Qantas Bassinet seat requests

[DownUnderFlyer380]

I flew Sydney- Dallas and I’m a Platinum member. I booked economy because flights were expensive. I have an infant (didn’t book a ticket as they are under 2). I requested the bassinet seat because although we can book 1 bassinet seat for $80, the seats beside the purple bassinet seats were booked already. They are standard seats.
So we had to book a normal row and hoped they would assign us the bassinet seat upon checking in. First class check in - I asked if our requested bassinet seat came through. They said that the people in the three rows that have a bassinet can’t be moved even though none of them require a bassinet seat.
So I have a whinge at the first class lounge who said they can give me one seat in the row with a bassinet but I can sit next to my husband. He would be in a different row. I ask why they can’t bump the people sitting there if the priority is the safety of an infant- they said they can’t and there are two rows that actually need the bassinet.

On the plane I notice that there is only 1 row using the bassinet and the others don’t require it. In fact the people sitting in that row even came up to me and said they were just assigned that row and thought it was a mistake after seeing that I had an infant. The cabin manager said that they could have bumped the people in the row and if they paid for the seat they would just be refunded.
So I got three different stories from three different Qantas staff. I know that people want the bassinet row because of the additional leg room, but if you’re in a row with a bassinet and don’t need it, surely you should be bumped to accommodate a baby that needs it?

Look- before I had a kid I would think differently, but now that I have one, it was a cough flight with an infant when the people in front reclined without giving us a heads up, and nearly knocked my baby out.

I emailed Qantas customer service who are hopeless and they said that on the way back there’s one seat for a bassinet and I can’t sit next to my husband again.
Not sure why they allow the bassinet seat row to be booked by people that don’t require it. Seems pretty dumb that people can sit in bassinet seats and can’t be moved by people who need them. So you have babies in normal rows and non- baby people in bassinet rows.
You can already buy extra legroom seats for the tall people in non bassinet rows.

Qantas should be able to bump people to prioritise the bassinet row for people who need it… thoughts?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Good discussion point.

Some competing considerations…

Airlines sell these seats, so one argument is first come, first served. Many people will book a specific flight knowing they can reserve/pay for those seats. If they can’t get them, they will take another flight. Which is also the option for the parent with infant (either another airline, or another day).

The alternative would be that those seats are blocked until 24 hours prior to departure, and only pax with infants should be able to reserve them before that time. Of course if a parent with infant buys a ticket within 24 hours, they might miss out. But they could book the flight the following day.

Even with that system there is no guarantee a parent with infant will be able to secure a bassinet, there could be more than two or four families with infants (depending on how many bulkheads there are on plane in the relevant cabin).

There is also the issue of compromise… if passengers without infants are to be moved, do parents require both seats by the bassinet, is one parent with the infant enough? The parents can swap seats to take turns minding the infant / eating meals / have a break.

There’s an argument it comes down to planning. Choosing an airline that may block bassinets only for those who require them, and before buying a ticket, ensuring the seat you need is available.

There are other seats available for people who want extra legroom… but some don’t like sitting at the exits given people mill about that area waiting for WCs, or stretching or just wanting to get a break from sitting in a cramped seat.

 

[trooper]

If I book a flight and seats that I can pay for are available I would expect that if I paid for one then I would retain the seat. (Subject to truly operational considerations ) I realise where you are coming from but how would YOU feel if moved from a carefully chosen seat to some random replacement? I agree this is badly managed, perhaps as already suggested those seats should be blocked for airport issue.

That said, what I am really curious about is how not bumping folks to give you TWO seats in the Bassinet row has anything to do with the "safety of the infant". It seems you WERE in fact given the opportunity to sit in that row and use the bassinet, but that apparently was not good enough and sitting together ended up being the more important outcome?

 

[blackcat20]

If I book a flight and seats that I can pay for are available I would expect that if I paid for one then I would retain the seat. (Subject to truly operational considerations ) I realise where you are coming from but how would YOU feel if moved from a carefully chosen seat to some random replacement? I agree this is badly managed, perhaps as already suggested those seats should be blocked for airport issue.

