Advance seat selection Status differences.

[ReLoad]

I know this is not news or anything useful for those in the know, but I thought it would give a good first hand (with pictures example) of advance seat selection with a status change.

First is the outbound leg from MEL-SYD as a SILVER. as you can see the first row available was 39 on a 767. All of the seats prior to this were unavailable.




This is now the available seat map for a GOLD on the same leg.




Now for the return in SILVER:



The return in GOLD:




I hope that gives a good example of the difference in allocation numbers.

Cheers


Ryan

 

[JohnK]

And there will be even better seat selections available once you get to Platinum.

Glad I am not a Silver or even worse a Bronze....

 

[ReLoad]

Wont be long, the 22nd of June for WP.

Never been it before so it will be quite the thrill

 

[ReLoad]

Ok, just a question on this which did occur to me, this is for MEL/SYD a big route for WP's.

Whats the percentage of seat allocations on other flights that are not as traditional WP intensive say to a more holiday focused destination? do they still block out a big chunk like this? then come T-80 release those that are unused? or is it route based?

just for curiosity sake.

 

[Joshua]

Ok, just a question on this which did occur to me, this is for MEL/SYD a big route for WP's.

Whats the percentage of seat allocations on other flights that are not as traditional WP intensive say to a more holiday focused destination? do they still block out a big chunk like this? then come T-80 release those that are unused? or is it route based?

just for curiosity sake.

With the new system I've found (mostly on 737's) that a similarly large section is blocked out for a SG but at T-80 the entire plane opens up, seldom with any allocated seats. I have not noticed any variation to the number of rows blocked on the same equipment. Most recently this has been on a very empty 767 BNE-DRW in the middle of a long weekend and a greatly contrasting 737 PER-ADL first flight of the week, having only one J seat vacant. So there's no difference it seems. They have placed a conservative number of rows blocked to cater for the busiest of routes.

 

[Aus ATC]

On B737-800s as a WP I typically can only preselect from Row 6 back. Rows 4 and 5 are not available until OLCI, which I try and do at T-23.9 and most times end up with Row 4.

I'll try at T-80 and see if rows 4 and 5 are available to preselect then.

 

[medhead]

I have noticed in the last 2 weeks that my seat selection options have got much worse as a silver. Could be that they have made some modifications to to better link status and available seats. When i first got seat selection I was pretty successful in getting row 4 to 8.

Of course, I've noticed that I'm getting less good seats on aircraft that are moderately loaded, e.g. about 50% of middle seats taken, 99% aisle/window seats taken. On the packed flight I did get into 4E.

 

[Will]

On B737-800s as a WP I typically can only preselect from Row 6 back. Rows 4 and 5 are not available until OLCI, which I try and do at T-23.9 and most times end up with Row 4.

I'll try at T-80 and see if rows 4 and 5 are available to preselect then.

My experience has been that row 4 comes online at T-80.

On my last trip (6 flights) I pre-selected row 4 for 5 flights, and row 5 for the other (all on 737s) - with a blocked middle seat every time!

The new system seems to be working pretty well from my perspective.

 

[Nick85]

I don’t understand why so many people on this forum place such huge empahsis on what row they are sitting in. If you are flying Economy, what difference does it make? What is the difference between row 30 and row 39? You will exit the aircraft a whole 1 minute earlier perhaps... They are both economy seats – the same size, same seat pitch etc.
The only real benefit for top tier members flying in economy is the increased chance of having the seat next to you blocked out. If the flight is full, how is sitting 1 or 2 rows behind business class going to make any difference what so ever to your flying experience? Is sitting in row 24 on a full 767 verses row 39 going to make the flight any more comfortable?

 

[ReLoad]

I don’t understand why so many people on this forum place such huge empahsis on what row they are sitting in. If you are flying Economy, what difference does it make? What is the difference between row 30 and row 39? You will exit the aircraft a whole 1 minute earlier perhaps... They are both economy seats – the same size, same seat pitch etc.
The only real benefit for top tier members flying in economy is the increased chance of having the seat next to you blocked out. If the flight is full, how is sitting 1 or 2 rows behind business class going to make any difference what so ever to your flying experience? Is sitting in row 24 on a full 767 verses row 39 going to make the flight any more comfortable?

A few points just from my own perspective for whatever thats worth.

The rear of the aircraft usually get served meals last, and ive had a few times when they have had no meal available.

I find the rear of an aircraft to be noiser and more turbulent, the front is certainly quieter.

Getting off is quicker, next time your on a 767 mark down the time it takes for getting off at the front of whY to the last whY passenger, you will be surprised. UNBELIEVABLEY handy when travelling international to beat Immigratiuon queues.

Some seats are better, i.e on a 767 there are seats ahead of bulkheads where you dont get someone behind you kicking the seat or playing a billion times with thier tray table.

cheers

Ryan

 

[Will]

I don’t understand why so many people on this forum place such huge empahsis on what row they are sitting in. If you are flying Economy, what difference does it make? What is the difference between row 30 and row 39? You will exit the aircraft a whole 1 minute earlier perhaps... They are both economy seats – the same size, same seat pitch etc.
The only real benefit for top tier members flying in economy is the increased chance of having the seat next to you blocked out. If the flight is full, how is sitting 1 or 2 rows behind business class going to make any difference what so ever to your flying experience? Is sitting in row 24 on a full 767 verses row 39 going to make the flight any more comfortable?

