On line check in

[Chucksta]

When QF preallocates the domestic seats the night before... will your seats remain the same if you don't use OLCI and just rock up at the airport and use quick check?

Or is it actually better to get the BP from the QC service desk?

Which would get you better seats?

thanks

Chucksta

 

[Mal]

With QF, your seat should (subject to operational requirements) remain the same whether you online checkin or pick up the boarding pass from the Quick Check terminals.

A staff member may move you around in the cabin if you check in with them.

The one advantage of online checkin, is that you can revisit the checkin page multiple times before your flight and move yourself around if you want. I believe it closes off 1 hour before departure.

With Quickcheck, staff assisted checkin, you have to revisit a human to do the same.

 

[Tooner]

The one advantage of online checkin, is that you can revisit the checkin page multiple times before your flight and move yourself around if you want. I believe it closes off 1 hour before departure.

After reading the OLCI tips here, that is exactly what I do now - check in just after the open, and check back at around T - 5 (if later in afternoon; last thing at night for early AM flights).

I've often either been allocated row 23-26, or later on can move myself to a recently vacated seat.

 

[NM]

I actually much prefer the AA system where I can preselect seats after booking. I do not get much benefit from OLCI - it wouldnt even work for BA flights this weekend - whereas KI just went to a kiosk and checked in for both flights LHR-DXB-LHR and was through security into the lounge 10 mins after arriving at the terminal.

I have tried a couple of times to use OLCI and it hasnt worked well so it is easier now to just ignore it

Personally I don't like the AA process since I am often booking late in the cycle and all the once-a-year holiday flyers have taken all the aisle seats, leaving only middle seats available even for high status passengers. At least most of my AA flights are in F/J so its not such a big problem, but if travelling in Y it can be a real pain.

Last time I flew on AA with a US-based colleague, he had changed his flight the day before to be on the same flight as me. As an AA Plat passenger he ended up with a middle seat in the second last row of a 763. That would be unlikely to happen to a QF Gold FF on a QF domestic flight if the booking was changed the day before travel (before OLCI opened).

 

[simongr]

Hmm - most of my travel is not last minute and doesnt change at the last minute either and being in D/A helps as well for seat selection.

 

[justinbrett]

I would love it if Qantas used the BA model for domestic flights (and similar to their International model).

Gold and above can select a seat any time after booking. Three days before everyone else can select a seat.

Also, make the exit rows available for selection from the start. Jetstar do this now, so I can't see any safety reason why not (BA also do it for International. QF don't, I tried to on a recent trip last month).

Secondly- can somebody tell me why the hell Jetstar don't do OLCI? Do they plan to? I would think they would save money doing this?

 

[serfty]

... Also, make the exit rows available for selection from the start. Jetstar do this now, so I can't see any safety reason why not (BA also do it for International. QF don't, I tried to on a recent trip last month). ...

QF WP can call an request preallocation in Exit rows.

A month or two ago I flew BA7311 & BA9 to and from BKK. For BA9 as an oneworld Emerald I was able to select seats in exit rows using BA's MMB. The BA7311 flight is actually a QF1 codeshare. BA's MMB enabled me to select any seat but those in exit rows. I quick call to Qantas fixed this.

... Secondly- can somebody tell me why the hell Jetstar don't do OLCI? Do they plan to? I would think they would save money doing this?

I believe JQ are looking at doing so.

 

[Shano]

An article in today's The Australian confirms that Jetstar will introduce OLCI by the end of the year.

"We're going from two services a day on Melbourne-Newcastle to three a day, we're going from three a day on Brisbane-Newcastle to four a day and we're building the Gold Coast-Newcastle schedule from three a week to a daily service," Mr Joyce said.

He said the kiosks would be introduced at the airline's three biggest airports.

Along with the web check-in, it would allow Jetstar to cope with a 40 per cent growth in operations without increasing manpower at the three major airports. He said it had taken the airline a while to get the technology right, but Jetstar was now able to confirm it would introduce the system by the year's end.

Full article here

 

[futaris]

And an official statement (about low fare guarantee for International flights) on jetstar.com, says the same thing:

In a detailed presentation Mr Joyce also outlined to the Summit:
• Bureau of Transport and Regional Economics (BTRE) international passenger data for
April 2007 had identified Jetstar as the fastest growing international airline operating to
and from Australia, underpinned by the carrier’s successful introduction of value based
long haul international operations from November 2006;
• Completion of the financial agreement between the Qantas Group and Vietnam’s second
carrier Pacific Airlines for a 30 per cent shareholding remained to timetable –
representing a future franchise opportunity for Jetstar;
• Additional domestic capacity announced for key Jetstar markets including Newcastle,
Cairns and the Gold Coast;
• Establishment of online home check-in prior to the end of 2007 calendar year..