That said, what I am really curious about is how not bumping folks to give you TWO seats in the Bassinet row has anything to do with the "safety of the infant". It seems you WERE in fact given the opportunity to sit in that row and use the bassinet, but that apparently was not good enough and sitting together ended up being the more important outcome?

A baby having access to a bassinet is an operational consideration I would have though. They usually give priority based on age.

 

[DownUnderFlyer380]

Good discussion point.

Some competing considerations…

Airlines sell these seats, so one argument is first come, first served. Many people will book a specific flight knowing they can reserve/pay for those seats. If they can’t get them, they will take another flight. Which is also the option for the parent with infant (either another airline, or another day).

The alternative would be that those seats are blocked until 24 hours prior to departure, and only pax with infants should be able to reserve them before that time. Of course if a parent with infant buys a ticket within 24 hours, they might miss out. But they could book the flight the following day.

Even with that system there is no guarantee a parent with infant will be able to secure a bassinet, there could be more than two or four families with infants (depending on how many bulkheads there are on plane in the relevant cabin).

There is also the issue of compromise… if passengers without infants are to be moved, do parents require both seats by the bassinet, is one parent with the infant enough? The parents can swap seats to take turns minding the infant / eating meals / have a break.

There’s an argument it comes down to planning. Choosing an airline that may block bassinets only for those who require them, and before buying a ticket, ensuring the seat you need is available.

There are other seats available for people who want extra legroom… but some don’t like sitting at the exits given people mill about that area waiting for WCs, or stretching or just wanting to get a break from sitting in a cramped seat.

Raised some good points here- there’s no way to book a flight knowing which seats are available first. Choosing your seat on Qantas comes after you book that flight.
And sometimes with long haul flights you don’t have the flexible options of booking a different flight- there’s one flight a day.

Is one parent enough to sit with the infant? Well- first hand experience is that you need two parents to juggle a restless infant- and I imagine it would be literal hell for the people sitting on either side of the parent with the infant in that row. Then having to call out to the other parent who’s sitting 5 rows behind to swap over a 17 hour flight.

I think those seats should be blocked 24 hours prior to departure and if no infant needs it, then it’s a bonus for someone who didn’t think they’d get a bulkhead seat.

Last point- would you want the extra legroom at the exit where people are stretching their legs? Or the legroom next to an infant? Pick your poison.

 

[DownUnderFlyer380]

If I book a flight and seats that I can pay for are available I would expect that if I paid for one then I would retain the seat. (Subject to truly operational considerations ) I realise where you are coming from but how would YOU feel if moved from a carefully chosen seat to some random replacement? I agree this is badly managed, perhaps as already suggested those seats should be blocked for airport issue.

That said, what I am really curious about is how not bumping folks to give you TWO seats in the Bassinet row has anything to do with the "safety of the infant". It seems you WERE in fact given the opportunity to sit in that row and use the bassinet, but that apparently was not good enough and sitting together ended up being the more important outcome?

We were given the option of being in the middle of a three seat-row with the other parent at the other end of the plane- though it might seem like a suitable option- if you’ve had to fly an infant on a 17 hour flight then you’d understand that you need four hands instead of two.
I would feel fine if I got bumped from a bassinet row if I didn’t need the bassinet and someone who a baby that did need it. I’ve been bumped before many times for that reason so I thought that was policy, I use to just roll the dice and hope that I could retain the seat. Note- they are standard seats, I don’t believe you have to pay for those ones. Last time I booked they were free except the middle ‘bassinet’ seat which is $80. So obviously- the people that were on the flight booked D and F.

 

[nancypants]

Raised some good points here- there’s no way to book a flight knowing which seats are available first. Choosing your seat on Qantas comes after you book that flight.

This is incorrect

 

[DownUnderFlyer380]

A baby having access to a bassinet is an operational consideration I would have though. They usually give priority based on age.

