A few quick QF gripes....

[Undercover Brother]

Need to get a few off my chest really quickly.

Firstly, booked a BNE-MEL return ages ago for this weekend, selected exit row seats for both flights. Win. Partner decides months later to join my trip, she is flying VA down and QF back up on the same flight. A quick call to the QF call centre earlier this week to see if the phone agent can seat us both together on the return leg.

QF: "Sorry sir but your seat selection is much greater than hers, I cannot seat you together."
Me: Asked the agent to check further back down the plane, doesn't matter if I am not in the exit row anymore.
QF: "No I am sorry, using her passenger number I cannot locate any 2 seats together on the flight."
Me: "No 2 seats together anywhere, not even up the back?"
Qf: "No."
Me: "Can you please advise me what seats you can you can allocate under her passenger number, and I will use my seat selection and pick a seat next to her?"
QF: "I am sorry sir, but I cannot get you 2 seats together, it is because of her FF status."
me: "Thank you for your help, have a good day *hangs up in disbelief*.

Going back to work, getting home later that evening it occured to me how ridiculous this call was. The flight had pretty much 50% availability, when PLENTY of lots of 2 even 3 seats together. Called back, was transfered to a different operator who gave me customer service that would be the complete polar opposite of the first call. Not only sat us together, but moved my partner next to me in the exit row, as well as generally talking to me about my plans for the weekend, her favourite AFL teams etc etc. Amazing service worthy of praising, which I will do in a email to QF.

Has anyone else experienced this complete opposite in customer service levels, and why is QF keeping people employed that are not willing to go an inch, let alone the extra mile.

Secondly a much more minor gripe, but when your 737-800 is changed to a 737-400 (seems to happen BNE-MEL a lot!), do you think there is any reason why they can't move the 6 people from exit rows 12/13 and put them into exit rows 11/12 on the new plane? I only found out from a text message from QF (when did this even start?) informing me of the changes. This isn't the first time it has happened, and while it really isn't a big deal, and I know you aren't guarenteed your seat selection, but surely it couldn't be that big of an ask to be informed or just moved?

 

[medhead]

Yes I've had the complete opposite experience similar to what you mention.

Regarding the exit seats and changing 737 types; where would they move the people that select row 11/12 on the 737-800?

 

[clifford]

Regarding the exit seats and changing 737 types; where would they move the people that select row 11/12 on the 737-800?

I think QF Plat/Gold helps just a teeny bit.

 

[TonyHancock]

Has anyone else experienced this complete opposite in customer service levels, and why is QF keeping people employed that are not willing to go an inch, let alone the extra mile.

Frequently is my answer. :-|

 

[TheInsider]

Has anyone else experienced this complete opposite in customer service levels, and why is QF keeping people employed that are not willing to go an inch, let alone the extra mile.

Could be a reason why QF are offering VR's to the cabin crew at the moment.

Maybe for next time, just ask to link to bookings together and then do it yourself online, may be a bit more pleasant than speaking to someone

 

[medhead]

I think QF Plat/Gold helps just a teeny bit.

Ok for a plat, but a gold generally can only select unto row 10. So if they select row 11, then the aircraft changes and then they move row 13 to row 11 where do they move those people in row 11, back to 13?

 

[TonyHancock]

Maybe for next time, just ask to link to bookings together and then do it yourself online, may be a bit more pleasant than speaking to someone

I think the thing is that some of the customer service I have received from QF has been astonishingly good, as good as any you could hope for from any business, yet on other occasions the attitude has been "couldn't care less". I just struggle to see why there is such a gulf between the two.

For me the split has been about 60% good and 20% average and 20% indifferent.

 

[TheInsider]

Ok for a plat, but a gold generally can only select unto row 10. So if they select row 11, then the aircraft changes and then they move row 13 to row 11 where do they move those people in row 11, back to 13?

OT: 2 or so days ago the 1800 flight from SYD-MEL had 40 WP's and about 50 SG's and for the same MEL-SYD had 50 WP's and 20 SG's.

 

[medhead]

OT: 2 or so days ago the 1800 flight from SYD-MEL had 40 WP's and about 50 SG's and for the same MEL-SYD had 50 WP's and 20 SG's.

So my question remains, where do you move those people in rows 11/12 if you are moving people up from row 13/14? I'd be mightily annoyed if I selected row 11 and got moved rearwards (wouldnt be moving forward on those number) so someone could keep their exit row.

 

[TheInsider]

So my question remains, where do you move those people in rows 11/12 if you are move those up from row 13/14? I'd be mightily annoyed if I selected row 11 and got moved rearwards so someone could keep their exit row.

Not too sure what happens, usually all done by Altea CM. I'd assume people with EROWs would stay in those seats. But i haven't really got much knowledge on a/c changes last minute or departures.

 

[Archphoto]

Similar happened to me a couple of years back, *but* we were booked on the same PNR. I was given 23J SIN-BNE and my partner (NB) had no seat assigned. I called the WP number and asked to be seated together, with the call going something along these lines after the typical identity formalities:

"I have been assigned 23J and would like my partner, who is on the same booking, seated next to me."

"I'm sorry they can't have seats in those rows, they are for our WP flyers, but we can send you back to Row 48B/C so that you can be seated together."

"I see. Is there a reason that I have to move backwards, even though I'm WP? We are on the same booking and I'd really like us to be seated together in my originally assigned seat. (Note that seat *was* available, as I had checked prior to the phone call.)

"It is reserved for our WP flyers."

"I appreciate this, and I am a WP flyer, travelling with my partner, and I'd appreciate being seated together."

"I don't believe I can do that."

"Then perhaps I can speak with your supervisor who can check to see if we can be seated us together?"

