QFF... is status a determinant of seat allocation any more?

[Actualise]

Hi,

I'm a gold QF member but these days (I'm guessing in the last 15-18mo) my status which had been a determinant of a forward aisle seat seems to no longer qualify me for this treatment.

Before online checkin I seem to be allocated Row 12+ and generally end up in 12-15. Frequently (usually barely 24 hours before) I can select a more forward seat at checkin but annoyingly quite frequently I can't get near the front.

I'm talking about Domestic - International doesn't seem as bad, but I do mostly ADL-SYD/ADL-MEL/ADL-BNE and back. I am generally on the cheaper tickets.

Does anyone have any understanding of how this is done these days, whether fare class is used in the analysis, and why the plumber and his kids who fly rarely generally end up sitting in front of me?

Cheers,
Andrew.

 

[serfty]

Search this forum for the letters PCV or the phrase "theoretical seats".

Or see here: http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/com...qantas-seat-selection-17676-6.html#post241998

As an SG, you are well down the pecking order on most such flights - try being a PS or NB (http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/com...m/olci-whats-point-shocking-seat-21653-2.html).

 

[Actualise]

Thanks Serfty.

Very enlightening.

I think the system doesn't work in principle, and I'll bet that their family exception for PCV results in lots of infrequent flyer families sitting in front of me.

I fly every week a number of times and this is annoying... will be interesting to see if QF Customer Service have any detailed observations to make in response to my request.

Cheers
Andrew.

 

[N860CR]

They won't, they're hopeless.

Unfortunatley its becoming something we have to deal with. Often on the lighter flights it works quite well, but as soon as its a full house the priority seems to go out the window.

I'm frequently dumped in 20+ on 737 services and I see plenty of non-status well ahead of me.

 

[anat0l]

I must be lucky.

When I was SG, I was able to get rows 5-8 (on a 737) fairly regularly. Row 4 was much more rare, but at times was possible.

When all that failed, getting exit row was sometimes not too difficult.

Most of the flights I flew, however, were more than likely not flights that would be packed with WPs and CLs.

 

[NM]

I once put a high value on "forward" preference for domestic seat allocations. Maybe its my maturing years, but in recent years I have come to realise that there is little difference between the second row of economy and the 12th row of economy (unless in an exit row). The seat is the same. The pitch/leg room is the same. The meal is the same. The IFE is the same. The service is the same. And it takes about 1 min longer to get off the aircraft.

Given I have likely spend at least an hour in the lounge before the flight, and at least an hour on the aircraft, and will spend way more than a minute in the taxi queue, I am really not much concerned if I am seated in row 5 or row 15 of a 737, or row 27 vs row 37 on a 767.

I acknowledge that there are some advantages to the first rown on some aircraft (such as row 4 on 73H), but apart from that I find little difference between row 5 and row 15 other than 1 min or so later getting off the aircraft. And if you have checked bags, it really make no difference at all.

 

[Archphoto]

Last year I had to book two separate flights for myself and my partner as they were staying in BNE for work whilst I continued on to ADL.

When I went online to book seats, I was able to choose mine, but not theirs; called Qantas Platinum number and was told that I could have the forward row, but they would need to be seated farther back. If we wanted to be seated together "You will have to sit farther back as the forward rows are reserved for our Platinum flyers."

I politely pointed out that I was Platiunum, wanted to fly with my partner, and that I would appreciate us being seated together in my original requested row.

"I'll seat you together, but can't promise that you will have these seats when you check-in."

We did sit together, in those seats and it was appreciated.

I have noticed that being higher up the FF chain has resulted in me being up front 95% of the time or within a few rows when flying Internationally - domestic - it's anyone's guess how these are allocated. Status doesn't ever seem to come into it. I've been all over the plane - don't think it ever comes into play. . . .