Exactly what I thought too. But apparently not. I was happy to give it up if there was a newborn or a younger infant- but there wasn’t. So there were unused bassinets on the plane when I needed one.
Strangely the people in the row said that they didn’t know why they got assigned the bassinet row instead of me. There’s was last minute. This was after I grovelled to get that row and they wouldn’t give it to me. The woman was nice enough to offer to ‘swap’ with me, but her husband wasn’t keen and grumbled so I got social anxiety and said thank you but I guess the Qantas gods had smiled on them that day.

 

[justinbrett]

Choosing your seat on Qantas comes after you book that flight.

No, it can be done in the booking process prior to payment.

 

[DownUnderFlyer380]

This is incorrect

Really? So I can book my flight and my seats before handing over my credit card details?
It wouldn’t let me before. I had to buy the flights then when they were ticketed I got to choose my seat.

Post automatically merged: Today at 12:54 PM

No, it can be done in the booking process prior to payment.

Thanks for the clarification. Interestingly, I’m platinum and my partner is bronze- he had more options to book seats than I had which was weird. Not sure if it was a glitch or not.

 

[justinbrett]

Really? So I can book my flight and my seats before handing over my credit card details?
It wouldn’t let me before. I had to buy the flights then when they were ticketed I got to choose my seat.

It used to be that way, 5-10 years ago. It’s been this way for a quite a while.

 

[nancypants]

I’m at work and eating at my desk so apologies for the terrible screenshot but the button is there
Note I’m also not logged in so the selection it shows is attrocious. Also note that blocked seats just show up unavailable, so there’s no way to know if it’s just blocked or taken- but the same applies after purchase

 

[Aeryn]

What about booking a bassinet seat and then not using it all; whilst others wanting a basinet were not allocated one?

Recently my partner and I were on an international flight on an A330 (2 4 2 config) in economy seated is rows 25A & B.

Both basinets in row 23 were assigned to people with infants; as were both basinets in 45.

A couple and an approx 3mo baby were in 24G&F; they use bassinet throughout the flight - all good.

Then there was a family of Mum, Dad, a 3 year old and at least 1yo (was able to stand and walk a few steps). Dad & 3yo were in 23 A & B; Mum and younger infant were in 23D, then a single traveler in 23E.

In 26D&E there was another couple with a much smaller infant.

It was full flight with no unallocated Economy seats.

At boarding the Dad from 23B was complaining why cant all 3 be seated in 24 D, E & F? Flight attendant explained other couples with younger babies had booked seats earlier and that the 3yo couldn't be seated separately from Mum and Dad.

As soon as seat belt light comes off and basinet is set up the Dad puts his child in a harness and proceeds to stand up in front of the curtain to J for the entirety of the flight until landing (except one brief bathroom visit where the Mum had kid on her lap).

At no point did they even try and put baby in the basinet. Rather the Mum used the basinet to hold unused toys and her handbag whilst the cabin crew had to squeeze past him whenever they needed something from the forward galley. Meanwhile parents in 26D&E were really wishing their much smaller baby could use the basinet to lay in.

I agree the airlines should probably block these seats for families with infants, but also if you book one you should use it.

But if you didnt include the infant at the time of booking, then you cant really expect the airline to shuffle everyone else to accommodate your oversight either.

If having everyone seated int he same row is important, then put seat request (paid if needed) in when booking.

 

[DownUnderFlyer380]

If I book a flight and seats that I can pay for are available I would expect that if I paid for one then I would retain the seat. (Subject to truly operational considerations ) I realise where you are coming from but how would YOU feel if moved from a carefully chosen seat to some random replacement? I agree this is badly managed, perhaps as already suggested those seats should be blocked for airport issue.

