Close quarters - don't you hate it when...

[dairyfloss]

OK - so not purely a QF thread... but I'm flying QF, and as a QFF WP I reserve the right to complain here!

So, you book your flight up to Asia months in advance. You accept the fact that as it was a mega sale fare, this flight will be in Y, much as you hate the thought; it's your first non-J/F flight in a couple of years. You consider your seat selection, carefully taking into account the many options available to you as one of QFs most frequent and valued flyers. You finally decide on the aisle seat of a window pair, thinking "surely no-one will select that window and box themselves in". You watch your saved query in ExpertFlyer, pleased, as the load continues to remain very light, right through until the day that check-in opens, and indeed it does remain light. Check in finally opens. Within 30 minutes, your world comes crashing down. Some very nice person* selects the free seat next to you, when there are 30 or so other totally empty window pairs and 20 or so full middle rows of 4 that they could have gone for.

And now begins the anguish; Do I wait for arrival at the airport and hope that such a thoughtful and intelligent, upstanding member of our community* will come to their senses, or have QF at check-in hint to their mistake, relocating their freedom revoking self to some other space, OR, do I move my own freedom seeking self to another window pair further back in the bird, and hope that the check-in formalities for such lovely, kind and considerate human beings* on my particular flight has been reached.

Oh, the pain... the pain of it all! Thank god for the F-lounge champagne breakfast beforehand! I may need it.

Annoyed,
Matt.


* words selected for forum moderation purposes only.

 

[RichardMEL]

You're assuming a pax selected the seat themselves vs the allocation algorithm picking first window open if window is in their profile....

 

[Mike65]

Oh no - the horror of having to sit next to someone on a flight. You poor thing. Hope the champagne was served at the right temperature, otherwise we might have a lawsuit on our hands

 

[dairyfloss]

You're assuming a pax selected the seat themselves vs the allocation algorithm picking first window open if window is in their profile....

Well, this is possible... but now all you've done is make me hate mathematics as well!

 

[Mattg]

If there's another free window pair further back, why not just move there?

 

[dairyfloss]

If there's another free window pair further back, why not just move there?

Well, see, this is part of my [clearly exaggerated] anguish... what if I move back and the same happens again there...

 

[TonyHancock]

You consider your seat selection, carefully taking into account the many options available to you as one of QFs most frequent and valued flyers.

I thought you said you were Platinum?

 

[SeatBackForward]

Could it be a shadow considering you are WP ?

 

[dairyfloss]

I thought you said you were Platinum?

Haha! Exactly... perhaps a P1 or CL has selected this one in the hopes that they can distress and displace this pax, and then - presuming victory - a shadow will be left for their enjoyment

Could it be a shadow considering you are WP ?

Not this time, I'm afraid. EF suggests it's a real BIS

 

[TonyHancock]

Haha! Exactly... perhaps a P1 or CL has selected this one in the hopes that they can distress and displace this pax, and then - presuming victory - a shadow will be left for their enjoyment

I had exactly the same experience as a P1 a couple of years back on a flight to PVG. I actually moved three times only to find that almost immediately I had a seat mate. It was a flight that was probably three quarters full. I just put it down to the P1 team dedicated to finding me a seat mate. If the rest of Qantas was as good as the team dedicated to finding me a seat mate QF would be unstoppable.

 

[serfty]

It can be a game; these days I just try to live with it ... I used to say, select seat E of an empty DEFG block hoping the other seats would remain free. Then would come the check-ing and rechecking hoping selection of another seat in the block was deterred.

These days I just select second row economy aisle; what will be will be ...

 

[mrsterryn]

I am crossing all fingers and toes and my husband's eyes to try and make sure nobody takes the middle sear in premium for syd to London.
*grumble* didn't get upgraded so husband is safe alone in business .

 

[dairyfloss]

I just try to live with it ... I used to say, select seat E of an empty DEFG block hoping the other seats would remain free. Ten would come the check-ing and rechecking hoping selection of another seat in the block was deterred.

These days I just select second row economy aisle; what will be will be ...

Yes. I know, I know - and precisely what I have done in just about every regard. Not sure I could have ever chanced locking down a row by choosing a solo 'E' seat, though! That's some high risk playmaking, that is!

 

[Captain Halliday]

If the load is as light as you say it is, why not stick with your original selection and ask the CSM if you can move when the seat belts signs is switched off.

Or point out all the empty rows to your new friend and hope that he/she moves.

 

[JohnK]

Could it be a shadow considering you are WP ?

That could well be the right answer.

 

[cove]

Better order the G650 if this keeps happening.
I don't like my personal space getting removed in lifts, queues and planes so I am a fan of a 1 2 1 configuration rather than a 9 across deal.
Sometimes it just all goes wrong.

 

[dairyfloss]

Well, it ended up being quite a full flight after all that lead up monitoring, but I've been looked after by QF, regardless, with a seat in a forward window pair, and a blocked seat by my side...

Cheers,
Matt.

 

[v1nce007]

Better order the G650 if this keeps happening.
I don't like my personal space getting removed in lifts, queues and planes so I am a fan of a 1 2 1 configuration rather than a 9 across deal.
Sometimes it just all goes wrong.

Indeed. I like going to the gym when it's quiet but inevitably someone will get on the treadmill right next to mine even when there are plenty of free ones available.

 

[love_the_life]

Them's are the breaks. You win some; you lose some
But in this case sounds like the OP did OK.

 

[JohnK]

N

Them's are the breaks. You win some; you lose some

But some lose more than others.

Is there anyone that wins more than they lose?