Qantas Neighbour Free Seat Reservations

[TheInsider]

Why do QF (and apparently all airlines) make "comfort" seats so hard to book? Why aren't they a standard online offering?

It's probably not worth the IT investment for it to be viable for an automated online process - the EXST excludes some taxes too, so it can be cheaper sometimes.
It's like the CBBG fare (cabin baggage) like for cellos and other items.

 

[fairhsa]

But i did have to move from my upfront seat to get this new "better" (worse) seat. I agree. Either you get a seat where you were sitting without a neighbour or don't bother to offer it!

 

[downgraded]

You're not expected to move. They decided to move due to children being behind them, unless there is something else I've missed.

They did have to move from their originally selected seat to get the neighbour free seat.

 

[Mr H]

But i did have to move from my upfront seat to get this new "better" (worse) seat. I agree. Either you get a seat where you were sitting without a neighbour or don't bother to offer it!

I guess that cuts both ways. If you are offered what you perceive to be a worse seat, don't buy it.

You had a choice of two seats. You made the wrong choice. You really have nobody to blame but yourself.

 

[TheInsider]

They did have to move from their originally selected seat to get the neighbour free seat.

Yes, and they got what they paid for in moving seats.

Imagine if a platinum or gold frequent flyer was travelling with their children up the front of the aircraft....

 

[mrsterryn]

Ok so if I am travelling internationally economy I usually book a comfort seat . Once there was such a fiasco , anyhoo I ended up with seats that didn't permit the arm rest to go up
That was a long flight . Yeppers I am the fat passenger

 

[Ade]

SBLK

It's an SSR code that would also be displayed on the passengers BP and also the seat is 'H' blocked off in the system.

Thank you @TheInsider - Appreciate your response.

@TheInsider - slightly OT - do you know if there is a SSR code for "Courtesy Block" ? Is that even a thing?

 

[TheInsider]

@TheInsider - slightly OT - do you know if there is a SSR code for "Courtesy Block" ? Is that even a thing?

Nah there isn't.
It's on the seatmap as either a 'H' or a 'P' seat. But the courtesy blocks are not really a great thing to rely on, it's honestly a lot better to rely on the algorithm giving you the 'shadow' if you are a higher tier. The more manual intervention with seating and overriding things, the more the seating allocation is prone to 'errors' as such.

 

[muppet]

Looks like Qantas trying to sell me a WP shadow it’s already granted.

Given literally every other seat is blocked on a lightly loaded flight - my bet is Qantas sold a neighbour free seat to 4A and was after the double-dip. (Although it’s not blocked via expertflyer)

Pass, I’ll take the shadow and keep my $45 thanks.

 

[TheInsider]

Looks like Qantas trying to sell me a WP shadow it’s already granted.

Given literally every other seat is blocked on a lightly loaded flight - my bet is Qantas sold a neighbour free seat to 4A and was after the double-dip. (Although it’s not blocked via expertflyer)

Pass, I’ll take the shadow and keep my $45 thanks.

View attachment 358274

The system doesn't double dip. It's not possible.

 

[serfty]

Looks like Qantas trying to sell me a WP shadow it’s already granted.

Given literally every other seat is blocked on a lightly loaded flight - my bet is Qantas sold a neighbour free seat to 4A and was after the double-dip. (Although it’s not blocked via expertflyer)

Pass, I’ll take the shadow and keep my $45 thanks.

View attachment 358274

I see something similar for a MEL-AKL flight tomorrow ... For $45 ...

Nup, still X9 ...

 

[Beano]

Ok so if I am travelling internationally economy I usually book a comfort seat . Once there was such a fiasco , anyhoo I ended up with seats that didn't permit the arm rest to go up
That was a long flight . Yeppers I am the fat passenger

I recall travelling SYD-DFW on an A380 being given a whole row to myself. The only problem was that the arm rests wouldn't stay up. I had to tie them back with headphone cords.

 

[serfty]

I see something similar for a MEL-AKL flight tomorrow ... For $45 ...

Nup, still X9 ...

View attachment 373385

There were a few other options after row 25.

Here is the actual WP view of the seat map ...