Online seat allocation

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Crownie

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Hi to everyone, I'm new on the site, hoping you can help...

I'm travelling SYD-BKK-SYD on BA early next month and have been monitoring the seat allocations on www.checkmytrip.com for our party - all good so far. However, just a day or so ago it said that the seat allocation was no longer available, check with BA. Checked BA website - it says that the pre allocation has been closed.

What's the deal - is this normal?

Any thoughts?

BTW, does the fact that we got the tickets on points relegate me below fare paying pax in the seat allocation status totem pole - I'm Qantas Pub Silver

cheers
Crownie
 
Crownie said:
BTW, does the fact that we got the tickets on points relegate me below fare paying pax in the seat allocation status totem pole - I'm Qantas Pub Silver

cheers
Crownie

Hi Crownie,

I am not sure about BA but I booked a trip using points SYD-BNE-SIN-SYD flying Qantas back in June and I had my forward aisle seat pre-allocated without any problems.

A couple of years ago I flew SYD-BKK-SYD and the return leg was BA, I had forward aisle seat pre-allocated but lost the seat when I went to check-in.

Not sure what is going on. I have been reading the posts on AFF regarding confirmed seats being changed by airline or CSA at check-in without prior warning.

Good luck and hope it works out for you.
 
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Crownie said:
Hi to everyone, I'm new on the site, hoping you can help...

I'm travelling SYD-BKK-SYD on BA early next month and have been monitoring the seat allocations on www.checkmytrip.com for our party - all good so far. However, just a day or so ago it said that the seat allocation was no longer available, check with BA. Checked BA website - it says that the pre allocation has been closed.

What's the deal - is this normal?

Any thoughts?

BTW, does the fact that we got the tickets on points relegate me below fare paying pax in the seat allocation status totem pole - I'm Qantas Pub Silver

cheers
Crownie
Is that the seat map you are referring to? Or the line you click on to get the seat map. This line shows your seat number if allocated. If your seat number is still showing on that line you should be fine.

When the seating for a flight is getting very full most airlines begin to restrict public access to seat maps for commercial and other reasons.
 
Thanks for the notes - yes the seats are still showing as allocated, just the hyperlink to the seat map is disabled. I hope the flight isn't too full - it would be nice to stretch out.

Has anyone been upgraded on a seat bought with QF points on BA? Sounds to me like it would be better odds to buy a lotto ticket and hope for division 1. At least then one could afford to charter a Gulfstream G550 :wink: , but alas no points or SC

thanks
Crownie
 
When I look at my bookings in www.checkmytrip.com my seat allocations are not shown. Does anyone know why not? The itineraries come up fine.
 
Anna,

My understanding (and this is consistent with what I have experienced) is that International allows preallocation yet Domestic does not. Domestic seats are allocated by computer the night before based on status and fare type (at least that is the consensus on the forum).

So if you are wondering why your domestic trips don't allow allocation there's your answer. If you are talking about international then it's beyond my knowledge.

cheers
Crownie
 
BA are terrible when it comes to seat allocations. I have two paid business class tickets with BA later this year, and despite the seat maps on checkmytrip.com showing that there are window seats free, they refuse to allocate one to me.

Really, really annoying.
 
Thanks Crownie. I have both international and domestic bookings, all with QF - none of them show seat allocations.
 
CX has had "Online Check-in" for more than 4 years.

SQ started it last year.

When is QF going to lift their game and catch up?

On both web sites, you can check in 48 hours prior to the flight (even sending you an SMS to remind you that chack-in has opened), change (or make) seat allocations. Importantly, it allows you to arrive at the airport later while also providing a specific priority counter at most airports (CX moreso than SQ) to get your boarding pass and check luggage. Especially handy for busy times.

This allows passengers so much more control over their travel experience (power to the people!) Doesn't help getting exit rows as they're still allocated at the airport to ensure the pax is "able bodied".
 
