QF A388's out of action - who is inconvenienced? [Merged Thread]

[straitman]

Just checked one of the itineraries and it's available so now I just need to launch four browsers at once!

Always going to be a potential problem with multiple itineraries :!:

 

[Cheesy]

Well we now have the problem where I can choose three seats for free due to status, but the other three will cost $32.60 per person. The WP boss is on the phone to the Premium Desk at the moment asking for QF to pay for it, and chucked the sh!ts at the consultant and is now speaking to the Manager.

Edit: The Manager is going to chase it up with BA and will get back to us in the morning. A bit more information on the consultant - the attitude was basically, "We only have to get you from A to B, anything in between is a bonus" ... not the right thing to say to a Scotsman!

 

[JohnK]

Always going to be a potential problem with multiple itineraries :!:

I hope this post is not taken the wrong way as I am not being critical of anyone here just intrigued.

I have never really travelled with anyone (except for my father on a RTW award) but I do not understand why people who travel together have to sit together (and people travelling are an exception). I guess it is OK if seats have not already been allocated to other passengers but why should other passengers be inconvenienced just because some people are travelling together?
It is not like people spend every waking moment together anyway.

 

[Cheesy]

In principle I agree with you, but in this case my boss explicitly stated to QF that we were happy to change our plans to suit them by departing 5 hours earlier, but only on the principle of everyone being on the same flight and being seating together as per the original booking. If the original agent had advised immediately that they were unable to guarantee that for the BA flight, then I'm sure he wouldn't have had any problems with it. But the saga that followed is certainly not the attitude you should expect from the Premium desk.

As a side note, no other passengers are being inconvenienced (at this stage), because the seat maps seem quite empty for both flights concerned (PER-HKG-LHR). Of course whatever happens *should* be able to be fixed at PER check in if the loads remain light.

 

[JohnK]

As a side note, no other passengers are being inconvenienced (at this stage), because the seat maps seem quite empty for both flights concerned (PER-HKG-LHR). Of course whatever happens *should* be able to be fixed at PER check in if the loads remain light.

Was not having a go at you and yes I do understand that at this early stage no one has been inconvenienced.

It was a general comment on how some people only think about themselves and on separate tickets travelling together expect to be seated together at the last minute.

On a similar note a couple of weeks ago I did lose my pre-allocated seat on a CX flight HKG-BKK. The seat was nothing special 45D but there was a lady and 2 children sitting in the 3 seats and their boarding pass did not show 45D. The FA came up and offered 44J (middle seat) and I politely (well not quite as I said you are kidding right?) declined the offer. Miraculously the lady remembered that 31C was one of their seats and I was escorted there by the FA and the lady sitting there had to move back to her assigned seat.

Why does a person with 2 children travelling with them leave it until boarding to sort things out? Surely this could have been sorted out at check-in or even well before check-in.

I am not a terrible person and I don't mind helping people out but do not like to be told what to do and I will not accept a middle seat as a trade off for my pre-allocated aisle seat....

 

[Cheesy]

Was not having a go at you and yes I do understand that at this early stage no one has been inconvenienced.

Understood, was merely pointing out the facts of the case. I don't get offended easily!

I am not a terrible person and I don't mind helping people out but do not like to be told what to do and I will not accept a middle seat as a trade off for my pre-allocated aisle seat....

And I don't think you'd find too many people here who disagree.

 

[serfty]

Well we now have the problem where I can choose three seats for free due to status, but the other three will cost $32.60 per person. The WP boss is on the phone to the Premium Desk at the moment asking for QF to pay for it, and chucked the sh!ts at the consultant and is now speaking to the Manager.

Edit: The Manager is going to chase it up with BA and will get back to us in the morning. A bit more information on the consultant - the attitude was basically, "We only have to get you from A to B, anything in between is a bonus" ... not the right thing to say to a Scotsman!

That's rubbish, a oneworld emerald can indeed request seating together when travelling with others on BA flights.

