Online Seat Allocation

[duffshot]

Well put Acampbel.

I think you are over reacting JohnK. The number of people I know who don't even think about what seat they are in and are just happy to get on the plane in a Y seat way outnumbers those who know exactly what seat they want. The ones that do are mostly FFs who QF accomodates pretty well with a preference system based on status. Those who fly the most get the better seat and the better chance of getting what they want which makes business sense - if they change airlines it will have the biggest impact on the bottom line.

I am a big supporter of the current system - as most WPs would be.

 

[JohnK]

I think you are over reacting JohnK.

If you looked up the phrase over reacting in the dictionary you will find a picture of me next to it. If I had a chance to change history which events would I change? What if the sun burned out? Is there a Santa Claus? How would humanity react when they really find out there is a God? What would I expect to see if I reached the end of the universe? Am I able to go outside our universe, and if so what am I likely to find? Another universe? Are we merely a figment of someone's imagination?

So I think too much.

The number of people I know who don't even think about what seat they are in and are just happy to get on the plane in a Y seat way outnumbers those who know exactly what seat they want.

We don't hang around the same people then.

Most people I know care where they sit in a plane. Most want forward aisle or exit row. They care who is seated next to them. Are they a yobbo, do they smell, do they talk too much, do they drink too much?

The ones that do are mostly FFs who QF accomodates pretty well with a preference system based on status. Those who fly the most get the better seat and the better chance of getting what they want which makes business sense - if they change airlines it will have the biggest impact on the bottom line.

I agree with you partly but my needs are just as important as yours. I didn't say Joe Nobody should get a better seat than Joe W@nker but he should get a better seat than Jeff Nobody if he booked before him. If 2 people pay the same price for a seat then the person who booked and paid first should have the preference. Not who turns up to the airport first or is in a quicker check in queue. Remember in business all customers are important, whether you buy 6 beers or 12 beers.

If I go to bunnings and buy the last barbeque in the shop for say $350, they put a sold sign on it. If you walk in and want a barbeque they tell you the next shipment does not arrive for another week, but you really want that barbeque and you start offering more, they tell you where to go. Too late it is already sold.

The way it could and does happen with airlines is I could be confirmed on a flight 12 months in advance but I could lose that seat to a w@nker who books 2 days before flight and paid twice what I paid. What about my plans? I need to be somewhere. Who cares? I care. The airline should care. Mr W@nker we really value your business but we are sorry there are no seats left on the flight try the next one. You should have booked earlier, Mr Joe Nobody did. That is not hard. Why in the hell do you all have flight availability tools? Is it to see if there is any room on a flight? Now to me that is logical but obviously if you are w@nker it is not good enough. We are w@nkers, we have the right to have a seat on any flight we wish. Absolute and utter garbage. Get off your high horses and join the rest of society. Being a w@nker is nothing special. You just fly more than most. Big deal. You are more than likely to have a good job that involves overseas travel or even own your own business. Some of you are self funded w@nkers. Not sure why but you obviously have a love of flying and status.

Even better is when you are told you can't have your forward aisle seat because they wanted to keep a family together. So you are put somewhere in the smoking section. Why not put the family in the smoking section and leave me alone. I don't owe anyone on that plane anything.

I am a big supporter of the current system - as most WPs would be.

And so you should be a big supporter. It suits w@nkers. It works. But does not necessarily make it right.

Boy what a long reply sorry. And that is only the tip of the iceberg.

 

[Dave Noble]

". Being a w@nker is nothing special. You just fly more than most. Big deal"

The fact that the WP flies more than most *IS* the point. They are the ones that likely provide a decent amount of money to QF in a year unlike the once a year traveller

The system may not be ideal for someone who doesn't travel a lot, but hey, which customers do you think QF is most inclined to want to keep happy

It may not be good for you, but ... *shrug*

Dave

 

[JohnK]

". Being a w@nker is nothing special. You just fly more than most. Big deal"

The fact that the WP flies more than most *IS* the point. They are the ones that likely provide a decent amount of money to QF in a year unlike the once a year traveller

The system may not be ideal for someone who doesn't travel a lot, but hey, which customers do you think QF is most inclined to want to keep happy

It may not be good for you, but ... *shrug*

Dave you disagree with what I think and that is fine.

