Sign up for our daily newsletterEmail addressSign upI would like to subscribe to The Points Guy newsletters and special email promotions. The Points Guy will not share or sell your email. See privacy policy.A tweet from American Airlines on Tuesday morning sent its nearly two million Twitter followers into a frenzy when the airline (accidentally) offered free seats to passengers. The tweet, which was deleted an hour after it was posted, read, “You never have to pay for a seat. Our team will help you with free seats if you arrive at the airport without.“While some customers might have been throwing clothes in a bag and hauling it to the nearest airport, others on Twitter seemed skeptical of the more-than-generous offer from American. One follower tweeted his apprehension: “Job available: Twitter manager for a national airline. (Our previous manager fired for tweeting drunken nonsense).“While the tweet had many reactions, the airline clarified that it was simply a response to one of its followers who had a question about seat assignments. The reply “inadvertently left off the Twitter handle of the person who had asked the original question,” a representative for American told Travel + Leisure.“However, the tweet is true,” the representative added. “Customers are not required to purchase an advanced seat assignment,” in reference to main cabin fares. “Customers may select a free seat, or pay for a preferred or main cabin extra seat. If a free seat is not available, a seat will either be automatically provided at check-in or at the airport.“It should be noted that American Airlines does offer free seat assignments for passengers who make reservations with select fares; passengers who book in the basic economy cabin must pay extra for seat assignments, however. Basic economy passengers are assigned a seat when they check-in.
