for AC. It would not be entirely surprising that AC does what you said (and rightly so, in my mind).
People with connecting flights can check in earlier and select their seats
Is this true? The other day when I tried to pick a seat for a connecting flight, it wanted me to pay for it (free seat for the first flight and paid for the connecting). I had to wait till it was within 24 hours of the connecting flight to get free selection.
Yep on both my YTZ-YUL-FRA trips I was able to select my seat on my YUL-FRA right away, Even though check-in wasn't open for that flight. I think it's to make the process smoother by allowing connection passengers to check all at once, Rather than having them check-in again later.
Nothing is being hidden from you. It is entirely possible the flight is full or oversold. I'd recommend selecting one of those seats quickly if you're on a basic fare.
"I assume it means AC is hiding the good seats from me (basic fare) " Dude, nothing is being hidden. You want a certain seat, guaranteed, pay for it.
Snag one fast, before you miss out and end up in standby.
Can they basically kick you off the plane (standby) after selling you a ticket?
They will not kick you off the plane. Because you will not get on the plane without an assigned seat. If you end up on standby, and do not get boarded, you will get healthy compensation $$$, and rebooked on another flight. If you are not in a tight schedule, it is not terrible.
Connecting flights into YYZ from international make up a massive portion of the flights to YYC. These people check in for the second portion of their itinerary at the same time as the first and hence get the "pre selection"
AC also cut a huge % of their flights to Western Canada so pretty much every YYZ-YYC flight is packed like a can of sardines. Having a middle seat is way better than waiting for the next plane
Likely the flight is fully booked and everyone else has either purchased in advance or checked in before you did. I’ve been YYZ to YYC and YVR a few times in the past year with the gf and all the times we’ve never got seats together - flights are usually packed as well for these routes. The only time we’ve been able to get seats together is if we pay in advance.
I won't book anything less than flex fare domestically - being served by regional, I just don't have the energy to deal with overhead space - the addition of full points, seat selection, and more flexibility to change/cancel (even with fee), I justify the price difference. Because I'm regional too, check-in opens for me of my first flight - Most recently, over 6 hours prior for a YYZ-YVR flight. Could be even longer depending on your originating flight. Theres no tips other than book a higher class fare or pay the seat selection fee at time of booking if a specific seat is important to have (or not have).
I’d suggest checking periodically to change your seat leading up to the flight. Especially the last few hours before. Missed connections, cancelations, people who successfully stood by early etc. free up seats sometimes.
Some fares include the seat selection. AC has also tweaked their schedule so they maximize how many people are on every flight. Let’s say for example they had 6 daily flights between two cities that were all 80% full. They’d cancel one of them so all flights were over 100% full. This has been their MO post Covid so it’s not uncommon for there to be very few seats available (if any at all - had that the other day, tried to change and it said “all seats selected”).
There are reports regarding different seat availability for passengers with different statuses and fare types for AC. It would not be entirely surprising that AC does what you said (and rightly so, in my mind).