That said, what I am really curious about is how not bumping folks to give you TWO seats in the Bassinet row has anything to do with the "safety of the infant". It seems you WERE in fact given the opportunity to sit in that row and use the bassinet, but that apparently was not good enough and sitting together ended up being the more important outcome?m

View attachment 443200
I’m at work and eating at my desk so apologies for the terrible screenshot but the button is there
Note I’m also not logged in so the selection it shows is attrocious. Also note that blocked seats just show up unavailable, so there’s no way to know if it’s just blocked or taken- but the same applies after purchase

Appreciate the test case! Good to know. There may have been a glitch when I booked. I booked via my Business Rewards account, and for some reason it cancelled my booking 3 times before I was able to finalize and my partner who is Bronze had more available seats than I had.
Thanks for this though!

 

[DownUnderFlyer380]

What about booking a bassinet seat and then not using it all; whilst others wanting a basinet were not allocated one?

Recently my partner and I were on an international flight on an A330 (2 4 2 config) in economy seated is rows 25A & B.

Both basinets in row 23 were assigned to people with infants; as were both basinets in 45.

A couple and an approx 3mo baby were in 24G&F; they use bassinet throughout the flight - all good.

Then there was a family of Mum, Dad, a 3 year old and at least 1yo (was able to stand and walk a few steps). Dad & 3yo were in 23 A & B; Mum and younger infant were in 23D, then a single traveler in 23E.

In 26D&E there was another couple with a much smaller infant.

It was full flight with no unallocated Economy seats.

At boarding the Dad from 23B was complaining why cant all 3 be seated in 24 D, E & F? Flight attendant explained other couples with younger babies had booked seats earlier and that the 3yo couldn't be seated separately from Mum and Dad.

As soon as seat belt light comes off and basinet is set up the Dad puts his child in a harness and proceeds to stand up in front of the curtain to J for the entirety of the flight until landing (except one brief bathroom visit where the Mum had kid on her lap).

At no point did they even try and put baby in the basinet. Rather the Mum used the basinet to hold unused toys and her handbag whilst the cabin crew had to squeeze past him whenever they needed something from the forward galley. Meanwhile parents in 26D&E were really wishing their much smaller baby could use the basinet to lay in.

I agree the airlines should probably block these seats for families with infants, but also if you book one you should use it.

But if you didnt include the infant at the time of booking, then you cant really expect the airline to shuffle everyone else to accommodate your oversight either.

If having everyone seated int he same row is important, then put seat request (paid if needed) in when booking.

Infant was included at the time of booking. There was nothing else we could do.
In terms of your first example- the party with the youngest infant should be prioritized. We couldn’t pay for the seat in the bassinet row because they had been booked already by people who didn’t require the bassinet.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Raised some good points here- there’s no way to book a flight knowing which seats are available first. Choosing your seat on Qantas comes after you book that flight.
And sometimes with long haul flights you don’t have the flexible options of booking a different flight- there’s one flight a day.

Is one parent enough to sit with the infant? Well- first hand experience is that you need two parents to juggle a restless infant- and I imagine it would be literal hell for the people sitting on either side of the parent with the infant in that row. Then having to call out to the other parent who’s sitting 5 rows behind to swap over a 17 hour flight.

I think those seats should be blocked 24 hours prior to departure and if no infant needs it, then it’s a bonus for someone who didn’t think they’d get a bulkhead seat.

Last point- would you want the extra legroom at the exit where people are stretching their legs? Or the legroom next to an infant? Pick your poison.

There are many parents who fly solo with an infant.

When travelling as a couple you don’t have to call out to the other parent… the mum or dad makes trips at appropriate intervals to the bassinet position to allow the other parent to eat, go to the WC, take the infant for a stroll, change the baby, etc. The other parent should know when those times are, for example after they have eaten their meal, they go to relieve the other parent so they can eat theirs.

People will go to great lengths for comfort on a 17 hour flight! Yes, I would sit next to a baby at the bulkhead over a regular seat. No questions! I don’t always like exit seats because there is no storage, and tv monitors are a bit too low.

On my flight down from Singapore last year a guy sitting in 31D actually offered to help the mother in 31E with her baby! So he was quite fine with it, and the baby was as quiet as a mouse anyway