 

[markis10]

Last few flights I have had no issue with good seats as SG:

BNE-SYD 4F 737 (had 10A but moved at T-6 hours using online checkin)
SYD-PER 34A 767 (Exit row 767)
PER-BNE 4F 737 (Had 5F but again moved at T-6 hours using online checkin)
BNE-CNS 4F 737 (had 7F,once again moved at T-6 hours using online checkin)
CNS-DRW 1D 717 (moved from 10A at QP )
DRW-SYD 4A 737 (moved once again at T-6 hours OLCI)
SYD-BNE 34K 767 (exit road assigned at OLCI)

From the above you can see I had two flights where the seats were great, but by rechecking availability at 6 hours out I have turned that into 100%. obviously my flights are not exactly on the busy routes at busy times, I deliberately travel midweek where possible to save the company money and me some stress, the SYD-PER was the mid morning departure on a Wednesday while the PER-BNE was late afternoon that same day.


As a SG you do have some serious weight ahead of you in terms of seating preference from the many WP and CL members, on the BNE/SYD/MEL/ADL routes Mondays and Fridays I would expect the competition to get quite fierce for the good seats, but if you recheck at 6 hours before departure you might be surprised at what you can get.

 

[notzac]

I seem to do okay with seating as a WP. Started out with 5D for tonights flight, OLCI'ed at T -23 hours and am now in 4C.

 

[AnonymousCoward]

No issues getting forward rows on both domestic and international flights the past 12 months as a WP (even on sold out flights).

I would imagine that row 10-12 would be normal for a SG on a peak hour flight between capital cities...

 

[jayday13]

Hi all, this is my first post so forgive me if it is slightly off-topic. I am QF Silver and just booked an award J class SFO-LHR flight for July and discovered that I cannot choose seats on BA any more unless I pay $90 per person seat selection charge. Last time I booked BA there was no charge. Anyone had any experience with this?

I must say I am getting somewhat annoyed with all the more onerous restrictions placed on QF FF's these days. Also the numbers of points required for award flights are more than double SQ's. I booked a FRA-SIN-BNE J class flight on SQ for 63750 points last week. QF want 128000 for the same flights (if you can get seats!)

 

[AnonymousCoward]

Hi all, this is my first post so forgive me if it is slightly off-topic. I am QF Silver and just booked an award J class SFO-LHR flight for July and discovered that I cannot choose seats on BA any more unless I pay $90 per person seat selection charge. Last time I booked BA there was no charge. Anyone had any experience with this?

QF Silver = OW Ruby. OW Ruby is not recognised by BA. BA only have two levels (equivalent to QF Gold and Platinum)

Only if you have BA status (or equivalent OW status) will you be able to pre-select seats prior to T-24. Apparently the selection left available is usually quite good.

I must say I am getting somewhat annoyed with all the more onerous restrictions placed on QF FF's these days.

What restrictions? I don't believe anything has changed since 2005...

Also the numbers of points required for award flights are more than double SQ's. I booked a FRA-SIN-BNE J class flight on SQ for 63750 points last week. QF want 128000 for the same flights (if you can get seats!)

If you can earn a bunch of SQ points at the same rate as you can earn QF points, the by all means fly SQ. It's all about what the market will bear.

 

[WindowSeat]

...Often on the lighter flights it works quite well, but as soon as its a full house the priority seems to go out the window...

+1 for this especially as the OP mentioned ex ADL. Since QF cut some of the mid afternoon flights a couple of years ago, many ex ADL flights early evening are chock-a-block and I've found I can end up anywhere. In contrast Monday night on the 2045 SYD>ADL got 4A (4B was empty and 4C had another SG). Rows 4 and 5 often have 4B, 4E, 5B, 5E empty so odds of getting some room in those rows is pretty good I've found when the WPs haven't locked them away!

 

[trippin_the_rift]

I generally sway from my original allocation to a place where there's a chance of nobody sitting next to me - and this seldom happends in row 4 or 5.

767 is easy to score a free seat and I prefer these old birds now days!