"One moment please. I'll check if I can assign 23K for your partner."

2 minutes later: " Archphoto, good news! I *have* been able to assign 28K for you and you shall receive an updated itinerary shortly via email."

Did I push my WP status too far? Maybe, but the decision to move me backwards to accommodate my partner being seated next to me (when the seat *was* free), seemed a little insulting, as those seats are "Specifically for our WP flyers." - and last time I checked, I was WP.

Would other WPs have insisted the same?
Was I wrong to insist on being seated together in 23J/K?

Interested in other's take on this.

 

[serfty]

...
Maybe for next time, just ask to link to bookings together and then do it yourself online, may be a bit more pleasant than speaking to someone

TCP'ing the bookings does not resolve the problem for advanced seat selection.

(I have been advised it does work for OLCI, but I have yet to experience such¹.)


¹ Besides, what FF worth their salt would wait for OLCI to resolve such an issue

 

[medhead]

"I have been assigned 23J and would like my partner, who is on the same booking, seated next to me."

<snip>

Would other WPs have insisted the same?
Was I wrong to insist on being seated together in 28J/K?

Interested in other's take on this.

I'm a bit confused on whether you were in row 23 or 28. But regardless, I think you wre reasonable. I have always been able to sit with my travelling companions. So it is strange to me that you weren't automatically sat with them.

I have also only been platinum since seat selection was available, again no problems have NB travel companions sitting with me, including row 1 (the whole row, 3NB and me) in J.

 

[Archphoto]

Sorry Serfty - I'm in 28H/J this next flight and got confused.

It was 23J/K I was requesting in the example instance.

As an aside - the lastest BA flight was interesting with regard to seat selection. Could select (and pay) for exit row for partner, but try as I might, could *not* request an exit row seat for me (Row 28). I had to call the call center to do for me, which I found surprising, as I would have thought I could have done so online as well.

Maybe the fact I was SG, meant the system refused to charge me, hence the need to call BA personally?

 

[samiam]

Could be a reason why QF are offering VR's to the cabin crew at the moment.

Are there cabin crew working in the call centre?

 

[Undercover Brother]

Ok for a plat, but a gold generally can only select unto row 10. So if they select row 11, then the aircraft changes and then they move row 13 to row 11 where do they move those people in row 11, back to 13?

Good point and something I hadn't considered. As a NB I wouldn't know
Might be worthwhile noting average flyers may choose the seats because of height etc, I guess its equally unfair on them to get shafted. Either way if someone has chosen them, they might get cranky to have them taken away. Meh.

Linking passenger numbers wouldn't have helped according to helpful telephone agent.

 

[thewinchester]

Did I push my WP status too far?

Not at all. It was a reasonable request, and as I understand it from both around here and from my own frequent personal experience with this scenario - the 'sins' of the highest ranked QFF member on a multi-pax booking or linked PNR's are visited on all travellers.

For example, QPPS on a linked PNR with a QPNB, NB and a non-member. My experience is that the QPNB, NB and non-member on the ticket would get the same seating as the QPPS would normally receive when travelling on their own.

Of course this is subsequent to the beast known as Altea and the business rules that reside within, as well as seating allocations that have been made to pax higher up the food chain. Remember in your case, CL > WP1 > WP.

 

[JetLagged]

Did I push my WP status too far? Maybe, but the decision to move me backwards to accommodate my partner being seated next to me (when the seat *was* free), seemed a little insulting, as those seats are "Specifically for our WP flyers." - and last time I checked, I was WP.

Would other WPs have insisted the same?
Was I wrong to insist on being seated together in 23J/K?

Interested in other's take on this.

Archphoto, I don't believe you were pusing your Wp status too far - from the record of yourself and others, you got through to a call centre operator who couldn't see past the end of her nose - and didn't care. You weren't asking for the sky!

I admit to using my status to advantage - last year was meetingmy partner in Hong Kong on my way back from Europe. At LHR T3 asked the First Manager to see if he could arrange for us to sit together on the flight home to Sydney - it showed no seats available in J, partner had flown up Y+ (upgraded on points to J)(and is Gold). After his call he coldn't assure me of anything but said the request was in the system.

When we came to check-in at Hong Kong for the flight home the boarding passes had us both sitting in our preferred seats (upsairs section in 747, and in exit row seats) - well done Paul (in London) and Qantas, in keeping a WP and his partner happy!

 

[Archphoto]

It's heartening to hear that others have requested the same in the past; usually I'm flying alone or with colleagues, so whilst being seated together would be nice, it isn't necessarily needed. (Spending months together, can often be enough - leave the flights for personal time. )

But rather different when travelling with my partner - we spend enought time away from each other, so think doing the same on a flight would be detrimental to my health. . . . . :mrgreen:

This was the first and only time one of the WP call centre people *wasn't* thinking past their nose; every other time I had reason to call, they literally bent over backwards to help me out. Kudos to all of those guys (and girls) - extremely helpful and nothing has been too difficult for them, even when I have asked for some obscure route that couldn't be booked online.

 

[serfty]

See this thread (and my experiences): http://www.australianfrequentflyer....rs-get-seating-together-30446.html#post442838

SWMBO and I were on the same PNR for a LONE4 but halfway through the Journey AA decided to separate the bookings.

I was able to TCP the new bookings but this did not permit her SG'ness to access WP seating adjacent to me.

So calling was the go, and as described 'requests' were put though to "Seating" and the adjacent allocations happened.

This caused no end of issue for our QF22 segment as this was originally a 333, then a 2 class 744, a 4 class 744 (sold as three), back to a 2 class and finally a 3 class (new J/W/Y config).

Each time we were separated and each time I had to call to get adjacent seat and each time I had to explain the whole story.:evil: