QF seat maps on ExpertFlyer - blocked / occupied / etc

[qf17]

Bit of a niche question. On a QF seat map on EF for any given flight in Economy, some seats appear as 'blocked', others as 'occupied'. How accurate is this? Does anyone know?
Reason for asking is that I know on longer routes (DFW, LAX, etc) QF has to restrict capacity in economy to make the distance. I'm trying to find a way of working out which seats they block for this purpose.

 

[elanshin]

Bit of a niche question. On a QF seat map on EF for any given flight in Economy, some seats appear as 'blocked', others as 'occupied'. How accurate is this? Does anyone know?
Reason for asking is that I know on longer routes (DFW, LAX, etc) QF has to restrict capacity in economy to make the distance. I'm trying to find a way of working out which seats they block for this purpose.

Blocked can be for any reason. What you see as blocked with no QFF details input into EF is different to "blocked" for someone holding Gold to someone holding plat one.

Also it's completely possible they don't hard block specific seats, but soft block them, like only sell 80% of the seats. That way you can still choose which ever seat you want and QF also guarantees a capacity limit.

 

[qf17]

Blocked can be for any reason. What you see as blocked with no QFF details input into EF is different to "blocked" for someone holding Gold to someone holding plat one.

Also it's completely possible they don't hard block specific seats, but soft block them, like only sell 80% of the seats. That way you can still choose which ever seat you want and QF also guarantees a capacity limit.

Yeah I wondered that too re soft block.
QF WP for ref.

 

[serfty]

In regards to Qantas and blocked seats (as distinct from allocated seats) , seat maps are shown as a result of a query that includes any Frequent Flyer number you supply for Qantas Seat maps as part of your Expert Flyer profile. Due to Notional Seating this can only be an approximation at times.

Typically a Bronze may see more blocked seats than a Gold for the same flight.

 

[Rayesfeg]

I know on longer routes (DFW, LAX, etc) QF has to restrict capacity in economy to make the distance.

I had heard about this but never looked into it myself. Do you know what routes and to what percentage they fill the plane on each route?

Thoughts and prayers to the poor pax in a full Y cabin on the project sunrise flights. Not sure how far the 'wellbeing zone' will actually go in making a 22-hour flight in Y more tolerable.

 

[qf17]

I had heard about this but never looked into it myself. Do you know what routes and to what percentage they fill the plane on each route?

Thoughts and prayers to the poor pax in a full Y cabin on the project sunrise flights. Not sure how far the 'wellbeing zone' will actually go in making a 22-hour flight in Y more tolerable.

Nah. That’s what I was hoping to try work out.

 

[Volando]

Longer westbound routes over the pacific are the main candidate for blocked seats due to prevailing headwinds, including sometimes a strong jetstream. E.g. the A380 from DFW-SYD sometimes needed a quick fuel stop in BNE.

The number or percentage of seats blocked will be variable depending on winds, projected altitudes in the flight plan, profitability of cargo vs pax at the time of year, etc.

 

[SYD]

Longer westbound routes over the pacific are the main candidate for blocked seats due to prevailing headwinds, including sometimes a strong jetstream. E.g. the A380 from DFW-SYD sometimes needed a quick fuel stop in BNE.

The number or percentage of seats blocked will be variable depending on winds, projected altitudes in the flight plan, profitability of cargo vs pax at the time of year, etc.

Yep, OP was trying to figure out what seats are blocked for that purpose v just blocked because they’re taken (and I also assume FF status limitations).

Interestingly, looking at QF8 (DFW-SYD) and QF12 (LAX-SYD) both currently A380s scheduled in December, the current blocks as WP are identical. Front / Exit rows (some of those will be selectable as a Pay to Play), and then Rows 81 to 85 (port and starboard sides 3x ea side - centre seats open). All of Row 85 is open as are the last two rows (centre only). So that far out, it doesn’t appear to be seat blocks but probably how many seats are being sold (I’m sure someone who’s more intimate with that side of things can confirm?

