Bumped - should I have been informed

[Barondupon]

Now, not trying to sound like a DYKWIA, I fly weekly MEL-ADL and make a point of booking row 4 at -80 hours when it becomes available. At -2 hours I logged on to check all was well to discover I had been bumped to 6F. Now I am a large man so there is a big difference to me and I would have gone exit rows as second option and now I am in danger of being squished in against a window and so have to head to the back of the plane to get an aisle seat. At QP it was confirmed that I did have the seat but some muso had paid for an additional seat and row 4 was the only place he and instrument (cello I assume) could go.

I understand that there are people / situations more worthy. My question is - should Qantas not give me a call or send me an SMS to let me know? I would have thought that that was just a courtesy. Old fashioned expectation?

 

[Hvr]

I would be ropable if this had happened to me and agree you should have been called to discuss how to remedy the situation.

At the very least they should've moved you to an aisle seat.

 

[Pushka]

I understand that there are people / situations more worthy. My question is - should Qantas not give me a call or send me an SMS to let me know? I would have thought that that was just a courtesy. Old fashioned expectation?

They don't guarantee seat allocation. I was travelling with my 85 year old mum and had a JASA fare. We were naturally seated together until perhaps six hours before the flight. When we checked in we had been separated . The lady in the Business Lounge picked it up as silly me assumed we were still together. She took one look at mum, who is blind, and we were back together again. We were both on the same PNR and still got separated. And the lady did not know why.

 

[rogerkambah]

Now, not trying to sound like a DYKWIA, I fly weekly MEL-ADL and make a point of booking row 4 at -80 hours when it becomes available. At -2 hours I logged on to check all was well to discover I had been bumped to 6F. Now I am a large man so there is a big difference to me and I would have gone exit rows as second option and now I am in danger of being squished in against a window and so have to head to the back of the plane to get an aisle seat. At QP it was confirmed that I did have the seat but some muso had paid for an additional seat and row 4 was the only place he and instrument (cello I assume) could go.

I understand that there are people / situations more worthy. My question is - should Qantas not give me a call or send me an SMS to let me know? I would have thought that that was just a courtesy. Old fashioned expectation?

Personally I think that as a WP you have been treated rather shabbily. However as Pushka says they don't guarantee seat allocation. Common courtesy would be a call, not just an SMS.

Now I'm hoping my wife and I don't get separated on CBR-SYD-BKK-SYD in August/ September on JASA/Classic (J) separate bookings (don't ask why).

 

[ftm]

Qantas have created a bit if a monster in seating allocation... With the different layers of paid, free, status blocked, T-80 etc that its not surprising people get a bit miffed when their previously allocated seat us changed.

Gone are the days of rocking up at check in, flattering the eye lids and hoping for a good seat.

But in the end, nothing is guaranteed and if there wasn't anywhere else for this gentleman's musical instrument, then what else were they meant to do?

 

[Barondupon]

Qantas have created a bit if a monster in seating allocation... With the different layers of paid, free, status blocked, T-80 etc that its not surprising people get a bit miffed when their previously allocated seat us changed.

Gone are the days of rocking up at check in, flattering the eye lids and hoping for a good seat.

But in the end, nothing is guaranteed and if there wasn't anywhere else for this gentleman's musical instrument, then what else were they meant to do?

Call me and talk me through my options? As I said earlier this is not about losing the seat - it's about the actions after that...

 

[Pushka]

Call me and talk me through my options? As I said earlier this is not about losing the seat - it's about the actions after that...

But I don't think Qantas needed to call you. You could have had the window seat in the same row.

 

[Hvr]

But I don't think Qantas needed to call you. You could have had the window seat in the same row.

But he wanted the aisle. He specifically chose the aisle and was moved to a window.

Why couldn't the muso and instrument have sat in the last row?

 

[mannej]

Why couldn't the muso and instrument have sat in the last row?

Because that would have ended up on no news as how QF treat musicians with such disrespect!

 

[Travel Guru]

As others have said, seat requests are just that and not guaranteed.

I think a phone call to discuss options is a bit of an overkill when you're talking about a 55 minute flight, it's not like you were flying SYD-LAX and lost your assigned seat.

TG

 

[Pushka]

But he wanted the aisle. He specifically chose the aisle and was moved to a window.

Why couldn't the muso and instrument have sat in the last row?

Maybe the muso was CL? P1? I still think a phone call is not necessary just for being moved from aisle to window.

 

[QFBOY]

Have to agree with Travel Guru on this issue.
I understand your annoyed, thankfully it's a short flight.
I have been moved for a vision impaired customer even after being checked in,
( got a call whilst in the lounge) the travel agent forgot to tell the airline.
If an airline had to call you and everyone else for a minor seat change, it would never end.

 

[Barondupon]

As others have said, seat requests are just that and not guaranteed.

I think a phone call to discuss options is a bit of an overkill when you're talking about a 55 minute flight, it's not like you were flying SYD-LAX and lost your assigned seat.

TG

If you put it like that I do sound a bit like a DYKWIA so I'll just crawl back into my box.

 

[tuapekastar]

Have to agree with Travel Guru on this issue.
I understand your annoyed, thankfully it's a short flight.
I have been moved for a vision impaired customer even after being checked in,
( got a call whilst in the lounge) the travel agent forgot to tell the airline.
If an airline had to call you and everyone else for a minor seat change, it would never end.

Annoying to be shifted, but I think the bolded bit above is most relevant. I suspect many seating shuffles do occur.

 

[Anna]

the instrument (cello I assume)

Perhaps the cello was abbreviated on the pax manifest as CL

 

[mannej]

Fair play to the OP for putting his hand up.
Agreed if people were called each time
It would never end

 

[Barondupon]

It seems the point of this post has been missed (especially by those who attitude to pretty much everything is to HTFU).

The point is that when the original seat allocation is changed an SMS can be auto-generated to the person affected. The person affected can then go on-line to see what the options are and book another seat. This could all be automated.

 

[JohnK]

I was moved again for what appeared to be no reason on a PER-BNE flight.

I had chosen 23J and was moved to 24D. Not the end of the world but I was told I moved as the bassinet was required. This was ~30 minutes from boarding. Lie! Not a single baby on the flight and it was a lightly loaded flight.

Boarded to find 2 guys with no status sitting in 23JK and 23AB vacant.

Why was I moved? Because they can? I choose a seat because I prefer to sit there and would appreciate it if people leave my seating allocations alone without consultation. It has been happening way too often of late.

Oh and if seating allocation does not mean anything and is not guaranteed then do not offer it as a benefit and lets have a free for all at boarding....

 

[Pushka]

But they have the selected seat issue covered with the "operational purposes" rider. I can see why it would be annoying for this to happen when there seems to be no reason for doing so. Doesn't make much sense to annoy people for no purpose.

In our case, they split mum and I who were on the same PNR. Booked two JASA's, months in advance, obviously seated together in J until the morning of the flight. Who knows why that happened. She would have annoyed the heck out of the J person whom she would have been seated next to (full cabin) as she likes to chat and make friends. Not always the thing to do on a business flight. . I should have left it and the complaints might have made Qantas rethink this stuff again.

 

[BAM1748]

No, I don't think a call is warranted for a seat move, if it's happened then so be it. Deal with it face to face when you check in.

We seem to becoming a society of me me me.

ANyone who thinks they should receive a call for a domestic seat move should click here and get produce their 'black' card of what ever variety. The World's Most Advanced Business Jet Aircraft - Gulfstream

Matt