Big development! Qantas seat selection!

[serfty]

I just received an emailed itinerary from AA for an upcoming award trip that includes a QF domestic flight. This itinerary includes seat numbers (2A and 2C) for the Qantas domestic flights. This itinerary was issued this morning by AA. Previous versions of the itinerary for this trip did not show seat allocations for the QF domestic flights.

These seat assignments are also showing under the booking reference on aa.com where they previous showed as "unassigned".

You will probably find these seat allocations showing up on C/M/T as well as the C/M/T seat map approximation.

It is for the booking I made this morning - two segments are showing 5C as my allocated seat (other then that - rather empty {taking the Empty Wheelchair seat = Allocated problem into account}).


EDIT: Interesting - the exit row seats which C/M/T traditionally show as blocked are showing as empty.

 

[docjames]

JohnK, I think you're in the minority thinking it has to do with ticket price / fare class.


As Silver, and travelling a mix of business and leisure (both self funded), I always go for the cheapest available fare. This basically means almost all y flights are red e-deals (O/N) or if not availaable and i'm desperate for dates, Super saver (S). I seem to always end up between rows 8 and 15 on a 738. i got third row on a moderately loaded 763 (int config). Looking around, all those around and ahead of me are silver, gold or plat (on their BPs).

My father has CL - he always (i'm not sure i could name a time otherwise) gets one of the first two rows of Y, irrespective of ticket (classic award, E-deal or other). That's when his upgrade is n/a (which is intermittant).

I dont disagree you seem to have worse luck than others regarding seating (especially for a WP), but I just dont think the fare class makes a difference to seating.

 

[NM]

You will probably find these seat allocations showing up on C/M/T as well as the C/M/T seat map approximation.

Yes, the seat allocations show in CMT, but no seatmap visible there.

 

[Grooba]

I dont disagree you seem to have worse luck than others regarding seating (especially for a WP), but I just dont think the fare class makes a difference to seating.

Agreed. I would think that regarding domestic travel there would be only 2 factors that come into play.

1. Status
2. How quick you can access the OLCI once the flight time is T-24hours.

There's obviously other factors like people travelling with babies needing the bassinet seats, super tall people physically needing exit rows, etc.

For example if there are 6 WP's on a flight and each of their seating prefs are for forward aisle, and the plane is a 737, would i be correct in assuming that seats 4C and 4D would go to the first 2 WP's to use the OLCI?

Also, if a SG went to use the OLCI after the first 2 WP's had taken 4C and 4D, would the SG be able to see say 5C and 5D for example, even though the other 4 WP's had not yet OLCI'd and their prefs are also forward aisle?

 

[Dave Noble]

I am not sure that is an automate process.

It is entirely automatic. I have seen it happen ...

Agent tries to check available seats and finds seat map closed
Agent inserts AA Platinum number into booking - automatically shows as Sapphire
Agent again attempts to check available seats and it is available including seats in the entitled seating area

Even so, there is nothing saying in that short release that domestic pre-allocated seating is being implemented, just that seat selection will be available on qantas.com. It could still be being limited to international flights

Dave

 

[NM]

Even so, there is nothing saying in that short release that domestic pre-allocated seating is being implemented, just that seat selection will be available on qantas.com. It could still be being limited to international flights.

Indeed this is true. But something has changed regarding domestic seating allocations as reflected in them showing on things like CheckMyTrip.com and aa.com. So while the announcement to QF Agents does not specific international or domestic, it would appear there are changes afoot for domestic. The exact extent of said changes is yet to be defined to us.

 

[simongr]

It is entirely automatic. I have seen it happen ...

Agent tries to check available seats and finds seat map closed
Agent inserts AA Platinum number into booking - automatically shows as Sapphire
Agent again attempts to check available seats and it is available including seats in the entitled seating area

Even so, there is nothing saying in that short release that domestic pre-allocated seating is being implemented, just that seat selection will be available on qantas.com. It could still be being limited to international flights

Dave

Again to clarfy I was talking about preferences.

 

[JohnK]

JohnK, I think you're in the minority thinking it has to do with ticket price / fare class.

Why am in the minority when I have proof what is happening to me on almost every flight. I have to use OLCI over and over and eventually manage to get the first seat in WHY more often than not but I should not be wasting my time using OLCI. There have been times when I have been one of the first to use OLCI and there are 6-7 spare aisle seats in front of where I have been pre-allocated a seat. Why?

It is one of the reasons I hate and do not book any 737's on domestic routes as they only have 2 aisle seats per row and I prefer the 767s which have 4 aisle seats per row.

I dont disagree you seem to have worse luck than others regarding seating (especially for a WP), but I just dont think the fare class makes a difference to seating.

I think fare type has to make a huge difference otherwise someone at Qantas has somehow overriden my profile. I cannot consistently be getting seats that far back as a Platinum.

And the thing I hate the most is when I have not being able to get one of the first seats in WHY and I see the people sitting in these seats with NO or lesser status. It is really annoying especially when someone with sequence #149 (second last to check-in) is sitting in 4C on a 734 with no status showing on the boarding pass. Not even a QFF member....

For example if there are 6 WP's on a flight and each of their seating prefs are for forward aisle, and the plane is a 737, would i be correct in assuming that seats 4C and 4D would go to the first 2 WP's to use the OLCI?

No. We are all given theoretical seats when seats are pre-allocated. I can only get a seat already pre-allocated to another Platinum if they have changed seats or moved to another flight.

 

[uzza]

Qantas Advance Seat Selection
21 May 2009

From Wednesday 27 May 2009 Qantas' Chairman's Lounge, Platinum, Gold and Silver Frequent Flyer members will be able to select their seat at qantas.com immediately after booking.

