Automatic Seating Allocation

[MrMickeyg]

Hi Guys,

I'm QF Gold and would like to know how the system pre allocates seating preferences within a status tier...ie after plats/cl, in what order do gold's get their preferences??

Cheers

 

[Mal]

I don't know the answer, and I'm not sure others do either.

It could really only be based on one of a few things:

1. Fare class of ticket.
2. Time of purchase of ticket.
3. Your "ranking" with Qantas (if they rank). [This could be lifetime SC's, or YTD SC's etc]
3. Alphabetical based on either surname, firstname or a combination of both.
4. Random based on lucky draw.
5. Length of time in the FF scheme/FF Number.

It would be good fun for one day to organise a FF "flyout" from somewhere, and see where we are put on the plane, and try and work the seating allocation out.

 

[oz_mark]

I don't know the answer, and I'm not sure others do either.

It could really only be based on one of a few things:

1. Fare class of ticket.
2. Time of purchase of ticket.
3. Your "ranking" with Qantas (if they rank). [This could be lifetime SC's, or YTD SC's etc]
3. Alphabetical based on either surname, firstname or a combination of both.
4. Random based on lucky draw.
5. Length of time in the FF scheme/FF Number.

It would be good fun for one day to organise a FF "flyout" from somewhere, and see where we are put on the plane, and try and work the seating allocation out.

I vote for number 5, although that is based solely on my experience. I don't think anyone on this board actually knows how QF undertakes "tie-breakers" and if they do they aren't saying anything

 

[NM]

Within the various status levels, I do not believe that the fare paid has any influence. My understanding is that it comes down to when the ticket was purchased.

 

[Tooner]

My vote is with NM too, although Surname has been suggested as a factor too, though without knowing the surname of everyone else as well, how can you tell.

The FF Flyout would be interesting - imagine the reaction of QF to a whole plane-load of AFF members!

 

[TonyD]

Hi,
I'm a real newbie at this and posted a reply elsewhere?? So at risk of getting it wrong - here it is again.

I flew Melbourne to Brisbane last wed. arvo, with my wife (also in QC) and 3 kids. On the way to melb. 6 days earlier I did online boarding passes and found we were automatically in row 8 - (fine by me!) So without a computer, I figured we'd be cool on way back. We checked in an hour before to find we were in row 25! When we tried for better we were told sorry bad luck!! full etc. It was confirmed (as I have been told in the past) Platinums then gold then silver get their preferred seating and there are 45 ahead of you etc etc. So QC membership makes no difference in seating -just status.
Many times though I have found that this system is fallable and on ringing QC told "the system has problems" etc.
Anyway the plot thickened! On board - ANYBODY with kids was seated from row 23 back! - I have since been told this is common practice.
cheers
Tony

 

[NM]

Hi,
I'm a real newbie at this and posted a reply elsewhere?? So at risk of getting it wrong - here it is again.

I flew Melbourne to Brisbane last wed. arvo, with my wife (also in QC) and 3 kids. On the way to melb. 6 days earlier I did online boarding passes and found we were automatically in row 8 - (fine by me!) So without a computer, I figured we'd be cool on way back. We checked in an hour before to find we were in row 25! When we tried for better we were told sorry bad luck!! full etc. It was confirmed (as I have been told in the past) Platinums then gold then silver get their preferred seating and there are 45 ahead of you etc etc. So QC membership makes no difference in seating -just status.
Many times though I have found that this system is fallable and on ringing QC told "the system has problems" etc.
Anyway the plot thickened! On board - ANYBODY with kids was seated from row 23 back! - I have since been told this is common practice.
cheers
Tony

I think it more to do with the fact that you needed 5 seats together for your group, rather than the fact that you have children in your group, that resulted in the rear allocation. Your Silver FF preference has to also fit with the ability to find 4 other adjacent seats to seat your group together.

And the Qantas Club status comes in below Silver FF status for seating allocations. The order for Qantas FF membership is Chairmans Lounge, Platinum, Gold, Silver, Qantas Club. FF Silver and QC Silver are both Silver as far as seating allocations are concerned.

 

[acampbel]

Sort of in the same theme .... I have noticed a couple of times that the return leg of a journey seems to sometimes fall through the cracks. Most of the time I check-in online at about T - 23:59, and again at around T - 2:00 if I can. This normally results in the gain of a few rows from a forwardish aisle seat to a proper forward aisle seat (as per my profile).

