On line check in

[serfty]

... [FONT=&quot]
But, what level do you have to be to be offered these seats at the OLCI? As a PS obviously going for gold maybe I was just lucky with the timing both times. Will I be offered the exit row when I reach SG level?[/FONT]

Hvr, IME at OLCI exit rows are not offered to anyone, including WP, SG - there have been reports of Quick-Check machine offering exit rows, but even then the punter still needs to see an agent to get their BP.

 

[serfty]

I just dont see the point of OLCI - obviously most flights are int'l - I preassign seats and just turn up at the F/J counter and have no trouble. Not sure what OLCI will get me...

Simon, If you ever travel Domestic, by using OCLI you can bypass many of the queues at airports when flying Qantas - especially if you have carry-on only.

This is the most basic benefit.

 

[Yada Yada]

As a Platinum FF I have come to EXPECT a middle seat blocked on a QF 737, in fact I recently complained at the Qantas Club, as I didn’t have 1, and was informed - "every flight to SYD is full today, but we HAVE given you the exit row!" (It was a state of origin NRL day.)

Qantas has SOOOOO many undocumented benefits to being a member of it's top tier! And if there is ever an empty seat on a QF flight, and it is NOT next to me, it had better be next to a pollie, or other CL level member! Thankfully, I know it will be... and I NEVER pay full fare Y!
I'm always on a red-e-deal (or other heavy "discount") when on QF, unless I buy then next fare level up for domestic upgrade purposes.

From my perspective, this is exactly what QF hopes to get from its FF pax. The lure of getting preferential seating is enough to keep you on board yet as you've indicated above there is simply no guarantee you will ever get this benefit no matter your status (unless you are the said politician or a CL member). With Virgin Blue you can guarantee yourself a seat wherever you want to sit.

 

[d15.in.oz]

Oh no, I sound like such a snob in that previous post… LOL

...there is simply no guarantee you will ever get this benefit... With Virgin Blue you can guarantee yourself a seat wherever you want to sit.

Hmmmm, "the Qantas preferential seating lure"… works for me (currently, as Platinum) - certainly doesn’t work so well* for those at the "mid range" levels of Silver or Qantas Club. (*Examples, as previously posted in other threads. Although, they are virtually assured of not getting a middle seat allocation?)

On a full B737/A320 someone is going to end up in the middle economy seat! (Granted, I reckon Virgin Blue’s “no middle seat” Embraers could have a phenomenal impact on our collective flYing psyche.) But as I pointed out in my case example, Qantas seated me in the Exit Row, on a completely full flight! This is not something Virgin Blue would do, as their business model calls for the exit row to be sold for extra dollars, rather than sold for loyalty. (And I would rather trade loyalty than dollars any day, as it is a currency that works both ways and doesn’t obviously factor on the bottom line.)

Let’s add Jetstar into the mix now, where I can choose any available seat, outside of the JetFlex zones, during booking. Therefore - I don’t need to remember to be online at T-24, I don’t need to be first in line at the airport and I have always sat in my pre-allocated Jetstar seat, note that check-in staff don’t “like” moving you, if you have pre-allocated.

One more thing worth re-mentioning, about my Jetstar experiences, in regard to Qantas Group loyalty and seat allocation – Is two fullish (both of which I have posted about previously on AFF) flights -

• One was a combined QF/JQ itinerary booked via the Qantas website (in this scenario you can’t pre-allocate seating for the JQ sector online, even after paying Qantas, then logging into the Jetstar website... possibly it can be done via phone though?). So I was relatively early to check-in, where I was asked “where would you like to sit?”, my response “forward window, middle seat blocked **flash Platinum Frequent Flyer card**”, to which the representative said “we can’t guarantee it, but…”, and the result; exactly what I had asked for @ 1F.
• The other scenario was a flight booked before seat allocation online during booking, was available, but flying after it was in place. At check-in, via Qantas Club, I was asked again “where would you like to sit?” I hesitated (as at this stage, flying Jetstar was still a fairly new experience for me) so the representative said “how about the exit row and we will try and leave the middle seat empty?” My response was obvious, and the result onboard - as I had hoped.

So, as I posted recently, I am wondering about the advantage of not pre-allocating seating on Jetstar, and then flashing my Platinum FF Card early at check-in - to see where I end up. Thinking about this, I need to account for the risk of the JetFlex zone seats being full, which seems anecdotally to be low. (Other than large corporate discounts on the advertised price, I see no advantage to anyone buying a "Flexible Ticket" on Jetstar. Possibly the price point mostly serves as a figure to make the JetSaver fare look comparatively better? As the JetSaver change fee is around $30 domestically; the worst I will ever be out of pocket is $30, whether I have to buy the Flexible ticket now, or on the day (b4) that I need it / if I need it!)

Let’s pull Tiger into the equation next, as I assume that I will eventually step onboard, because they will offer me a price/route I can’t refuse. So for an extra $5 - $25 paid during booking, their website will let me select any available seat… not just a zone request but the physical seat! (I have two apprehensions, however, with Tiger’s approach - I don’t know how high the price could go on the day (b4), if I need to change my plans [the other airline’s advertise their “top” ceiling prices], and if I do change - I might end up paying handsomely for a coughpy seat!)

So, in my case, this membership year, Qantas Group has the seat allocation situation “sewn up”.

