Preselecting seats together

[texter]

My partner and I are travelling to the US next month, on slightly different itineraries. Is there a way of somehow combining the bookings so that I can select a seat for her? (and avoid paying the $25 fee as she is only Bronze!).

I have called QF and they have said even combining the booking I can only select seating together at OLCI!

 

[JohnK]

If you called Qantas and ask them to combine the bookings wouldn't you able to ask the agent to select seats for both travellers rather than selecting seats online?

If you don't get the answer you want hang up and call again.

 

[esseeeayeenn]

If you don't get the answer you want hang up and call again.

This is my consistent strategy for dealing with the QF call centre.
So far I've had a 100% success rate.
They do have some wonderful, helpful staff who will go out of their way to look after high value customers.
You just have to get one of them on the other end of the line!

I adopted this after the first (and last) time I did mobile check in.
Found out the hard way it didn't allow you to select a seat.
Rang up asking if they could allocate a seat for me and was bluntly told "You can't have what you want. Deal with it."
When I asked to speak to a manager because I wanted to complain I was told "That's not going to happen." and then I was hung up on.
Called back, spoke to a supervisor, and was allocated an exit row seat.

Since then this has also worked as a strategy in your situation - having my friend who was travelling with me allocated a seat next to me in rows reserved for WP even though he was only bronze.
The first two agents flatly stated that it wasn't possible. The third one just did it.

Sometimes it's not what you want it's who you ask for it!

 

[texter]

I actually called them twice last night. On the first time, she said I could get online to select seats together (she didn't offer to do this for me over the phone). Partner's booking didn't come up on my log in, so I called the second time, and was fobbed off...

Good idea, might call them up again and might just get someone helpful...

Not sure my "status" has my sway though..

 

[JohnK]

Not sure my "status" has my sway though..

That should not matter.

In theory as a Silver you are entitled to choose seats and once the bookings are linked your travelling companion should also have the luxury of choosing seats.

Just hang up and call again if you get no satisfaction. You will eventually reach someone who cares.