Qantas QF15/16 seat selection when traveling with kids

[sausagefingers]

Hello all,

My wife, daughters (8 & 12) and myself are traveling on QF15/16 next March and I am just a little concerned about seat selection.
1. it now costs $30 to select a seat so that's $240 total which seems a little rich.
2. if I don't select our seats what are the chances of them splitting us up ? we only want to sit together in the middle 4 seats.
3. what would happen if I selected my wife seat then left a space and selected my seat, is it safe to assume that they will automatically put the kids next to us ?

Any ideas from the experts ?


Thanks in advance.

 

[RooFlyer]

If you don't select seats, and turn up and ask at check in to be seated together, the agent will (usually) try to put you all together ... unfortunately sometimes at the 'expense' of some-one or several who have chosen their seats there already (for free .. ie status entitlement), if there are no alternatives. That is, they may move the other pax from their previously chosen seat (although a middle row isn't usually attractive for pax with the status to choose ).

That won't be your doing of course, it a matter of the check-in agent trying to keep minors with their family.

If it were me, I'd shell out - better for peace of mind ... you may get 3 seated together and the other miles away, or 2 pairs. But if you do pay, keep an eye on those seats. Again, has been reported that pax have been moved to what they regard as an inferior situation, even when they have paid and selected.

 

[Mattg]

Qantas would probably do their best to find you seats together on the day, but they may not be in a middle block of 4 as you want if the flight is full.

If you decide not to pay for seat selection, I would recommend checking in online 24 hours before departure so you can pick from the remaining seats for free before others checking in.

 

[sausagefingers]

Thanks for the advice, Is it a good use of points or better to just pony up cash ?

 

[Mattg]

Thanks for the advice, Is it a good use of points or better to just pony up cash ?

Use points to pay for seat selection? Definitely not a good use.

 

[sausagefingers]

Use points to pay for seat selection? Definitely not a good use.

Thank you.
I am still new to the point collecting world so that question might have been a stupid one.

 

[Mattg]

Thank you.
I am still new to the point collecting world so that question might have been a stupid one.

There's no such thing as a stupid question.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Hello all,

My wife, daughters (8 & 12) and myself are traveling on QF15/16 next March and I am just a little concerned about seat selection.
1. it now costs $30 to select a seat so that's $240 total which seems a little rich.
2. if I don't select our seats what are the chances of them splitting us up ? we only want to sit together in the middle 4 seats.
3. what would happen if I selected my wife seat then left a space and selected my seat, is it safe to assume that they will automatically put the kids next to us ?

Any ideas from the experts ?


Thanks in advance.

Save your money and don't fork out the bucks. When the staff do the editing of the flight approx 48 hours prior to travel they usually pre-allocate family groups at the same time the pre-seat any special assistance passengers, groups etc. You could always try to do OLCI the day prior but if you can't get seats then don't worry.

It's easier for staff to manage the flight ahead of time versus not do anything then have to deal with families with split seating on the day as by then a lot of pax have done OLCI or been through checked from other ports which reduces the options available for pax who checkin at the airport 3 hours prior to departure.

Remember ahead of time to apply for your ESTA on the official site (USD14.00 pp) and complete all the details in the manage my booking portal with regard to passport number and address where you'll be staying in the USA as these fields must be completed for OLCI to work.

 

[sausagefingers]

Save your money and don't fork out the bucks. When the staff do the editing of the flight approx 48 hours prior to travel they usually pre-allocate family groups at the same time the pre-seat any special assistance passengers, groups etc. You could always try to do OLCI the day prior but if you can't get seats then don't worry.

It's easier for staff to manage the flight ahead of time versus not do anything then have to deal with families with split seating on the day as by then a lot of pax have done OLCI or been through checked from other ports which reduces the options available for pax who checkin at the airport 3 hours prior to departure.

Remember ahead of time to apply for your ESTA on the official site (USD14.00 pp) and complete all the details in the manage my booking portal with regard to passport number and address where you'll be staying in the USA as these fields must be completed for OLCI to work.

Thanks heaps.

ESTA are all done, as are passport details and address of our first stay.

Thanks for your advice.