QF now charging WP for all Exit Row economy seats [CL/WP1 exempt]

[Kendall Roy]

Oh dear.. I'd better go check all my forward bookings.

Just a disclaimer. I was SG when ticketed/selecting the EROW, now LTPS which means I don't have the capacity to select them anymore, however can confirm the requests were still in place 2 days ago.

 

[sudoer]

I've been booted out of the exit rows I already had pre-selected. That's piss poor!

Agreed, that's absolutely disgraceful. It's one thing to introduce new rules but another to retroactively enforce them..

 

[njba]

I very much want to use some intemperate language right now. This is an appalling decision that shows such raw contempt for higher tier flyers.

 

[Sdtravel]

Clearly the message is we dont care about or listen to our loyal paying customers. With no one in exit rows It's now Revenue first, then safety before schedule.

 

[kevrosmith]

Checking some seat maps via EF for Saturday evening flights, and it seems Row 4 is still opening up at T-80, so lets hope they don't look to close that loophole soon.

Without this benefit (being able to select Exit row at booking time for free, and being able to select Row 4 at T-80 - if they stopped that), QF is becoming less and less attractive for my future personal flying as time goes by.

 

[Bundy Bear]

Thinking about this some more;

As gold i was spending between $4,000 to $6,000 a year to keep Gold status; mix of economy and business, so maybe I don't fly that much so Qantas don't think I am not that important.

If you are Platinum this really sucks.

To be platinum as a mostly domestic passenger is really going to hurt.

You might be flying trunk routes and sometimes you can get row 4 but other times you could only get exit row, 20 SCs x 60 flights to get the 1200SCs that is a lot of flying in economy, so if you don't get row 4 often you will be in row 5 or 6.

Thinking about it a regular flyer as a Gold will probably feel just as bad, maybe you fly every 2nd week and so can't even get row 4 so you will always be stuck in row 5, or 6.

I think I go and fly Virgin for a bit Economy X with lounge, thanks Qantas for letting me try something else.

 

[QFflyermelbourne]

The other thing here is row 4 flyers can kiss goodbye to ever having a shadow again I would say. Those middle seats will be prized....

 

[Ansett]

The other thing here is row 4 flyers can kiss goodbye to ever having a shadow again I would say. Those middle seats will be prized....

Unless the intention is to leave those seats purely for P1 and CL at ALL times other than a 100% full flight

 

[Kendall Roy]

Agreed, that's absolutely disgraceful. It's one thing to introduce new rules but another to retroactively enforce them..

Spoke to a CSR. Said it was a "technical issue" and to call back in 48 hrs.

I also mentioned various articles doing the rounds. Her team had NFI about the changes.

WOW, just WOW!

 

[oz_mark]

I think I go and fly Virgin for a bit Economy X with lounge, thanks Qantas for letting me try something else.

Enjoy the microscopic muffin, I mean food, that VA serve

 

[njba]

Enjoy the microscopic muffin, I mean food, that VA serve

The "lamington biscuits" I had on a recent QF flight were straight out of VA's snack pantry, I thought.

 

[Bundy Bear]

Enjoy the microscopic muffin, I mean food, that VA serve

But Virgin had a hot meat pie in their Sydney lounge when I was there, eating on board a Virgin aircraft isn't one of the highlights of the flight.

 

[Matt_01]

Exit rows were never a preferred option for me and as a WP1 R4 is available at the time of booking. Looking at EF R4 is not blocked on any upcoming flights, I suspect it will be available to all at T-80. As a P1 there is a selfish part of me that would like to see R4 blocked (unless at capacity) as any chance of a shadow is all but gone. I may still move some of domestic travels to VA, R4 and R5 not that bad and I have had greater success with shadows. I can put up with poor catering.

If the exit row seats are not "paid for" it is more than likely QF will ask for volunteers prior to boarding, I think they are required to have passengers in the exit rows.

 

[Sdtravel]

If the exit row seats are not "paid for" it is more than likely QF will ask for volunteers prior to boarding, I think they are required to have passengers in the exit rows.

Are you sure its a requirement?
According to the discussions last week on this very subject the US FAA just have it as a recommendation.
http://www.australianfrequentflyer....age/exit-rows-empty-safety-issue-83560-2.html

 

[Matt_01]

Are you sure its a requirement?
According to the discussions last week on this very subject the US FAA just have it as a recommendation.
http://www.australianfrequentflyer....age/exit-rows-empty-safety-issue-83560-2.html

It is why I said "I think" as I am not 100% sure if there is a requirement. It may be a QF thing, I have been on JQ flights that have called for volunteers at boarding to sit in exit rows.

There was another post along the same theme but specifically asking about QF.

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....-questions/empty-exit-row-question-83610.html

 

[shuuy]

I wonder how many calls the P1 desk will get asking to help get their nominated partner into the right seat at the right price...

Platinum is the new Gold....

 

[Sdtravel]

It is why I said "I think" as I am not 100% sure if there is a requirement. It may be a QF thing, I have been on JQ flights that have called for volunteers at boarding to sit in exit rows.

If this happens then you will just make the elite pax even more angry. You took away the benefit and now because no one wants to pay for it you are just giving it to some randoms.
I dont see why you cant just make it a thing that at T80 or T24 if no one is paying for it them elite pax can select for free. Isnt that what happens for PS pax?

 

[Ansett]

I wonder how many calls the P1 desk will get asking to help get their nominated partner into the right seat at the right price...

Platinum is the new Gold....

Correction Platinum is the New Silver !!!!!!!!!

 

[TheInsider]

Are you sure its a requirement?
According to the discussions last week on this very subject the US FAA just have it as a recommendation.
http://www.australianfrequentflyer....age/exit-rows-empty-safety-issue-83560-2.html

100% it is a requirement. If they don't get sold, i'm sure they will give them out at the airport, they will have to. Needs to be at least 2 people in each seat block. Like 13AC, 13DF, 14AB, 14DE.

Put it this way too, now Silvers and below will have a chance to allocate the exit row seats (albeit at a cost), where as previously they would have to wait until they got to the airport or -80.

 

[Sdtravel]

100% it is a requirement. If they don't get sold, i'm sure they will give them out at the airport, they will have to. Needs to be at least 2 people in each seat block. Like 13AC, 13DF, 14AB, 14DE.

I see this method making the elite pax very angry then.
I dont know how many other elite pax preferred the exits over other forward or front row seats. I mean i used to sit as far forward as i could to get off as soon as possible. Now i just always sit in the exit. Classic drug type method. Get them hooked on them for free until they cant live without it then charge them for it.

They must really think they can sell them. Or perhaps the ratio status pax to pax buying exits is way off from what we think it is and there are only a few status pax in the exits.