 

[Ikara]

Here's one for all of the OLCI guru's to chew on.

I flew Adelaide to Sydney this morning (Monday 6th) on QF738. Yesterday morning I checked the loading on Seat Guru (as I always do) before I logged onto Qantas to do the OLCI. Seat Guru was showing "9" in all classes except Business so I assumed it was looking like a light load at that time. Logged on (sequence #1) and was happy with my seat allocation. I noted that there were only 4 seats available for allocation between the exit rows and Business. This seemed to be at odds with Seat Guru. I checked thae back and it was much the same. Not a lot to choose from if you wanted to change seat assignment. Thought no more of it until this morning.

The flight was indeed very lightly loaded and in fact there were 3 empty rows between the exits and Business and only one middle seat was occupied in the front section of the aircraft. Very different to yesterday's OLCI. The rear of the plane was more "thickly populated", but still a lot more available seats than showed yesterday.

I thought about this on the way to Sydney and the only thing I can come up with is that the "Loadmasters" were aware of the light loading and were making sure of the distribution of passengers from a loading perspective or were they "protecting" the forward part of the aircraft for any potential full "Y" passengers that booked during the course of the day?

I'm not sure if I'm just curious or "plane" bored and with nothing else to do on the flight to Sydney tried to keep myself occupied!

Any thoughts or suggestions? Does anyone really care?

JB

 

[Mal]

If a plane is lightly loaded, then they will block certain seats for balance reasons. That is probably what happened.

I like the idea of reserved seats in case a WP/SG etc decides to change onto that flight, but alas, I don't think this happens (except perhaps the 1st row of economy which is often reserved for last minute CL members)

 

[d15.in.oz]

...were they "protecting" the forward part of the aircraft for any potential full "Y" passengers that booked during the course of the day...

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.

 

[oz_mark]

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.)

I cannot remember the last time I had a seat next to me blocked in a 737. There is always someone in the middle seat.

 

[d15.in.oz]

I cannot remember the last time I had a seat next to me blocked in a 737...

Perth is a different kettle of fish for the airlines. But if I fly on a route that Jetstar also flies, and choose to pay more for a Qantas service, i seriously have started to expect a blocked seat on QF 737's - since becoming QFF Platinum!

That and the new domestic lounge promise, are almost enough to generate another status run & QAN Group loyalty from me, rather than drop to Gold! I assume you are QFF Platinum as well.

 

[tscharke]

apologies if this has been already discussed in this thread (im just lazy and didnt want to read 4 pages )

I noticed earlier this year that i received 500 bonus points for using OLCI a couple of times! Are qantas still offering this? or was it just a dangling carrot for a while?

 

[Mal]

apologies if this has been already discussed in this thread (im just lazy and didnt want to read 4 pages )

I noticed earlier this year that i received 500 bonus points for using OLCI a couple of times! Are qantas still offering this? or was it just a dangling carrot for a while?

Actually, wasn't a carrot, it was a hook.

The promo is over now, but it had it's intended results

 

[Hvr]

Did a CBR-ADL-CBR for work last week. the OLCI gave me my regular aisle seat. When I checked in the luggage I asked for and received an exit row aisle seat, the bonus was no one in the middle seat. Very nice.
[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]

 

[tscharke]

oh well! gotta be happy with 1k bonus points then...

i always use OLCI however i still go through normal check-in in hope that flashing my non-QF affiliated OW Sapphire status card will get us extra attention.....which has worked a few times

they always say "but sir, i see you have already checked in" and my reply is always "ah yes, but the printer didnt work!"

 

[simongr]

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...

 

[serfty]

Here's one for all of the OLCI guru's to chew on. ...

Yep, I had a similar situation on a Lightly loaded flight ADL to MEL earlier this year.

OLCIing, I found myself on 7C on a 734 with WHY starting Row 4. Little option to change seat -certainly none better. Found on Boarding, I had 7A/B/C to myself with PAX in 7D, a couple in 7E/F. Flight ~¼ full with many empty seats and rows spread throughout the cabin.

We were the furtherest forward until 7D upgraded himself to 6A.