Japan Airlines Seating

[lindat44]

We are booked on Japan Airlines Syd to Tokyo Premium Economy. We are 2 couples when we went to choose seats there are only single seats left (obviously middle seats) scattered throughout the cabin. I have phoned Japan Airlines only to be told people who have booked earlier than us have selected the other seats and we can request at check in to be seated together (we're happy for couples together seating, not all 4 of us). Has anyone else had this happen and what are the chances of us being seated together? I don't fancy a 10 hour overnight flight squashed in the middle of 2 strangers. Any advice appreciated on how to resolve this.

 

[Himeno]

Japan Airlines Syd to Tokyo Premium Economy.
a 10 hour overnight flight

Are you sure it is JL772 SYD-NRT? That isn't a night flight.
JL772 (SYD-NRT) and JL773 (NRT-MEL) are day flights. JL771 (NRT-SYD) and JL774 (MEL-NRT) are night flights.

If you post the travel date (and confirm the flight number), someone can look up the seat map on expert flyer and see what is currently available/selected/blocked.

 

[lindat44]

Are you sure it is JL772 SYD-NRT? That isn't a night flight.
JL772 (SYD-NRT) and JL773 (NRT-MEL) are day flights. JL771 (NRT-SYD) and JL774 (MEL-NRT) are night flights.

If you post the travel date (and confirm the flight number), someone can look up the seat map on expert flyer and see what is currently available/selected/blocked.

Hi, It's actually both ways that we are separated. Sept 26 JL 772 and Sep 30 JL771 The night flight is on the way back

 

[Lucky_man]

In PE and with the offer of couple seating you would not get squashed between other people. That would require 4 seats across.
Airlines will generally go to some trouble to get families together when young kids are involved otherwise care factor varies greatly.
In the 787 in PE you can't get a group of 4 in a row without an isle in the middle and at least one 'stranger' on the end.
For JL772 Expert Flyer for me shows Row 18 empty and 19 D to G empty and 19 H K blocked rather than taken. What is available to me may be different to what is available to you though. There are not many more PE seats on sale for this flight so likely close to full.
For JL771 - the seatmap is chockers with a few singles left over.
When I have a group of 4 and have old or young people to look after I take 2 pairs of seats - 1 pair behind the other (Preferably on the side of the plane rather than the middle).

 

[Himeno]

Hi, It's actually both ways that we are separated. Sept 26 JL 772 and Sep 30 JL771 The night flight is on the way back

I've got JL774 on Sat night and JL771 on the 23rd.
I almost always travel alone, so don't really know what to pick for larger groups.
The JL SYD flights seem quite full. I had a flight in PE on JL for JFK-NRT last October. Only 6 people in the cabin.

 

[lindat44]

In PE and with the offer of couple seating you would not get squashed between other people. That would require 4 seats across.
Airlines will generally go to some trouble to get families together when young kids are involved otherwise care factor varies greatly.
In the 787 in PE you can't get a group of 4 in a row without an isle in the middle and at least one 'stranger' on the end.
For JL772 Expert Flyer for me shows Row 18 empty and 19 D to G empty and 19 H K blocked rather than taken. What is available to me may be different to what is available to you though. There are not many more PE seats on sale for this flight so likely close to full.
For JL771 - the seatmap is chockers with a few singles left over.
When I have a group of 4 and have old or young people to look after I take 2 pairs of seats - 1 pair behind the other (Preferably on the side of the plane rather than the middle).

Hi Lucky_man, I've spoken to Japan Airlines and told them we are happy to do 2 x 2 seats, it's frustrating that they let people choose the seating which leaves random seats. When speaking to them on the phone they say they can only put a request in and we have to request upon check in. I guess I have to cross my fingers and hope they shuffle people around on the day.

 

[Lucky_man]

I am not sure how effective JAL seat allocation is. But from an overall perspective, airlines don't normally shuffle people who have allocated seats without good reason. Imagine if you had secured the seats you wanted and then when you check in/ board you are moved (it happens - for lap infant access to Oxygen Mask etc). However seats do become available - no shows and upgrades and booking changes - this all happens in the hours leading up to the flight though - not the days.
If the 4 seats are all on the one booking this will help greatly.
As to the filling of seats - the closer you are towards the front of the plane the more solo flyers. So the isles seats fill first with a percentage of Window seats (that are not isle as well) also go to the people who prefer these and then the poor latecomers with no preferential status get the middle seats which are almost universally despised.
Hope it goes well. And if you do end up getting split up, take it as a chance to meet some one new - most people are at least remotely interesting if you only spend a few hours with them.
I will be flying JAL for the first time next May. Happy travels.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Hi Lucky_man, I've spoken to Japan Airlines and told them we are happy to do 2 x 2 seats, it's frustrating that they let people choose the seating which leaves random seats. When speaking to them on the phone they say they can only put a request in and we have to request upon check in. I guess I have to cross my fingers and hope they shuffle people around on the day.

There may be some seats blocked for bassinet or disabled flyers. These are often single seats and will open up on the day, potentially then freeing up a double seat unit. However, it is still possible you will not be able to sit together as 2 x couples. Solo flyers may have selected those individual seats as windows or aisles (no one wants the middle), and cannot be expected to move to middle seats to accommodate other pax.

 

[ermen]

it's frustrating that they let people choose the seating which leaves random seats.

Welcome to AFF.

Understand your frustration and potential disappointment - the comment I have though, is why should others, who have organised themselves earlier / have status etc be expected to move to accommodate your group? I mean it is nice to be able to sit together, but, a seat is a seat, and unless there is some pressing safety issue (e.g. bassinet seat / child beside an adult), it is unreasonable to move others who have pre-selected a good seat (and undoubtedly they did so because they valued that seat) just to accommodate your wishes.

And from the sounds of it, for your couples to be sat together, somebody has to be bumped from an aisle into a middle seat (is that fair?)

I'm sure it would be a different conversation if they moved you (say) to a inferior seat to accommodate someone else.

 

[lindat44]

Update: For the Syd-Tokyo flight we were given 2 x 2 seats behind each other, this was already sorted before we arrived. The flight home we were issued at check in 2 seats together and 2 separate and were told they would try to give us "together seats" before or at the gate. Whilst in the lounge they reissued our boarding passes so we were 2 x 2. I was impressed with their service at check in and during the flight and would fly with them again. Their premium economy was definitely worth the price. Thanks to all who replied to my original post.