It's not an automatic process but here's the web link to this information:

British Airways' Speedbird Club: BA Seating request changes

British Airways Seating Request

TCP Booking Reference Linkage Process

Should a Premier or Gold Executive Club cardholder (& oneworld equivalent), or a family travelling with an Infant, request advance seating with someone booked on a separate PNR known as TCP (to complete party), please follow the guidelines below. ...

 

[Cheesy]

Thanks serfty. If QF come back with an unsatisfactory answer this morning, then I'll refer my boss to that.

Cheesy

 

[dfcatch]

That's rubbish, a oneworld emerald can indeed request seating together when travelling with others on BA flights.

It's not an automatic process but here's the web link to this information:

British Airways' Speedbird Club: BA Seating request changes

Shame QF can't do the same thing for those on separate PNR's.

 

[serfty]

Shame QF can't do the same thing for those on separate PNR's.

Generally they can for a WP; you do need to call, score a helpful CSA and even then it is not assured.

 

[dfcatch]

Generally they can for a WP; you do need to call, score a helpful CSA and even then it is not assured.

Cheers Serfty.

I tried this recently on a DOM booking and whilst a very friendly and helpful CSA at the Premium Desk, she was unable to seat the NB pax in the status advanced seating area. So we were both booked back in row 10 (738).

Haven't tried it on an INT flight yet - will do in Feb I think.

 

[serfty]

Often they cannot do it themselves; but you can ask they put a request into "seating". Sometimes that works.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Often they cannot do it themselves; but you can ask they put a request into "seating". Sometimes that works.

I too have had success with this on getting the Shrek family seated together SYD -AKL 73H. Shrek and I had ASA's, squealers ( all NB) red-e-deals. First 2 phone calls unsuccessful. Third time lucky after request to seating, rows 4 and 5 DEF

 

[A388]

Hi

Long time lurker first time poster! I really enjoy this site. I find people really polite.

I'm scheduled for my first flight on the A380 Dec 19th MEL-LAX.
Quite a ways off so fingers are crossed

A388

 

[blackhelicopter]

Just heard on Nine News that Qantas says the A388s are going nowhere for at least another fortnight.

 

[dfcatch]

I too have had success with this on getting the Shrek family seated together SYD -AKL 73H. Shrek and I had ASA's, squealers ( all NB) red-e-deals. First 2 phone calls unsuccessful. Third time lucky after request to seating, rows 4 and 5 DEF

Thanks PF - that's a great result.

I'll remember next time to put in a "request to seating"

 

[straitman]

Hi

Long time lurker first time poster! I really enjoy this site. I find people really polite.

I'm scheduled for my first flight on the A380 Dec 19th MEL-LAX.
Quite a ways off so fingers are crossed

A388

A388,

Welcome to AFF.

I would say that anything is possible at this stage.

 

[danielc]

Update on my economy QF93 flight tomorrow to LAX. Got a call at 3.30pm today from QF advising flight is oversold and wanting volunteers to take QF25 which leaves at 6am via AKL. I asked CSR if they were offerring any 'incentives' to change flights but was advised at this stage they were merely looking for volunteers. As my final destination is SFO, I queried whether I could re-book on MEL-SYD-HNL-SFO. She said that was available but since it arrives 8 hours later than my current booking I opted to stay on QF93.

An hour after the call I tried to check-in online but got an error message. I rang back QF who said all appeared ok with the flight but they may have stopped OLCI due to the oversell situation. Was advised to get there early to check-in as it will be on first-in-best-dressed basis. Question I have, assuming they are unable to accommodate me on original flight, since I am originating from MEL, are they obligated to offer me some form of compensation ? I have checked their website and it just says that their denied boarding compensation policy can be obtained at ticket counters.

I still have my fingers crossed that all will go smoothly tomorrow.

 

[serfty]

In cases like this, do not arrive at the airport late.

In fact be there at 8:40am and queue up for check-in.

 

[danielc]

Thanks very much for your wise advice. I intend to be there early as I am flying from SFO-HNL on Monday morning so I definitely need to get to SFO (sometime) tomorrow.