Qantas Neighbour Free Seat Reservations

[RooFlyer]

Good point, I guess we'll have to wait to see how it's implemented in practice to determine whether it's really practical to enforce a Neighbour Free seat purchase noting this thread: Qantas to Remove Boarding Pass Printing from Kiosks

Not to mention this one:

Qantas doesn't care about priority boarding

Priority boarding is an advertised benefit for Qantas Business, Platinum and Gold customers (and their Oneworld equivalents). Yet, as we all know, Qantas makes no effort to actually implement an effective priority boarding system for domestic flights. It's a common source of frustration every...

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[Berlin]

Anything to make an extra buck

 

[ChrisMars]

Why not, if people are happy to pay for it. Great idea.
In theory there is no "enhancement" with this new offering, though like a few here, I am wondering if WP still get there shadow seat.

 

[exceladdict]

On some reasonably busy flights to/from PER I've been very glad lately to have a shadow lately (as Gold), I assume because the person two over from me was WP or higher. Can understand why Qantas would want to monetize it - I wouldn't pay cash if travelling for work but would surely throw some points at it for those longer transcon legs.

 

[1022]

I hope WPs still get their shadows. As a SG I've become pretty adept at checking EF at T-80 to spot the blocked middle seats in rows 4 - 6 where the aisle is occupied and then picking an empty window to take advantage of someone else's shadow

 

[jakeseven7]

Wow didn't take long for this thread to descend into the usual suspects whining. Again. Would be lovely just to have one or two thread without the whining. Sorry @justinbrett but it happened. Again!

 

[QF029]

I wonder if Qantas will double dip and move 2 people together who purchase a neighbour free seat so they pay for the same free middle seat.

 

[downgraded]

> I Wonder if Qantas will double dip and move 2 people together who purchase a neighbour free seat so they pay for the same free middle seat.

The shadow concept for WPs was always very weak. 2 WPs travelling together, select window and aisle and QF would invariably install a third pax in the middle seat. Didn't worry us (I like aisle, partner prefers window) but it could confuse the interloper).

Ultimately QF has accelerated the Y race to the bottom and there really is no innovation to understand if pax would have ever been prepared to pay for extra legroom/ extra width etc as product offerings in the US (for example) have done. Even this initiative isn't being offered as a guaranteed product, only on an "unless we can sell it for more to someone else" notion which is at best very disingenuous.
Still emphasises QF isn't interested in customer service and is openly saying it won't commit (even on a best endeavours basis) to deliver what it has sold.

 

[Matt_01]

Just a grab for cash in the early days of P1 if your shadow disappeared you would just be upgraded at the lounge. When that was cut off one could ask for the last minute interloper to be removed and put back to their original seat and it just happened. From around 2017 shadows were often seen on the seat map but did not always stick.

Ultimately QF has accelerated the Y race to the bottom and there really is no innovation to understand if pax would have ever been prepared to pay for extra legroom/ extra width etc as product offerings in the US (for example) have done. Even this initiative isn't being offered as a guaranteed product, only on an "unless we can sell it for more to someone else" notion which is at best very disingenuous.

Totally agree there is no innovation at QF, VA introduced Y+ domestic several years back.

No wonder there are so many P1s questioning the value of this status level.

 

[bussyboy]

Would prefer a wider seat and some space to begin with - even at the back of the plane

 

[LondonAussie]

Ultimately QF has accelerated the Y race to the bottom and there really is no innovation to understand if pax would have ever been prepared to pay for extra legroom/ extra width etc as product offerings in the US (for example) have done.

Still better than where the UK and European airlines have ended up though. Paying extra to have an empty middle seat next to you is basically the definition of what passes for Business Class on short-haul narrowbody flights in Europe.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Still better than where the UK and European airlines have ended up though. Paying extra to have an empty middle seat next to you is basically the definition of what passes for Business Class on short-haul narrowbody flights in Europe.

Which I don’t mind if I’m paying £75 for a one way from London to Amsterdam or Paris, and £112 to places like Venice. I get all the benefits of business class, and a stack of SCs, for bargain prices. While 2-2 seating in business class is better than 3-3 in economy, with a miserable 37 inch pitch it’s not really that comfortable anyway.

 

[RooFlyer]

Wow didn't take long for this thread to descend into the usual suspects whining. Again. Would be lovely just to have one or two thread without the whining. Sorry @justinbrett but it happened. Again!

And another whine about the whiners

 

[Beano]

If travelling solo, would you tell the other person sitting in your row that you have paid for the middle seat, to avoid the awkwardness of who gets to put their stuff on it?

But its the space under the seat in front that is more valuable.

 

[Beano]

But what if the FA wants to move someone into the free seat because you are nearer the front and the person has a connecting flight and your flight is late. That has happenend to me, but I hadn't paid for it.

Air NZ has such an option, Works Deluxe, but it is heaps more.

 

[Melburnian1]

The author doesn't seem to be aware Philippine Airlines has offered this for some time:

Choice Seats Neighbor-Free

www.philippineairlines.com

I don't know how much it costs on the Australia routes, but it'll be a lot more than 'USD30'.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Etihad and Spicejet offer similar, but you can request/bid for multiple seats (whole row).

 

[jb747]

So, is this a way of saying they've got lots of seats they can't sell?

 

[Melburnian1]

So, is this a way of saying they've got lots of seats they can't sell?

200 per cent correct.

Seems pointless to spend extra for such an uncertain benefit. If there's many spare seats a quiet word at check-in may see one travelling with a 'shadow'.

 

[Beano]

I've not heard about the "shadow", but then I haven't had a long haul flight in 3 years.