Platinum shadow seat

[SYD]

Another data point.

Upcoming booking - as you can see the seat next to me is blocked. However, when I selected this seat 2 days back, there was no one on the window seat. Does this mean the shadow is applied ?
View attachment 310244

As a contrast - the J seat has no one next to me .. so no shadow applied? Agree this is J and shadow may not apply at all.

View attachment 310243

I would assume someone has plonked themselves in the window seat. Otherwise, you should be able to select it if it was free.

Most of us use ExpectFlyer seat maps to see if the seat is blocked (shadow).

 

[RichardMEL]

You'd need EF to see if the seat is occupied or blocked.

I'd remind everyone that shadows are not, and never have been, published benefits. Definitely nice when hey have been around and stuck for sure - but I never personally considered them to be guaranteed as either WP or P1.

I'd note though as P1 I've seen blocks next to me show up upon booking and move around(if I changed seats). sometimes they show in J too(on 737) but almost always evaporate (as one would expect).

We also have to remember that aircraft are running VERY full right now - I've been on quite a few (domestic) flights recently where every single seat is taken so if a shadow is still a thing or not is a bit irrelevant when an flight is running at 100% LF.

 

[mrsterryn]

I have to say I would check on expert flyer and have a giggle if I moved and then the shadow moved with me
Ok ok. Small things amuse me lol

 

[Captain Halliday]

I'd remind everyone that shadows are not, and never have been, published benefits.

And yet materially more reliable than many published benefits.

 

[Daver6]

Interesting situation. I have the seat next to me on QF9 MEL-PER showing as unavailable for selection on the QF website. However, EF shows the seat as free. I've never seen it that way around before.

 

[SYD]

Interesting situation. I have the seat next to me on QF9 MEL-PER showing as unavailable for selection on the QF website. However, EF shows the seat as free. I've never seen it that way around before.

I’ve had something similar changing whY seats at T-80. The vacated seats and some around suddenly become blocked even though they’re otherwise free.

 

[Daver6]

I’ve had something similar changing whY seats at T-80. The vacated seats and some around suddenly become blocked even though they’re otherwise free.

I've been in 23A for a while now. In fact interesting story how I was able to select it. Aircraft was originally a 787 but downgraded to a A330. I found this out when I got a flight time change notification for QF9 MEL-PER. Immediately logged on and selected 23A. 23B was blocked both on QF and EF. This was weeks out from the flight yet I had access as a WP to seats I wouldn't normally be able to select until T-80.

Now at T-30 or so is when I noticed this anomaly.

OT - I do wonder what happens to those poor souls who booked Y+.

 

[encryptededdy]

Data point on a domestic 737 flight this week, T-24h

My view


My friend (Bronze, seperate booking)'s view


The shadow did follow me if I changed rows.

 

[LondonAussie]

My last few QF domestic trips I've had a blocked middle seat up until a few days before departure when I check and the block is replaced by someone now occupying the seat. I think possibly because the flights were almost full but I did notice a few middle seats stayed free (including one between a couple in row 4 who had slightly reclined their seats before takeoff and the crew failed to notice or chose to ignore)

BA seems to be the opposite, they reliably block the seats next to BA/Oneworld status holders at around 3 days before departure and has always held for me.

 

[encryptededdy]

I suspect for Qantas all shadows go away if the load factor is over a certain percentage

 

[RichardMEL]

My last few QF domestic trips I've had a blocked middle seat up until a few days before departure when I check and the block is replaced by someone now occupying the seat. I think possibly because the flights were almost full but I did notice a few middle seats stayed free (including one between a couple in row 4 who had slightly reclined their seats before takeoff and the crew failed to notice or chose to ignore)

And it's possible that either or both in row 4 were WP, and as you say with high flight loads the allocation system potentially can only grant so many depending on what seats may remain.

Obviously frustrating but well, the blocks have never been a published benefit.

 

[downgraded]

I suspect for Qantas all shadows go away if the load factor is over a certain percentage

That was always my experience. It's understandable that they sell the seats if the flight is busy, but dare I say QF IT wasn't up to the game of maintaining the vacant seats around its"premium" passengers when the flight filled up. So often the front of the plane has no vacant seats but down the back could be positively empty.

 

[SYD]

Flew down to MEL on Fri and flight was full. SYD+1 had a shadow for a couple hours but disappeared. Nothing for me at all (we were in 4C/D).

The return flight appears to have some P1s/CLs in row 4 and EF is showing their shadows a couple of days out. So far nothing for either of us (both WPs).

 

[TheInsider]

That was always my experience. It's understandable that they sell the seats if the flight is busy, but dare I say QF IT wasn't up to the game of maintaining the vacant seats around its"premium" passengers when the flight filled up. So often the front of the plane has no vacant seats but down the back could be positively empty.

Nothing wrong with the IT, it's the staff overriding seats at the airport or it's passengers that are high tier selecting these seats.

 

[Quickstatus]

or it's passengers

Making last minute bookings paying full fare or close to full fare
I don't think it needs a manual release. If there is inventory to be sold, it will be sold. And often these pax won't want to sit at the back - fits with the upthread post that suggest seats are fuller up the front

 

[Hampton Mike]

Flew down to MEL on Fri and flight was full. SYD+1 had a shadow for a couple hours but disappeared. Nothing for me at all (we were in 4C/D).

The return flight appears to have some P1s/CLs in row 4 and EF is showing their shadows a couple of days out. So far nothing for either of us (both WPs).

Same route, on Friday also. QF487 @ 7pm. Very full flight but my shadow (in 4B) managed to survive.

 

[downgraded]

Nothing wrong with the IT, it's the staff overriding seats at the airport or it's passengers that are high tier selecting these seats.

Ah, so QF staff deliberately placed the status-less NB flyer between 2 Platinums when there were plenty of alternate seats (aisle or window) free elsewhere in the cabin!. I get it now.

 

[TheInsider]

Ah, so QF staff deliberately placed the status-less NB flyer between 2 Platinums when there were plenty of alternate seats (aisle or window) free elsewhere in the cabin!. I get it now.

It can happen. Not everyone has access to do it, but it does happen. This also comes down to how many new staff there are in the roles, they just don't understand the system and why they shouldn't be taking any old seat. No one actually seems to care about these little things anymore.

 

[RichardMEL]

Ah, so QF staff deliberately placed the status-less NB flyer between 2 Platinums when there were plenty of alternate seats (aisle or window) free elsewhere in the cabin!. I get it now.

or the pax themselves, using the T-80 or OLCI, with a choice of only middle seats, picked the one in row 4 - either because they knew there was extra legroom, or they simply picked the one closest to the exit - ie the best of a bad choice? I probably would in that situation.

This is assuming at a certain high % of capacity filled that pre-set blocks disappear.

Or the staff pick the first row they can find without much thought rather than a deliberate jerk move.

 

[downgraded]

or the pax themselves, using the T-80 or OLCI, with a choice of only middle seats, picked the one in row 4 - either because they knew there was extra legroom, or they simply picked the one closest to the exit - ie the best of a bad choice? I probably would in that situation.

it doesn't have to be a deliberate move by staff or some kind of conspiracy.

It doesn't have to be but believe it or not I spoke to him and it wasn't his selection. And we're not talking row 4 on a 737 but a random forward row on an A380.
I don't see it as a conspiracy to spite a couple of WPs but as something where QF didn't carry through a principle/perk it nominally offers and could have maintained had the processes and staff adequately continued what the IT system had correctly initially supported (in zoned seating allocations and shadows).