Have you ever sat in row 4 of a 734?
If you have, and still think it is no better than row 21, I would be very surprised.

 

[Nick85]

Have you ever sat in row 4 of a 734?
If you have, and still think it is no better than row 21, I would be very surprised.

Yes, Rows 4 or 5 on a 734 are great as they can double up as a business or economy seat. But these are becoming more obsolete as Qantas replace the 734 with the 738 which have the dedicated Business cabin.
Totally agree. The difference between a seat toward the front of the aircraft compared to right down the back is huge.
However, stressing about 5-10 rows on a full flight seems pointless.

 

[samh004]

Have you ever sat in row 4 of a 734?
If you have, and still think it is no better than row 21, I would be very surprised.

I have, had a mountain of leg room and a blocked off seat next to me (as you can see under my avatar, I’m just a lowly QP NB). I also got served first, which mightn’t have mattered a ton, but the cabin crew were probably a bit happier to serve me than they were to serve the last person…

Seat selection is a big thing. Maybe not to Nick85, but as evidenced by how many members on this site care about it… clearly it’s bigger than you give it credit for

Then again, 5-10 rows might not be the biggest difference, but every seat forward you move gets you closer to the front, and if you continue checking your seat selection, you never know where you’ll end up.

 

[medhead]

I don’t understand why so many people on this forum place such huge empahsis on what row they are sitting in. If you are flying Economy, what difference does it make? What is the difference between row 30 and row 39? You will exit the aircraft a whole 1 minute earlier perhaps... They are both economy seats – the same size, same seat pitch etc.
The only real benefit for top tier members flying in economy is the increased chance of having the seat next to you blocked out. If the flight is full, how is sitting 1 or 2 rows behind business class going to make any difference what so ever to your flying experience? Is sitting in row 24 on a full 767 verses row 39 going to make the flight any more comfortable?

I can assure you that the time difference between row 4 and row 15 in getting off is much greater than 1 minute (on a 737). For my weekly flight to Sydney it is the difference between making the 8:36 train by 3 minutes or missing that train. As suggested time it.

As for pitch and one seat being just the same as another. Clearly you haven't sat in row 4 or the exit rows on a 737, both the 734 and the 738

 

[nlagalle]

Yes, Rows 4 or 5 on a 734 are great as they can double up as a business or economy seat. But these are becoming more obsolete as Qantas replace the 734 with the 738 which have the dedicated Business cabin.
Totally agree. The difference between a seat toward the front of the aircraft compared to right down the back is huge.
However, stressing about 5-10 rows on a full flight seems pointless.

Actually Row 6 is the first row of the 734 and Row 4 for the 738. There is more leg room in those rows, so yes I'd certainly take those over row 10.

 

[oz_mark]

Actually Row 6 is the first row of the 734 and Row 4 for the 738. There is more leg room in those rows, so yes I'd certainly take those over row 10.

Rows 4 and 5 on the 734, when those rows are configured for economy, have good leg room, as far a Y seats go.

 

[nlagalle]

Rows 4 and 5 on the 734, when those rows are configured for economy, have good leg room, as far a Y seats go.

haven't been on one of those for a while. Everyone has had 5 rows of J

 

[serfty]

Actually, row 6 on a 734 had additional leg room as well. (734: rows 4, 5 and 6, 73H: row 4)

... Is sitting in row 24 on a full 767 verses row 39 going to make the flight any more comfortable?

Maybe not the flight, but certainly you can get off much earlier.

There's 18 rows between those seats and on a full flight this means over 120 passengers with the option of getting off before hand.

Say each passenger takes an average of 10 seconds to get their stuff together and start to exit - that's an additional 1200 seconds. Oh wait, there are two aisles so half that.

This still makes for 10 minutes difference in getting of the aircraft. :shock:

On an 60 minute flight between MEL and SYD there's an additional 15% time premium.

 

[JohnK]

~5

I don’t understand why so many people on this forum place such huge empahsis on what row they are sitting in. If you are flying Economy, what difference does it make? What is the difference between row 30 and row 39? You will exit the aircraft a whole 1 minute earlier perhaps... They are both economy seats – the same size, same seat pitch etc.

A couple of facts.

I have been in row 7 or 8 in economy on a 737 and it is clearly at least 5 minutes slower than row 4 or 5. Sure no big deal in the grand scheme of things but I do like to get off as soon as possible

Secondly do this every week and then you will understand....

 

[straitman]

There's 18 rows between those seats and on a full flight this means over 120 passengers with the option of getting off before hand.

Say each passenger takes an average of 10 seconds to get their stuff together and start to exit - that's an additional 1200 seconds. Oh wait, there are two aisles so half that.

This still makes for 10 minutes difference in getting of the aircraft. :shock:

On an 60 minute flight between MEL and SYD there's an additional 15% time premium.

There might be two aisles but there is still only one doorway to get everyone through.