Changes to Seat Selection Fees

[Princess Fiona]

QF are dropping the $25 charge for seat selection on some fares and raising it to $30 for Red-E-Deals it seems.
AusBT story Qantas to axe seat selection fees on most international flights - Australian Business Traveller

QF Agent Site
Policies and Procedures - Seat Selection

 

[medhead]

Interesting. A good move I suppose.

Perhaps coincidental but I just tried to select some domestic seats and the seat selection page seems to be broken.

 

[michaele]

Interesting - do you think that will mean more people will end up selecting seats when booking, leaving less for WP/SG etc who generally book closer to departure? Or will seating zone allocations based on status still apply (if they even exist?)

 

[Princess Fiona]

Interesting - do you think that will mean more people will end up selecting seats when booking, leaving less for WP/SG etc who generally book closer to departure? Or will seating zone allocations based on status still apply (if they even exist?)

Seating zone allocations based on status will still apply.

 

[BLK343]

Seating zone allocations based on status will still apply.

.... Plus one can get booted from original seat if higher tier flying.

i managed to book myself on 5A for a flight, held on MMB but at check in I was given 8F instead. The explanation was seating is not guaranteed as WP1 had priority seating selection

 

[Sdtravel]

So all non sale and red-e international bookings will be fee free including those booked prior to September 23rd if i understand correctly.?

I was going to call qf to fix up some seats for me but I guess I will wait till its free and then see.

Do you think they will implement something like T80 for international flights now too?

 

[Princess Fiona]

So all non sale and red-e international bookings will be fee free including those booked prior to September 23rd if i understand correctly.?

I was going to call qf to fix up some seats for me but I guess I will wait till its free and then see.

Do you think they will implement something like T80 for international flights now too?

You will pay the assisted booking fee if you call for seat selection. Need to do it online to obtain seats free of charge.

 

[Sdtravel]

Im silver so I can get my seat. But im going SYD BNE HKG then return. Family only doing BNE HKG return. So had to be separated booking.
Just trying to get seats together on the shared legs. Hoping they don't say wait till checkin.
If it's only a week or so ill wait for the fees to change and call them up.

I assume that due to status they might fix it if they can.

 

[timster]

Good move to remove the $25 for international Y seat selection. It was such a 'cheap and nasty' policy. Of course it will probably be buried in the cost of something else (that everyone will pay), but at least people won't feel cheated after paying their fare then being asked to pay for somewhere to sit (the perception being that you had to pay to avoid ending up in a bad seat).

 

[timster]

Perhaps QF knew this was coming in the local press today. It appears to indicate that QF derives more of its income from all "ancillary" charges than almost all other full-service airlines ....
Spirit, Ryanair, Jetstar: Airlines that earn the most from baggage fees and other flight extras

The above piece was a steal from the UK telegraph, which has a link to the full press release and data ....
The airlines that earn the most from baggage fees - Telegraph

 

[andye]

12.1% does seem higher than I would expect for QF, even with the credit-card surcharge issue (could they be double counting some of the Jetstar surcharges?)

 

[JohnK]

.... Plus one can get booted from original seat if higher tier flying.

I managed to book myself on 5A for a flight, held on MMB but at check in I was given 8F instead. The explanation was seating is not guaranteed as WP1 had priority seating selection

This should never happen to anyone. Pre-allocated seats should stick regardless of the seating preferences of higher status flyers.

 

[serfty]

This should never happen to anyone. Pre-allocated seats should stick regardless of the seating preferences of higher status flyers.

You are dreaming ... any airline will do this for a passenger perceived to have enough clout (i.e. revenue / $$$).

 

[whughes3]

Interesting. A good move I suppose.

Perhaps coincidental but I just tried to select some domestic seats and the seat selection page seems to be broken.

Good news...it now appears to be working again.

 

[samuson]

Does anyone know how this will affect economy classic awards bookings?

 

[Dr Ralph]

No info as to whether points charges will change.

 

[ajd]

Interesting - do you think that will mean more people will end up selecting seats when booking, leaving less for WP/SG etc who generally book closer to departure? Or will seating zone allocations based on status still apply (if they even exist?)

I'm not aware of any NBs or non-QFFs who will book anything higher than a Red e-Deal ticket if they can possibly avoid it...