Qantas check-in fury as economy passengers turned away

[v8Statesman]

The cheapest possible red e-deal. I think it was $85 or $89 for SYD-BNE when I booked these flights in June.

I have another flight on Sunday evening and I wiil not use OLCI to continue my experiment of a QF Platinum flying on cheap red e-deals.

Thanks John,

Look forward to the update.

 

[serfty]

During the week my flight this morning was cancelled; I was re-accommodated on a ½ hour earlier.

As a result I could not OLCI.

This morning I scored 5C on a 73H; seq 107. So a really can't comment on any effect.

Although the quick check machine did offer up about 40 seats ... (5A/B were empty) but Y0 indicates this not a permanent situation.

 

[Mal]

On my 2 737-800 flights yest, both were pretty full and I couldn't see free seats.

I believe that on both flights 4B and 4E were QP/Bronze members, and 4AC, 4DF were Plats. The plats seemed to have used Internet Checkin.

Someone in row 13 was a plat as well, so not sure when they checked in.

I saw a few boarding passes being rejected at the gate (to seat people together), and the staff were carefully checking some boarding passes to make sure the seat matched correctly.

On my DH8, first few rows were vacant. Then came a smattering of WPs.

Will see how it goes tomorrow for my 2 flights back home.

 

[Tooner]

I flew on Wed, Thur & Friday and found OLCI gave great selections. For instance, my flight to Brisbane yesterday morning was showing a wide range of seats - OLCI plonked me in 6F, but all of 4ABC were free, so plonked myself in 4A. Return flight I was preallocated 6K, but 4DEF were free, so chose 4F.

Only downside was switching to an earlier flight in MEL on Thursday evening saw me in 52K, but at least the seat next to me was empty!

Return flight showed few "block-outs" at 10:30 on Thursday evening.

A couple of observations from MEL and BNE over the last few days:

- Lots of QF staff running around in sky blue polo shirts with C-Me logos. Asked at BNE who they were, and they are the support crew for the new system.
- Plenty of supervisors looking over shoulders to make sure everything works alright, noting where earlier flights are not offered correctly, seats showing unavailable etc.
- Seems to be lots of problems with aircraft trim, resulting in lots of rejected boarding passes as last minute shuffling is required. On some aircraft large patches of seats are left empty.

Most people I've seen in J Lounge are reasonably OK, but the flight delays in BNE last night meant the J Lounge was full.

 

[oz_mark]

I have another flight on Sunday evening and I wiil not use OLCI to continue my experiment of a QF Platinum flying on cheap red e-deals.

I imagine I will be doing the non-OLCI experiment in those cases where a domestic sector connects with an international. Wonder what t will throwat me!

 

[docjames]

mrsdocjames new QC member, Bronze FF, Flexsaver fare, BNE-MEL 737-800 today got allocated 9D, changed self on OLCI (last night) to 8A.

weird as her preference is window that they allocated aisle.

 

[bambbbam2]

I must admit as an SG I am getting previously undreamed of seats like row 6. The thing I can't seem to get through QF's head is that I would rather sit down the back with an empty seat next to me than be squished right near the front, to save what? 3 minutes on arrival.

 

[Mal]

I've been pre-allocated row 4 for both my flights tomorrow. (734's)

Seq.32 for one flight. Seq.2 for the other - so I'm not the first to check in for either.

As per previous experience, most of the plane is free for me to move around into if I wish. Front of the plane is pretty empty. Only one seat taken on one of my flights, not many on the other.

At this stage, I suspect Online Checking in early is the key to getting a front allocated seat.

 

[Tooner]

At this stage, I suspect Online Checking in early is the key to getting a front allocated seat.

Which is the reverse of the previous accepted wisdom (ie check-in a few hours before to pick-up seats handed back as people change flights).

 

[JohnK]

I imagine I will be doing the non-OLCI experiment in those cases where a domestic sector connects with an international. Wonder what t will throwat me!

At this stage I think experimenting with the new results is the best option for me. If the results are not satisfactory then it would be time for a new experiment....

 

[moa999]

Checking in at T-23.59 (middle of the Bledisloe)
on a J0D0 flight as a WP/J Fare.
Sequence Number is 1 !

Aircraft a 767-25J so having seat choice fairly important to get the better single seats.

Pre-allocated 1K (Forward window pref). Following seats not selectable
1A, 1E, 2A, 2J, 2K (Maybe CLs?, but I don't understand how I could be allocated 1K but not able to select 2K).

Naturally changed seats to 3A.

So far I like the new system - big benefits for early web check-in

Edit:
Came back in a few hrs later - 2A now selectable, so have that.

At T-6hrs, only taken seats are 1A, 1E, 1K, 2A, 2J, 2K, 5A, 5K (ie 8 of 25 seats on a flight that is still J0D0)

At T-90min seats taken are 1AEK,2AJK,3AJK,4EFK,5AFJK (ie 16 of 25 - flight now J2D0)

 

[serfty]

I imagine I will be doing the non-OLCI experiment in those cases where a domestic sector connects with an international. Wonder what t will throwat me!

See post #22 ...

 

[Mal]

Today's flights...

As per earlier post, checked in and got 4x on both 737-400 flights.

Row 4 full on both flights. Middle seat seemed to be non-status pax.

There were free seats around the aircraft on the second flight - including row 6ABC which was completely empty.

 

[JohnK]

Checked-in earlier this afternoon for QF542 and was allocated 24B on a different 767. So far so good and I will continue with the experiment of checking in at the airport....

 

[JohnK]

Continuing with my research of not using OLCI for domestic flights I have been allocated 1J for this evenings flight BNE-SYD on a 767-300ER. I asked the check-in person if she had anything to do with it but apparently not. She just smiled and said to enjoy my complimentatry upgrade.

So as a Platinum I see no reason at all to use OLCI. YMMV....

 

[serfty]

I'm guessing your flight is this one:

QF555: J5 D0 I0 B0 H9 K0 M0 L0 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0 X0 E0

Congratulations on the OP up; hens sometimes do have teeth.

 

[JohnK]

That sure is the flight. I was just having a look at what was classes were available on the aircraft and noticed the same availability. Checkin sequence #99 is neither here nor there for a 767-300ER. Flight also looks like being late again but it will be a little more bearable knowing I will be in business class.

I know upgrades are very rare but I wonder if having status and 19 fully paid bookings helps in the complimentrary upgrade lottery?

 

[straitman]

I know upgrades are very rare but I wonder if having status and 19 fully paid bookings helps in the complimentrary upgrade lottery?

I'd say that there is a good chance that both of those have some input.

Congratulations.

 

[JohnK]

Today is the first minor hiccup in seat allocations for me with the new check-in system. I have ended up in 8C but I wonder if this has anything to do with the very negative feedback I provided last Sunday on the constant lateness of their flights. Could well be a marked man or there are at least 8 Platinums with higher airfares on the flight.

The flight appears to be lightly loaded and is going to be late again. I may send another feedback letter to QF and not likely to receive a response again.

Cabin class: J1 D0 I0 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V9 S9 N5 Q9 O0

 

[serfty]

With that sort of loading, I would expect quite a few empty seats.

Did you try OLCI or QuickCheck?