It is also common for me to be flat-chat at the destination and often don't have the time or energy to check-in online. I assumed that I would get the standard forwardish aisle seat as befits my rank, but at least twice I have turned up at the QC desk to find myself in a middle seat. Once was in row 4 with the window seat vacant (which was OK), but the other time I was allocated to a seat down the back so I got the QCC to sort out a better option.

Has anyone else noticed quirks in the auto-allocation system for return legs?


Cheers,


Andrew

 

[serfty]

Twice when checking in for an outbound leg, the return has been available for check-in as well; this outside the 24 hour window for the return journey (~40hours & ~32 Hours IIRC).

Both times I have found the resultant seat not as good or to be in line with what I normally get. The seating is more comparable with what one gets for an inbound domestic segment of an international flight. (e.g. Checking in at LHR for QF2, when travelling to MEL via SYD)

Since than I have resolved NOT to check in at > 24 hours in these cases.

 

[TonyD]

I think it more to do with the fact that you needed 5 seats together for your group, rather than the fact that you have children in your group, that resulted in the rear allocation. Your Silver FF preference has to also fit with the ability to find 4 other adjacent seats to seat your group together.

And the Qantas Club status comes in below Silver FF status for seating allocations. The order for Qantas FF membership is Chairmans Lounge, Platinum, Gold, Silver, Qantas Club. FF Silver and QC Silver are both Silver as far as seating allocations are concerned.

Mmmm. Possibly but we sat together in Row 9 going down to mel. - no problem, prior to school holidays. Bingo school holidays and EVERY child on board was in the rear. Someone who should be in the know confirmed that this is policy to seperate kids from business
cheers
tony

 

[acampbel]

Serfty,

So are you implying that if you OLCI the outward leg, the system will possibly check you in for the return leg (if same-day) and allocate you a pre-auto-allocation seat which defaults to the back of the bus?


Cheers,

Andrew

 

[Hawkeye]

Has anyone else noticed quirks in the auto-allocation system for return legs?

My last 2 BNE-MEL-BNE journeys have presented this very anomaly each time - auto-allocated 5C outbound, 26B inbound.

I have forward aisle set in my preference.

On one of the inbound sectors, my wife (QP PS) was allocated aisle, which further confused me, as she has forward window as her preference.

 

[serfty]

Serfty,

So are you implying that if you OLCI the outward leg, the system will possibly check you in for the return leg (if same-day) and allocate you a pre-auto-allocation seat which defaults to the back of the bus? ...

One was same day, the other was next day. While not the back of the bus, the seating was not what is normally offered to me.

When entering the OLCI process I was offered both outbound and return; I could select one, the other or both at that time. Selecting both gave good outbound, not so good return.

The allocation on these +24hour OLCI's is similar to my experience with domestic flights connecting from inbound international flights when the BP was printed more than 24 before the flight.

So, as posted, I have resolved to wait until < 24 hours before OLCI'ing for a domestic flight in future.

 

[Shano]

My last same day MEL-BNE return flight I OLCI'd for both flights at ~ 22 hours before the first flight.

Was allocated 7D for MEL-BNE and 5D for BNE-MEL. Rows 4, 13 and 14 were shown as allocated for the BNE-MEL leg, with all other seats showing as available. Printed BP with seq #1. Was able to recheck a couple of hours later and nabbed 4D for BNE-MEL.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

I vote for number 5, although that is based solely on my experience. I don't think anyone on this board actually knows how QF undertakes "tie-breakers" and if they do they aren't saying anything

Pretty sure it is not 5.

 

[oz_mark]

Pretty sure it is not 5.

I actually meant 4. Mal's numbering system got to me

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

It won't be random. Somehow I cannot see someone programming a random number generator to decide how to allocate seats.

 

[NM]

It won't be random. Somehow I cannot see someone programming a random number generator to decide how to allocate seats.

Why not? They programmed a random number generator for a lot of other things, such as baggage tagging and baggage destination.

 

[straitman]

Why not? They programmed a random number generator for a lot of other things, such as baggage tagging and baggage destination.

...ar, BUT baggage destination is only programmed in to occur when it will cause the most inconvenience. :mrgreen:

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Why not? They programmed a random number generator for a lot of other things, such as baggage tagging and baggage destination.

and some people still wonder why I don't check bags?!