seat selection - an old problem?

[wandering_fred]

Or simply put T-80, does seating open or not?
Departure is 1400 on 05 Dec. 80 hours before is 0600 on 02 Dec (or earlier than now).

I have no issues (award ticket) selecting row 6. My wife (AA award ticket) can not select on online.
Calling the agent claims it is only my SG status that allows online selection and it is correct that Mrs WF cannot select a seat online. But with an assistance request I get the seat next to me allocated for her.

I searched but "80" appears to be "too short" to be searchable.

Help me with future accompanied wandering
Fred

 

[AIRwin]

Or simply put T-80, does seating open or not?

Yes I was able to select row 4 on my flight after it opened up at T-80 yesterday...

 

[pjm99au]

I think the answer is it varies. This is the seat map for my flight on Thursday night viewed from a WP account. Row 5 not opened up yet. Row 4 blocks should be shadows (I hope)



this is the seat map for my return flight on Friday night. Row 4 not yet opened up but row 5 is



the difference is probably loading dependent but it’s not consistent.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Even if you want a seat, and have done pre select, and even with OLCI, there is still a chance QF can change your seat, for "operational and safety reasons".
I had a J seat, AKL - BNE in Dec 2019, had made a booking with cold hard cash, OLCI didn't open till T-24, as I was at that time a QFF PS, I waited till my time to check in, and they moved me from 3/4/5/6a to 2d! on their A330.
Not happy.
I don't trust QF with a barge pole, in future bookings, if I want to travel a wide body, and want a particular seat.
Edit: just remember, they can still change your seating request around.
Best of luck you get "it" on the 05/12 tho.

 

[sudoer]

Or simply put T-80, does seating open or not?

To answer your question, T-80 is certainly still a thing. Here's an upcoming A333 J seat map for 2 x WP at T-81:



and here it is at 5 minutes past T-80 with 1A/E/F/K open for selection:

Even if you want a seat, and have done pre select, and even with OLCI, there is still a chance QF can change your seat, for "operational and safety reasons".

I don't trust QF with a barge pole, in future bookings, if I want to travel a wide body, and want a particular seat.

By that logic you shouldn't trust any airline, they can all move you for operational and safety reasons. Seat selection is never guaranteed.

I know you've had a few unfortunate experiences with Qantas over the years (I think I've read the same couple of stories about Qantas seat selection or equipment swaps in at least 20 different threads) but you may need to move past this if you wish to fly wide bodies on domestic routes in future.

 

[wandering_fred]

I suspect that my question condenses to:
Are the t-80 openings of seats limited to QFF elites?

Maybe wandering
Fred

 

[Matt_01]

I suspect that my question condenses to:
Are the t-80 openings of seats limited to QFF elites?

Maybe wandering
Fred

No at T-80 it opens up to the masses.

 

[serfty]

Certainly Row 4 did for this WP yesterday.

 

[TheInsider]

I suspect that my question condenses to:
Are the t-80 openings of seats limited to QFF elites?

Maybe wandering
Fred

Nothing has changed with the algorithm, same same as pre-covid.