In preparation for this new product roll out, changes to existing business rules for seat selection will be reflected in GDS systems from Tuesday 19 May 2009.

Travel Agents will continue to view seat maps in the same format however, different seat choices depending on the customer's eligibility and status may be observed.

Please note: there are no changes to existing handling processes for seat requests via QIC or Telesales and a detailed list of Frequently Asked Questions will be provided on this site shortly.

So it would be fair to assume from this news that QP members will not get access to this seat selection? Bugger! I'm only NB (soon QP NB), it would have been nice for the QP membership to give access to seat selections.

 

[Grooba]

And the thing I hate the most is when I have not being able to get one of the first seats in WHY and I see the people sitting in these seats with NO or lesser status. It is really annoying especially when someone with sequence #149 (second last to check-in) is sitting in 4C on a 734 with no status showing on the boarding pass. Not even a QFF member....

This also boggles my mind, how is this possible?

 

[docjames]

Why am in the minority when I have proof what is happening to me on almost every flight. =. Why?

Because it only seems to happen to you! Other WPs and CLs travelling on "cheap tickets" seem to get ok seat allocations. Hence why it's not the ticket class, it's just you!

I think fare type has to make a huge difference otherwise someone at Qantas has somehow overriden my profile. I cannot consistently be getting seats that far back as a Platinum.

As above, it doesnt seem to happen to other WPs, so to me it's not fare class. Dont know what it is though - agree its unfair and weird.

It is really annoying especially when someone with sequence #149 (second last to check-in) is sitting in 4C on a 734 with no status showing on the boarding pass. Not even a QFF member....

Probably the person in 4C (who likely was WP) got a last minute upgrade (ODU), and the late checkin took the seat. Likely becuase it's easier for the airline to put them in the seat than to move you, find you, print antoher boarding pass etc. I'm not saying that should be acceptable (to you or other WPs), but is probably how it is/was. Or, they're a nothing and got 4C because the person in 4B is CL or similar. Short of asking them next time it happens, you'll never know.:-|

 

[Kendall Roy]

Qantas Seating - Sydney Airport Message Board

Looks like DOM bookings as well (sorry if this has already been mentioned).

Finally some value as a PS

 

[NM]

This also boggles my mind, how is this possible?

Probably because the Platinum or Chairmans Lounge person that was originally allocated 4C decided to change to a different flight at the last minute, opening up that seat just before #149 non-status passenger checked in.

 

[dede]

I wonder whether this means that existing bookings will be able to choose seat allocation as well?

 

[aus_flyer]

I wonder whether this means that existing bookings will be able to choose seat allocation as well?

I can confirm yes.

 

[anat0l]

As a WP now I can regularly get almost any seat I want on the plane, including almost every front row seat most of the time. Plus, I also always buy BFOD (usually O class fares). I have heavy status run coming up soon, so I'll put that WP "benefit" on OLCI to the test!

Admittedly, I'm not flying in the "rush hour" flights like JohnK, lesser so in the BNE/SYD/MEL triangle. I OLCI at T-24 about 15% of the time, with the median time being about T-20 or so.

An exception today - I OLCI'ed for QF2300 at T-24 this morning, but the best I could get was 6A or 5A. Everything forward of that is blocked - and still is now. Only people I can think of that may be "blocking" those seats are those WPs who work in the mining industry.

 

[aus_flyer]

Something else worth mentioning.... front row Y and J is blocked on all flights.... obviously for bassinets.

So don't think you'll be able to rush in and get front row, unfortunately.

 

[dot]

As above, it doesnt seem to happen to other WPs, ...

While it's been ok for me on recent domestic flights, I have had plenty of domestic flights where I have been allocated 12-18 rows back from the front of Y (my pref is forward window) when I OLCI, there are plenty of available window seats ahead of me. If I didnt OLCI, I would be stuck down the back. The seat allocation system is FAR from perfect. I cant say that it is due to ticket price as that varies depending on how late I booked typically and I have not observed any corellation between the price and seat allocation.

 

[dede]

Up until last weekend I was surprised at how good my seat allocation was.

Last weekend however I was sitting in the second last row on three flights during a status/mileage run. I was in no hurry so it wasn't a problem in getting out quickly.

 

[JohnK]

This also boggles my mind, how is this possible?

When you work it out please let me know.

Because it only seems to happen to you! Other WPs and CLs travelling on "cheap tickets" seem to get ok seat allocations. Hence why it's not the ticket class, it's just you!

OK so the only sensible answer is someone has sabotaged my profile at Qantas and why?

As above, it doesnt seem to happen to other WPs, so to me it's not fare class. Dont know what it is though - agree its unfair and weird.

It is extremely unfair and weird as I work hard to get Platinum status only to have people with lesser status getting better seats.

Probably the person in 4C (who likely was WP) got a last minute upgrade (ODU), and the late checkin took the seat. Likely becuase it's easier for the airline to put them in the seat than to move you, find you, print antoher boarding pass etc.

I am not expecting to be shifted to 4C but it is quite strange how someone with no status and late check-in gets to sit in front WHY seat.

Great example of my luck was last Sundays flight SYD-BNE on 767 and I did not OLCI until quite late but was allocated 27D on the 767 with the mini WHY cabin of row 23,24 in front. The front cabin showed relatively full just before the flight and I managed to get 24F. When we boarded and just before take-off there was only 7 people in the mini cabin. After take-off I sat in 23J with an empty 23K and no one in 24JK. Why couldn't I get 23J when I used OLCI? Please don't tell me 8 people decided to move flights from the time I OLCIed and the time we boarded.

Personally I think people that are getting good seat allocations are playing musical chairs and it is unfair on the rest of us. And yes I am jinxed now and I have been all my life and I do not expect a sudden change in luck in this lifetime....