I am not referring about my experiences even though I use the term "I". I have had a really great deal with airlines so far. Business class return SYD-BKK on a $1600 ticket, upgrade to business on Finnair BKK-SIN, I have my forward aisle preference allocated every time, except for one flight on BA when they gave me window in smoking section. I am only PS at the moment but will be SG in just over month. I may even end up being a w@nker at some time in the future.

We know how the airline system works right now and it is working fine for most people. I say leave it alone don't touch it. But surely I can express my opinion even though people may think I am wrong. Hell, I might even think I am wrong if I see some of my opinions will not work in practice.

Just remember that for every 60 or 70 travelling in F & J, and that is only certain flights, there are around 300 or more travelling in WHY. Airlines cannot survive on just business class and first class alone. In fact most of the people travelling in business many times are people travelling on upgrade credits (yes I know no more), FF points (no great $value to bottom line), operational upgrades, airline staff, heavily discounted F & J. Airlines need the nobodies to survive.

 

[Dave Noble]

So , you are agreeing that it works for most people and that it doesnt need changing , so why all the posts complaining about it?

No system works for ALL people, if it works for most people, then thats good

Dave

 

[JohnK]

So , you are agreeing that it works for most people and that it doesnt need changing , so why all the posts complaining about it?

No system works for ALL people, if it works for most people, then thats good

Not complaining. It may sound that way. Just my thoughts on trying to make it better/fairer for everyone. Different ideas. The existing system has some anomalies/loop holes that should not be there.

It is a discussion board after all.

 

[BlacKnox]

It is a discussion board after all.

Yep, you're right there. Take a chill pill man :!:

 

[shillard]

1.I agree with you partly but my needs are just as important as yours. I didn't say Joe Nobody should get a better seat than Joe W@nker but he should get a better seat than Jeff Nobody if he booked before him. If 2 people pay the same price for a seat then the person who booked and paid first should have the preference. Not who turns up to the airport first or is in a quicker check in queue. Remember in business all customers are important, whether you buy 6 beers or 12 beers.


2. The way it could and does happen with airlines is I could be confirmed on a flight 12 months in advance but I could lose that seat to a w@nker who books 2 days before flight and paid twice what I paid. What about my plans? I need to be somewhere. Who cares? I care. The airline should care. .

1. Nope, your needs are not as important as mine. If you think otherwise, tough.

2. I don't care about your needs comrade - and if you think everyone should be treated equally I suggest you bugger off to North Korea or some other socialist worker's paradise.


Life is a competitive sport - airline travel doubly so. 'Private Law' exists in pretty much all arenas of life - either adapt and thereby improve your own condition, or suck it up.

QF won't be bending backwards to change their seating system because the likes of you demand it. They know damn well where their bread is buttered, and they rightfully exploit that elite customer base by providing them with advantages that are not extended to the rest of the customer base. To act otherwise would be insane.

Is it fair? No.

Do I care? No.

Should it be fair? No. Nothing else is - so if you want some great crusade for equity for all men on Earth, I suggest you pick a better starting point than the QF seating allocation system.

 

[straitman]

Shillard is straight to the point as always. 8) 8) 8)

 

[JohnK]

1. Nope, your needs are not as important as mine. If you think otherwise, tough.

2. I don't care about your needs comrade - and if you think everyone should be treated equally I suggest you bugger off to North Korea or some other socialist worker's paradise.


Life is a competitive sport - airline travel doubly so. 'Private Law' exists in pretty much all arenas of life - either adapt and thereby improve your own condition, or suck it up.

QF won't be bending backwards to change their seating system because the likes of you demand it. They know damn well where their bread is buttered, and they rightfully exploit that elite customer base by providing them with advantages that are not extended to the rest of the customer base. To act otherwise would be insane.

Is it fair? No.

Do I care? No.

Should it be fair? No. Nothing else is - so if you want some great crusade for equity for all men on Earth, I suggest you pick a better starting point than the QF seating allocation system.

That is all you have to say.

Come on you can insult me better than that. Your reputation precedes you.