Anna said:
Thanks Crownie. I have both international and domestic bookings, all with QF - none of them show seat allocations.
Ring Qantas, choose 'outside of Australia' and request your seats. If you do not have a ff number or your number did not get into the booking, seats are not always automatically allocated. This shows with 'check my trip' as no "seating" line or a line like "Seat(s) - Non-smoking" (as distinct from "Seat(s) 36A - Non-smoking").
 
AlwaysUpThere said:
CX has had "Online Check-in" for more than 4 years.

SQ started it last year.

When is QF going to lift their game and catch up?

On both web sites, you can check in 48 hours prior to the flight (even sending you an SMS to remind you that chack-in has opened), change (or make) seat allocations. Importantly, it allows you to arrive at the airport later while also providing a specific priority counter at most airports (CX moreso than SQ) to get your boarding pass and check luggage. Especially handy for busy times.

This allows passengers so much more control over their travel experience (power to the people!) Doesn't help getting exit rows as they're still allocated at the airport to ensure the pax is "able bodied".

If you make your booking on the SQ website, you can choose your seats at the same time. You can then view or change your allocated seats (by number) at any time prior to your flight.

If SQ can do it, then Qantas can. It just doesn't want to spend the money or give its passengers control over their own destiny.
 
clifford said:
[
If you make your booking on the SQ website, you can choose your seats at the same time. You can then view or change your allocated seats (by number) at any time prior to your flight.

If SQ can do it, then Qantas can. It just doesn't want to spend the money or give its passengers control over their own destiny.


With good reason.

The QF seating allocation system is the best in the world - bar none. QF Elites (me included) do NOT want the premium seats snapped up 364 days in advance on QF1 by Mrs 'fly once a year' who knows 12 months in advance what flight she will be on.

If I book a J seat Transpac 2 days in advance, I want a good forward aisle seat, upper deck, available. And with QF, I know it will be.

UA? Not a chance - those seats were reserved months ago.

The problem is even worse in economy.

Note to QF lurkers: You know where your bread is buttered - leave the system as it is.
 
I am rather bemused by the fact that you can "check-in" in advance.

I admittedly have been employed by QF at the airport, but my definition of "check-in" is that you are "physically present and able to board the flight" - everything else is nothing more than an advance seat-assignment, and boarding pass pre-printing (if the carrier supports bar-code BP systems).

You still need to tell the airline that you are there, at the airport, on the day you are flying out, else they will re-sell your seat (OR, you will not be able to use the seat for another flight, if you happen to get there late).

I really do have an issue with this whole thing of "checking-in" before you get to the airport. As I said, I have worked there, I have done that, they need to know who is there and who isn't, as far as allowing the flight to depart goes. "Check-in" should be reserved to airport staff. not on-line.

Dave
 
Check in is just an intention to travel indication to the airline, nothing more, and that means there is no difference to the airline whether it be done online or at the airport.

Being phsically present at the check in desk does not guarantee you are going to physically present at the boarding gate after all, and in the case of the recent traffic issues at BNE this week, people who had checked in were stuck in traffic and planes were held because the airlines knew they were travelling, including those who did not have phones to call the airline and explain their predicament!
 
thadocta said:
You still need to tell the airline that you are there, at the airport, on the day you are flying out, else they will re-sell your seat

I really do have an issue with this whole thing of "checking-in" before you get to the airport.
International Internet Check-in and Domestic On-line Check in in the USA are totally different in my view.

International airlines transfer their reservations from the "reservation computer systems" to the airport check-in/load system 48 hours prior to departure (yes, this is changing slowly with system integration...). So, "check-in" is limited to this 48 hour window. As you'd know, the majority of the time taken to "check-in" once you're at the counter is keying the data and changing any pre-assigned seats. If this is done (to a major extent) by passengers before they arrive, it saves the agent a heck of a lot of time. Internationally, they don't issue your boarding pass until you front at either the Kiosk or check-in counter at the airport (and most people travelling internationally have luggage anyway). So all passengers let the airline know they're at the airport anyway. So no problem and a FANTASTIC system that should only improve as things like smart card ID, SIM card ID.