 

[Yada Yada]

Let’s pull Tiger into the equation next, as I assume that I will eventually step onboard, because they will offer me a price/route I can’t refuse. So for an extra $5 - $25 paid during booking, their website will let me select any available seat… not just a zone request but the physical seat!

This is what anyone can have right now with Virgin Blue. For any regular fare you can allocate the physical seat you want. I haven't missed yet. For an extra fee I can guarantee an exit row and while I can't ensure which one it will be, I've alwayts checked in approx 30 mins before the flight and I always get the one I want.

 

[d15.in.oz]

This is what anyone can have right now with Virgin Blue. For any regular fare you can allocate the physical seat you want.

During online booking, before deciding whether or not to pay, or at OLCI T-24?

 

[Yada Yada]

During online booking, before deciding whether or not to pay, or at OLCI T-24?

At OLCI (24 hours or less)

 

[serfty]

Have things changed?

I broke my virgin blue virginity late last year and when doing OLCI at T-24 hours for both flights. Exit Row seats were not available to me in either case. This was MEL/BNE/MEL, booked a week prior. The fare was Fri Night up for $165, the return $85 (Sat Night).

 

[serfty]

... possibly it can be done via phone though?) ...

Yes, this is the only way to do so if on a QF codeshare with JQ Metal.

 

[Yada Yada]

Have things changed?

I broke my virgin blue virginity late last year and when doing OLCI at T-24 hours for both flights. Exit Row seats were not available to me in either case. This was MEL/BNE/MEL, booked a week prior. The fare was Fri Night up for $165, the return $85 (Sat Night).

Nothing's changed - as I mentioned above you can guarantee an exit row by paying for it. You can't do OLCI for an exit row seat but unless the the flight's full and you are the very last to check in you're odds on to get the one you want. All other seats on the flight are available for OLCI. Blue Saver and Promo fares usually cann't access the front 9 rows with OLCI although at times it can be done.

 

[acampbel]

On line check in - thumbs up

I was booked on the 6:15 Sydney to Perth flight on Monday, so when I woke up on Sunday morning I put the kettle on and then went to OLCI. My allocated seat was 31B (on a 330) which was not too shabby. Nothing better on offer so I left it there. Rechecked that afternoon for the same result. Rechecked at around 11pm and there were a few extra options, including 26D (inner aisle) with E and F showing vacant.

I then swapped to this seat with the hope that no couple would move themselves forward between then and departure time. This proved to be the case so I had a very comfortable time for the 5 hour flight.

Even if a better seat had not been available I would still choose to use OLCI so that I can print my own boarding pass and stroll on the plane at T-15, so I think it is a benefit for both parties in a number of ways. And even with el-cheapo Virgin flights I use OLCI - though it is usually to move myself back rather than forward!



Cheers,


Andrew

 

[ksthommo]

Virgin Blue Sale Fare ($109) CNS/BNE yesterday, OLCI seated 2F.
Most of my flights are sale fares and I usually get a choice up
the front and a window seat.

 

[serfty]

Nothing's changed - ...

Tnx Peter - I should have read more carefully.

 

[ajr2]

I recently booked my Wife on the Jetstar Bne - Osaka ( Kansai ) round trip to give it a try. I did the online check in 24 hrs prior and had the same seat allocation, Bne - Syd - Kansai - Syd -Bne. On arrival at luggage check in at Bne we found the seat allaocation to Bne had been changed to accomodate a group booking. No amount of presuasion would alter the coundn't give bugger attitude of the check in staff. Not a good start!

 

[benhadi]

You can do online check-in with jetstar?

How?

 

[moa999]

You can do online check-in with jetstar?

How?

Not online checkin but you can do seat selection at booking

 

[Chucksta]

Used OLCI for CNS-MEL (QF703) and MEL-PER (QF481).

I was one of the first to check in for 703 (13:30 or so) and then I noticed i could also check in for 481, which was earlier than the 24 hour check in period!

I was preallocated seats 70AB on a 747-300... WTF! :evil:

Then I noticed nearly every seat was available. It must have been before QF preallocates seats...

So all I had to do was scroll up... and pre selected 24DE.. haha..

It really sucks how my wife has window in her profile and I have aisle. We never ever get given AB or JK on a 767. It's awalys the block of the 3 in the middle. She is a SG and i'm a WP... go figure...

Chucksta

 

[serfty]

I've seen this happen (CI > 24h) occasionally and try not to use it as the seats offered generally suck. I think this situation invokes the process used for CNX flights INT-DOM where those seats generaly suck as well.

You can't always move to a better seat either.

 

[Leith Bungey]

When we flew PERSIN with SQ, I tried four times to do an OLCI. On each occasion, I rang SQ to find out why I couldn't; each time, I was given a bit more information - "Oh, they haven't put your passport details in", "Oh, they should have ..." etc. Eventually, I gave up only to find at the airport that the OLCI counter had two people waiting while we queued for fifty minutes! Perhaps everyone had experienced similar difficulties. I wrote to SQ but did not receive any real explanation.

I've been really pleased with the OLCI facilities provided by EK and QF.

 

[Tooner]

I was preallocated seats 70AB on a 747-300... WTF! :evil:

Sorry to offend you Chucksta, but I've changed from 23 to row 70K before - if you mean the row at the back when the seats change from 3 down to 2?

Great seat with extra space between the window seat and the window, and 2 seats in front to put bags & feet under.

Mind you I had checked in luggage, so being first off wasn't necessarily an issue!