Bit of a niche question. On a QF seat map on EF for any given flight in Economy, some seats appear as 'blocked', others as 'occupied'. How accurate is this? Does anyone know?

Also, if EF shows a blue “Taken” symbol, then that seat is taken. If it’s a cross, it’ll be empty but blocked for any of the reasons mentioned and others (eg could be broken).

 

[Rayesfeg]

Noticed all seats from row 85 and back on QF1 Sydney > London (A380) are blocked.
Can't imagine this is a Gold/Platinum block given they are the seats right at the back of the cabin.

Could it be that they are blocked due to capacity restrictions? Am tempted to select row 84 in the hope of sneakily relocating to a potentially open row over this long flight

 

[Ade]

Noticed all seats from row 85 and back on QF1 Sydney > London (A380) are blocked.

crew rest? But that is a lot of rows of seats to be blocked for crew. May be a sports team blocked the seats to sit as a group?

 

[qf17]

Noticed all seats from row 85 and back on QF1 Sydney > London (A380) are blocked.
Can't imagine this is a Gold/Platinum block given they are the seats right at the back of the cabin.

Could it be that they are blocked due to capacity restrictions? Am tempted to select row 84 in the hope of sneakily relocating to a potentially open row over this long flight

Be interested to see if this works. Might as well try and see?

 

[Rayesfeg]

crew rest? But that is a lot of rows of seats to be blocked for crew. May be a sports team blocked the seats to sit as a group?

Hmm, not sure about crew rest, the A380 has dedicated crew spaces as far as I am aware.
I thought about a group booking, like a sports team, but those exact same seats are blocked out all of the previous and following week too. Seems to be a permanent thing.

Be interested to see if this works. Might as well try and see?

You're right. I'll give it a go and try my luck. Will report back in a few months time after the flight.

 

[justinbrett]

Noticed all seats from row 85 and back on QF1 Sydney > London (A380) are blocked.
Can't imagine this is a Gold/Platinum block given they are the seats right at the back of the cabin.

Could it be that they are blocked due to capacity restrictions? Am tempted to select row 84 in the hope of sneakily relocating to a potentially open row over this long flight

As P1 they are not blocked for me.

 

[Seat0B]

crew rest? But that is a lot of rows of seats to be blocked for crew. May be a sports team blocked the seats to sit as a group?

Ooh that makes booking Row 84 a very high risk strategy @Rayesfeg!!!

 

[Aeryn]

AFAIK the only two routes where they dont sell all the whY seats due to weight restrictions is DFW to SYD/MEL. Because of this you can be offered to buy the whole middle 4 seats of a row for a poorman's bed, since they cant all be sold.

Ive been on plenty of SFO/LAX to SYD flights in peak where every single seat is occupied. And once due to crazy headwinds we had to stoop at HNL for a refuel.

 

[Rayesfeg]

As P1 they are not blocked for me.

That was really nice of you to check, thanks @justinbrett .
How bizarre that these are blocked off for status customers -I would have thought the seats right at the back are the least appealing.

Ooh that makes booking Row 84 a very high risk strategy @Rayesfeg!!!

Hmmm. Given all economy seats are identical and the 'good' seats (71D, 80A, 80K) are taken, I might as well try I suppose. I don't mind being at the back - certainly won't be in a rush to get off at Heathrow at 6.15am.

 

[justinbrett]

That was really nice of you to check, thanks @justinbrett .
How bizarre that these are blocked off for status customers -I would have thought the seats right at the back are the least appealing.

Hmmm. Given all economy seats are identical and the 'good' seats (71D, 80A, 80K) are taken, I might as well try I suppose. I don't mind being at the back - certainly won't be in a rush to get off at Heathrow at 6.15am.

A lot of these flights are very full.

I guess it stops last minute bookings and rebookings having to take a middle seat.