YAJ FOSAW

 

[tuapekastar]

Just a related question if I may.

I'm flying MEL-AKL-ZQN-AKL-LAX on QF Metal (really Jetconnect AKL-ZQN-AKL), AA codeshare, and crediting to AA. (in whY)

I'm a QP NB and as such have an opportunity to state a seating preference in my profile (forward aisle, what a surprise ) and in the past have managed to get something reasonably close to that on QF.

I guess, because I'm on AA codeshare and crediting to AA scheme, that the QP NB seating preferences are not a factor here...ie. totally ignored, and I get whatever I can at checkin? Zat so?

Though I am also AA Plat, so I don't know if that is a factor also.

And just out of interest, would the above situation also apply to to a WP, rather than just QP NB?

Cheers.

 

[serfty]

Just a related question if I may.

I'm flying MEL-AKL-ZQN-AKL-LAX on QF Metal (really Jetconnect AKL-ZQN-AKL), AA codeshare, and crediting to AA. (in whY)

I'm a QP NB and as such have an opportunity to state a seating preference in my profile (forward aisle, what a surprise ) and in the past have managed to get something reasonably close to that on QF.

I guess, because I'm on AA codeshare and crediting to AA scheme, that the QP NB seating preferences are not a factor here...ie. totally ignored, and I get whatever I can at checkin? Zat so?

Though I am also AA Plat, so I don't know if that is a factor also.

And just out of interest, would the above situation also apply to to a WP, rather than just QP NB?

Cheers.

As a oneWORLD sapphire via AA, QF will take your seating preferences into account. However, you should check to ensure they know this. Contact Qantas and ask for your your AA number and status to be put against the booking if not already, along with any seting requests/preferences.

For your your International flights (MEL-AKL, AKL-LAX) you simply request from 'available' seats. For your NZ flights (AKL-ZQN-AKL) just request your forward aisle.

 

[tuapekastar]

Thanks serfty. will do this.

There will be 2 others travelling with me (on AA Plat challenge, one of them a QP PS) so not sure whether they can 'piggyback' on my seat selection and sit alongside me, or whether we would need to split under those circumstances (or if I want to sit with them, I would just have to cop a seat where they were seated)?.

Pretty sure our itins were linked by the AA agent who I booked through but I have to call and make a couple of alterations so I'll check then.

 

[Dave Noble]

There will be 2 others travelling with me (on AA Plat challenge, one of them a QP PS) so not sure whether they can 'piggyback' on my seat selection and sit alongside me, or whether we would need to split under those circumstances (or if I want to sit with them, I would just have to cop a seat where they were seated)?.

Linking itineries does not make seats available. As an AA Platinum or QF Silver, you will be able to select seats for yourself and companions in the same PNR in the "blocked" section and have seating assignment available after the normal limit is reached. If you are on separate bookings, then each will be restricted as per their status

On attaining platinum get the FF number removed from the booking, close the booking, then get the number added back in again so that the systems pick up the new status

Dave

 

[tuapekastar]

Thanks Dave. Guess I'll just go for the best situation we can get. No huge deal to sit apart, if that's what it comes to.

 

[shillard]

[That is all you have to say.

Come on you can insult me better than that. Your reputation precedes you.

YAJ FOSAW

Effort expended should be directly proportional to the reward obtained.

 

[Skyring]

Re: Business Class Online Seat Allocation

I can understand business and first class having ability to pre-allocate their own seats but not sure whether I would want Joe Nobody with wife and kids seated in the best(sic!) economy seats because they planned their once every 10 year trip 12 months ago.

Sounds reasonable to me.

I just did a trip Sydney-Dunedin on Freedom Air. They allow seat selection (at an extra $5), but as each leg was only $99, I wasn't complaining.

I planned this in September, booked 6A coming and going, and when I sat down and was arranging my gear, the lady in the aisle seat looked at me and said that she'd wondered about who had booked their seat five months ahead, because she had seen my seat as taken when she booked at a later date.

All economy (except for two rows of Business at an extra $100 per seat), but all you get for free is plastic water and the most substantial item on the menu seems to be a muffin for $3.