Seat Selection tactic?

[Pushka]

A weird possibly deliberate issue yesterday. Booking for partner who is WP and in their account when making a booking so seat selection for Qantas domestic flight should be wide open. Thought I’d do an advance seat selection and the closest to the front I was offered was the Exit Row - 12 and of course the extra $25 fee. I could not even scroll to see rows 4-12 to see any other availability. Given the only fare offered was an expensive Flex I didn’t select the exit seat. I’d been charged enough. Finalised the booking then when back into MMB and tried seat selection again. And now rows 4-11 were visible and some more forward aisle seats available. Was Qantas doing a sneaky and trying to get me to pay for the exit row?

 

[TheInsider]

Probably the WP number wasn't confirmed in the booking until it's booked. Therefore displaying less of a seat map.

 

[serfty]

Was Qantas doing a sneaky and trying to get me to pay for the exit row?

The booking tools can have it's vaguaries - It does not always matter if logged in or not - I have found that as a WP seat selection can sometime be pretty poor until I enter the QFF number.

 

[Pushka]

The booking tools can have it's vaguaries - It does not always matter if logged in or not - I have found that as a WP seat selection can sometime be pretty poor until I enter the QFF number.

But to log in you’ve already entered the QFF number? I’d had to do dual ID as well as it was a new computer.

 

[serfty]

But to log in you’ve already entered the QFF number? I’d had to do dual ID as well as it was a new computer.

As I posted, "It does not always matter if logged in or not".

Mostly it works ok, but not always.

 

[esseeeayeenn]

A weird possibly deliberate issue yesterday. Booking for partner who is WP and in their account when making a booking so seat selection for Qantas domestic flight should be wide open. Thought I’d do an advance seat selection and the closest to the front I was offered was the Exit Row - 12 and of course the extra $25 fee. I could not even scroll to see rows 4-12 to see any other availability. Given the only fare offered was an expensive Flex I didn’t select the exit seat. I’d been charged enough. Finalised the booking then when back into MMB and tried seat selection again. And now rows 4-11 were visible and some more forward aisle seats available. Was Qantas doing a sneaky and trying to get me to pay for the exit row?

While I understand and to some extent share your suspicions I think it is more likely that the booking engine can't really see your status or hasn't been written to take it into account in seat selection. However I do remember being able to select 1A during the booking process which should be unavailable without status. That was on QFI will pay more attention in future - maybe even do some experiments with taking bookings right up to the payment page - and report back!

 

[Pushka]

As I posted, "It does not always matter if logged in or not".

Mostly it works ok, but not always.

Indeed. Tried again and it’s all normal.

 

[TheInsider]

Also was the flight inside 80 hours at all?

 

[Pushka]

Also was the flight inside 80 hours at all?

Let me count......no, more like 120.

 

[Austman]

I noticed this the other day too.

As a WP the seat selection when in the booking process (before payment) was limited. But after completing the booking and receiving the e-ticket it was opened up as "normal" for a WP.

 

[get me outta here]

On QF128 w’ gold status, at what time prior to the flight, should I try to nab a more up front seat? (Assuming it’s not cancelled HKG-SYD). Thanks

 

[esseeeayeenn]

On QF128 w’ gold status, at what time prior to the flight, should I try to nab a more up front seat? (Assuming it’s not cancelled HKG-SYD). Thanks

T-80

 

[Vic]

Were you booking using Qantas business rewards website?
I always get this when making a booking via that pathway.