SQ now let you check-in by SMS! As markis10 here suggests, a key benefit of this "pre-check-in" to the airlines is the confirmation of the pax intent to travel, especially those in the premium cabins on flexible fares who may neglect to inform the airline of their change of plans...

I travel so much that I will, where ever possible choose an airline that empowers me to control my travel experience, rather than have 3rd partis telling me what I can and can't do. Its something I've come to ejoy and now expect.[/quote]
 
serfty said:
When the seating for a flight is getting very full most airlines begin to restrict public access to seat maps for commercial and other reasons.
Interesting reading through this again.

I can see seat allocation through "check my trip" for my flight BNE-SIN on Dec 26, but only shows me the economy cabin, I cannot see the business class cabin. Considering I have booked economy this would be the reason but is this the same for business class passengers? They can only see seat allocations for business cabin and not economy?

For return flight SIN-BNE on January 4 I get this message "The seat map option is not available at this moment. Please contact your travel provider for information regarding your seats.". This message has been appearing for weeks now. Any clues? I know my seat number just want to see seat allocation. Also have booking SYD-BKK-SYD (haven't cancelled yet) around same time and get the same message as above.

I know it is a useful tool but very inconsistent.
 
JohnK said:
I can see seat allocation through "check my trip" for my flight BNE-SIN on Dec 26, but only shows me the economy cabin, I cannot see the business class cabin. Considering I have booked economy this would be the reason but is this the same for business class passengers? They can only see seat allocations for business cabin and not economy?

For return flight SIN-BNE on January 4 I get this message "The seat map option is not available at this moment. Please contact your travel provider for information regarding your seats.". This message has been appearing for weeks now. Any clues? I know my seat number just want to see seat allocation. Also have booking SYD-BKK-SYD (haven't cancelled yet) around same time and get the same message as above.

I know it is a useful tool but very inconsistent.


The tool is useful and it isn't the tools fault if seat maps are unavailable. If you are booked in business class you can only see business class seats and 1st class bookings can only see 1st class. Depending on allocation levels, an economy passenger may get "seat map is not available" whilst a business or 1st passenger may see the map

Your seat assignment should be viewable on checkmytrip even if the map view is unavailable I believe

Dave
 
Dave Noble said:
JohnK said:
...

For return flight SIN-BNE on January 4 I get this message "The seat map option is not available at this moment. Please contact your travel provider for information regarding your seats.". This message has been appearing for weeks now. Any clues? I know my seat number just want to see seat allocation. Also have booking SYD-BKK-SYD (haven't cancelled yet) around same time and get the same message as above.

I know it is a useful tool but very inconsistent.

...

Your seat assignment should be viewable on checkmytrip even if the map view is unavailable I believe

Dave
Dave is correct. The very fact that you get the "not available" message indicates you have clicked the link on the line that shows your actual seat allocation as in "Seat(s) 36A - Non-smoking".
 
Dave Noble said:
The tool is useful and it isn't the tools fault if seat maps are unavailable. If you are booked in business class you can only see business class seats and 1st class bookings can only see 1st class. Depending on allocation levels, an economy passenger may get "seat map is not available" whilst a business or 1st passenger may see the map

Your seat assignment should be viewable on checkmytrip even if the map view is unavailable I believe

Dave
Thanks Dave, I suspected as much in regards to being able to view seating allocation out of your booked class. :?

I did not mean to criticise the tool but rather the inconsistency that allows me to view seating allocation for outbound flight but not the return flight. :?

BTW Dave I know my allocated seat just wanted to see what else was available. :)
 
serfty said:
Dave is correct. The very fact that you get the "not available" message indicates you have clicked the link on the line that shows your actual seat allocation as in "Seat(s) 36A - Non-smoking".
Sorry serfty. I have clicked on the line showing the seat allocation for both outbound and inbound flights yet still get that message for inbound flight only. :?

Should I be clicking on a different line?
 
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