Gold flyer downgraded seating

[Warks]

Normally when I get the travel reminder 48 hours before flying I can always switch seats from row 7 (the best I can get on booking as a SG) to at least row 4.
Today I've found that rows 3-6 are still blocked out even now 36 hours before flying. I will keep an eye on it but I'm betting that the NBs will end up getting these seats on checking in at the airport.

So it looks like SG is not much better than PS now with Virgin. Another enhancement. Hope it's just a glitch.

 

[pblackie]

Normally when I get the travel reminder 48 hours before flying I can always switch seats from row 7 (the best I can get on booking as a SG) to at least row 4.
Today I've found that rows 3-6 are still blocked out even now 36 hours before flying. I will keep an eye on it but I'm betting that the NBs will end up getting these seats on checking in at the airport.

So it looks like SG is not much better than PS now with Virgin. Another enhancement. Hope it's just a glitch.

Could well be a flight with a lot of WP's on it or a few WP's who have booked their entourage into rows 3-6

 

[bullerdude]

Any chance at T-24 hours?

 

[Major]

I have a similar problem which is why I do not check in online. I ask the lounge angels when I arrive and if the seats are still available they usually bump me to Row 3

 

[Jousams]

So it looks like SG is not much better than PS now with Virgin. Another enhancement. Hope it's just a glitch.

Don't worry, it doesn't get much better as a WP. The amount of times I book a last minute flight/use fly ahead and end up in rows 5-12 and there is a truckload of NB's in 3-5. Why just last Friday.....


(off topic)Although my favourite is still having to pay for a soft drink on a flexi fare...

 

[Bolthead]

Don't worry, it doesn't get much better as a WP. The amount of times I book a last minute flight/use fly ahead and end up in rows 5-12 and there is a truckload of NB's in 3-5. Why just last Friday.....


(off topic)Although my favourite is still having to pay for a soft drink on a flexi fare...

I often wonder how some people know the status of passengers on a plane just by looking at them. I am not having a go at you as other threads/posts have also mentioned this. Just intrigued....

 

[Jousams]

I often wonder how some people know the status of passengers on a plane just by looking at them. I am not having a go at you as other threads/posts have also mentioned this. Just intrigued....

On Friday I was charging my phone & my IPad at the gate, they were in the general boarding line.
So they also could have been PS/lounge member.

 

[OzEire]

VA did similar to me few days ago; flying with my NB wife we had preselected 4A & 4C on an E190.

At checkin the frowny agent hands me 4A and 15D. Not sure what came over me but I insisted we sit together and the frowny agent issued me 15F.

Yay for WP status.

Why didn't the preselected seats stick ? Frowny agent says "sometimes that happens".

 

[Warks]

I looked again at T-24 but could only get row 6. It looked like the first three rows have been blocked out for a group of DYKWIAs. I will see in a couple of hours. It's only SYD-TSV so it's hardly ever full.

As for spotting NBs there's a general air of "wow I'm on a plane" about them which is made more apparent by the number of times they look at their boarding passes which allows my eagle eyes to spot their lack of status.


I could also only get to row 5 for my return flight. Hmmm.

 

[hummel]

I found the same thing last weekend and this weekend. I could only get row 6 on CBR-MEL yesterday as SG... in the end used fly ahead and got row 13 with the wife so can't complain.

 

[hydrabyss]

VA did similar to me few days ago; flying with my NB wife we had preselected 4A & 4C on an E190.

At checkin the frowny agent hands me 4A and 15D. Not sure what came over me but I insisted we sit together and the frowny agent issued me 15F.

Yay for WP status.

Why didn't the preselected seats stick ? Frowny agent says "sometimes that happens".

You took this better than I would have.I think it comes down to the checkin person and how they are feeling on the day.

 

[Warks]

Actually I got row 5 for the flight up (no one in the middle) and row 6 for the flight back - couldn't get closer - the WP shadow blocked out the centre seat in all rows but mine (in 3-6). The boganish couple who sat next to me would probably have been NBs or less judging by the first things they said on sitting down: "The seats are comfortable at least" "Yeah better than Jetstar."

 

[VMC73]

I have no doubt when I fly with my 2 children in row 3 people would think we are NB's but are actually all platinum.
When travelling with my also platinum husband we usually board as one of the last and do not use the priority line as he prefers it this way.
More often than not we check in bags so unless someone happened to spot our boarding pass would have no idea that we are all plats and I believe would assume NB status.
I have never had a problem getting row 3, so maybe there are just more plats out there than you think?

 

[Warks]

I have never had a problem getting row 3, so maybe there are just more plats out there than you think?

I know there are a lot of WPs from my experiences flying SYD-MEL or SYD-BNE but SYD-TSV is a different matter. That's my regular bus and I'm always in row 4 (experience of 40 or more flights) with the odd row 3.

I always make sure I get on early to secure space for my bag - I think that's what most regulars do. Even more important in row 3 as there's no seat in front to jam a bag under.