Seating assignments on KLM /Northwest

We flew NW/KLM to A'Dam. I don't recall how far in advance to chose the seats. If I were you I would try calling very often and if you still do not get through to a live person....then try at 30 hours and prepare to stay online until you do get your seats.

Try to find out if the 30 hours is set at EST or PST.

I knew exactly which seats were open and did get the 2 seats we wanted.

Best of luck....seating is very important.

Thanks, I have been trying to call KLM but eventually get a message that lines are full and try online. I am going to keep trying.
Jean

At the time you booked you were probably offered the opportunity to choose your seats, but it's easy enough to miss that offer. Orbitz probably sent you a confirmation email that gives you instructions on how to access your itinerary. Once accessed, you might be able to choose/change seat assignments.

I booked on KLM through Expedia and selected my seats at the time of booking. I just checked the confirmation email they sent me, and if I wanted I could try to change my seat assignments. I'm guessing Orbitz has a similar setup.

I booked directly with NW for a flight from MSP to Amsterdam this October. I couldn't choose my seat on the flight over because I was told it was too early. However, I could book my seat on the flight back from Rome. Strange. I just went on the NW site this morning and chose 2 seats for the outbound flight.

I have an update-Besides trying websites I had tired to talk to someone at both NW and KLM but could never get a real person and eventually got disconnected-lines full. Just a few minutes ago I went to GetHuman.com -its a website I heard mentioned on Clark Howard. It gives you phone numbers for various companies that get you directly to a real-live person. They had no number for KLM but did have one for NW Airlines-a real person answered and got me seats-unfortunately not good seats but at least my husband and I are together and I may still see if I can improve on them at check in.
Its just sad that it was this hard to get something that I thought I had taken care of.
Good Luck to you!

Keep trying ..

I made reservation on Orbitz with KLM/NW last year for a spring flight. I was able to select seats 90 days out, but that was explained in e-mails, I think. Or taking the 6-digit ID and logging in at NW's web site to do it and reading I had to wait to the 90-day out date.

The real scary thing was getting to the NW counter on departure day and told I did not have a ticket. Orbitz had changed something halfway through the time from purchase to departure. Fortunately I was able to say that NW had called me to confirm the flight and then the agent did a little more digging and found a changed reservation that did have a ticket number with it.

Sorry, but I will never purchase from Orbitz again, only direct with airlines.

And make sure you have Orbitz's phone number with you when you go to the airport. Until the airline gets you checked in, you will likely be told to call Orbitz with any problem. Once checked in, only then you are the airline's "problem."

I had dutifully printed out the message from Orbitz that said, "print this out and take with you," but it does not have a phone number on it. I am so thankful for the agent taking the time to investigate a couple minutes more and whoever she got on the line found the right ticket number.

Do what Betsey recommended - find the 6 character 'Record Locator' for your flight - it should be in your email confirmation. Then go to NWA.com and click on My Reservations. You should then be able to get seat assignments.

I appreciate all the help but I have done all these things and including using the 6 digit locator on KLM website-it lets you get to end but doesn't confirm seat. After a little more goggle research it seems this is an on going problem with KLM and Northwest since they switched program for seating assignments and can't see what the other does so won't do anything-something like that. I am not giving up trying but very frustrated and as Betsy said will next time book directly form airline. I will take an Orbitz number with me.