t-80 Seat Selection

[m.b]

Hi all, first post so apologies if this is in the wrong area. I fly every second week on average between BNE, SYD & MEL. When I book flights, I can set myself into row 9 at best, I think that's because I'm Gold status. However up until about a month ago, when the magical T-80 came around I could jump on the phone app and try snag something closer to the front, usually either row 4 or 5 would have something available. But since then, I can't do that any more.

Has anyone experienced the same?

 

[serfty]

Welcome to AFF

What do you mean? Calling? Have you not been able to select seating after T-80 using www.qantas.com/yourbooking ?

 

[m.b]

Welcome to AFF

What do you mean? Calling? Have you not been able to select seating after T-80 using www.qantas.com/yourbooking ?

Hi, so when I open the qantas app on my phone, I can select a seat. With gold status the furtherest forward I can select is row 9.

However, around 3 days before departure, all the seats used to open up, and I could go in there and select from any of the seats in row 1-9 which had not been reserved. I've been doing this for about a year but from about a month ago the opening up of seats in the days leading up to departure appears to have ceased.

just curious if anyone else has experienced the same?

I haven't tried doing it online, might give that a go next week.

 

[serfty]

I rarely bother with the app - it's horrid.

However, online (i.e. laptop with web browser) with T-80 my most recent experience two weeks ago was normal with the front rows opening up.

 

[mannej]

T-80 is a little fluid, it may open up around T-80, but there are flights where the status holds stay in place for whatever reasons

 

[1022]

T-80 as SG is a bit route dependent for me. I have to fly between OOL-SYD a lot and it is very rare that I'm NOT able to get my preferred 4A or 4F. It's obviously a route with a fairly limited number of WPs and above. On the other hand, flying SYD-MEL-SYD during business peak hours, I have to be fairly lucky to see anything much further forward than row 9 open up at T-80 for me as gold.

OP it sounds like you've just had a bit of a bad run of being on flights with lots of higher status passengers already seated further forward at T-80. Have you checked seat maps on expertflyer to see what's actually occupied vs blocked during that 80 hour window?

 

[sudoer]

If you're doing 26 return trips a year I'd highly recommend getting an ExpertFlyer membership for access to seat maps (see which seats are blocked vs occupied) and to schedule in your seat alerts.

The T-80 is definitely fluid, I've seen it open up as early as T-104, and as late as T-60, so if you're keen to snag a bulkhead or exit row seat the EF membership is worthwhile. There's also a discount available for paid AFF members, so check that option out too.

 

[Sdtravel]

I sometimes check EF the night before or a few hours before T80 and it looks mostly free. But as WP i have even found on BNE-SYD flights that when it does open there are sometimes 1-2 seats in row 4 left. So perhaps WP1 & CL pax might be auto assigned to row 4 if they havent selected a seat perhaps?