Seat Block Request

[MrMickeyg]

Hi All,

I was travelling PER-MEL last week and asked the Lounge ladies if they could block the seat next to me for the trip home. Normally they take my boarding pass have a play on the computer and tell me whether they can or cant based on loads.

This time I was told that they cant block seats anymore as this was a new policy to do with Web Check in and the self checkin terminals.

Anyone else experienced this or is it a way out west (Perth) thing.....?


Cheers

(SG)

 

[serfty]

I guess it relates the new system tests ...

http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/com...m/qantas-upgrades-new-check-system-13259.html

 

[Dave Noble]

Indeed; when I was flying out of perth last friday I heard someone asking about a seat block and they said that the new system does not permit then to block seats

Dave

 

[Evan]

Can't be good news i liked having seats blocked beside me... makes a trip a lot nicer when in whY.
E

 

[aus_flyer]

Indeed; when I was flying out of perth last friday I heard someone asking about a seat block and they said that the new system does not permit then to block seats

Or it could just be Perth staff being notoriously difficult. I've had Perth checkin staff tell me "we're not allowed to block seats" on numerous occasions - and this was before the new checkin system.

 

[Dave Noble]

Or it could just be Perth staff being notoriously difficult. I've had Perth checkin staff tell me "we're not allowed to block seats" on numerous occasions - and this was before the new checkin system.

The staff there that day were being particularly helpful; I don't think that it was a staffing issue

Dave

 

[aus_flyer]

The staff there that day were being particularly helpful; I don't think that it was a staffing issue

Dave

Then if it truly is a "feature" of the new system - not happy Jan!

 

[JohnK]

Can't be good news i liked having seats blocked beside me... makes a trip a lot nicer when in whY.

There should be nothing stopping you going to reception in the lounge or even the gate after check-in has closed to inquire if there are any pair of seats available and have a boarding pass printed for one of these. OK so you may not get your favourite seat with the seat next to it blocked but you still get a vacant seat next to you.

Anyway something tells me that the way airfares are increasing at the moment flights will not be as full as they have been in recent years....

 

[oz_mark]

Anyway something tells me that the way airfares are increasing at the moment flights will not be as full as they have been in recent years....

There is some evidence that the bottom end of the market (i.e. the liesure traveller) has already started to fall away.

 

[Fluid-Flyer]

I heard someone asking about a seat block and they said that the new system does not permit then to block seats

Ahhhh, so the key here it seems, is that the human representative is not allowed to block seats anymore, as presumably, the computer system has already decided where this could "most effectively" be done.
(I have certainly benefitted in the past, from having blocked seats on QF services, without asking for them. So, it will be interesting to see what happens in the future, with this new system - as the only time i'm not on a red-e-deal, is if I'm flying on Super Saver i.e. Business Class upgrade.)

 

[oz_mark]

Ahhhh, so the key here it seems, is that the human representative is not allowed to block seats anymore, as presumably, the computer system has already decided where this could "most effectively" be done.
(I have certainly benefitted in the past, from having blocked seats on QF services, without asking for them. So, it will be interesting to see what happens in the future, with this new system - as the only time i'm not on a red-e-deal, is if I'm flying on Super Saver i.e. Business Class upgrade.)

I have never asked for a seat next to me to be blocked, but they certainly have been at times. I don't know how they have got to that state.

 

[Shano]

I have also been told at check-in several times that the seat next to me has been blocked.

I have asked for the seat next to me to be blocked and been successful a few times in the past as well.

On one occasion I did ask in MEL when travelling with Mrs and mini Shano and was told that they were not allowed to block seats (this was about 6 months ago). We had booked two seats and mini Shano was travelling as an infant, so the extra seat on the 737 would have made it more comfortable for us.

I told the check-in agent that this had been done voluntarily for us only a month ago, but he was adamant that this was not permitted.

 

[aus_flyer]

I told the check-in agent that this had been done voluntarily for us only a month ago, but he was adamant that this was not permitted.

Maybe he was new.... perhaps they are trained that they're not allowed to, but in practice they know they can?

 

[oz_mark]

Maybe it has to go up the line now, like seat unblocking does .(which I imagine is a much rarer request)