Seat selection in new system?

[777]

How about row 5?

In other words - block the front two rows for WP.

The right number should really be based on how many plats there are on an average flight.

3: P_P P_P
4: P_P ?_?
5: P_P ?_?
6: P_P P_P

Allowing for a blocked middle seat, Row 7 is reasonable if they expect 12-16 plats per flight (The ?s are to allow for the fact that i think VA reserve a couple of rows near the front for passengers with mobility issues). I would say that number is about right for golden triangle services at peak business times and probably overkill for most other flights.

 

[dfcatch]

The right number should really be based on how many plats there are on an average flight.

3: P_P P_P
4: P_P ?_?
5: P_P ?_?
6: P_P P_P

Allowing for a blocked middle seat, Row 7 is reasonable if they expect 12-16 plats per flight (The ?s are to allow for the fact that i think VA reserve a couple of rows near the front for passengers with mobility issues). I would say that number is about right for golden triangle services at peak business times and probably overkill for most other flights.

Fair enough.

But I maintain existing seat allocations shouldn't be being reallocated.

 

[Bolthead]

This is all making sense now...

Yesterday, both my daughters flew back from MEL to SYD. One daughter Plat the other red. Neither of them had requested a seat allocation. They ended up in 3B & 3C. Our red daughter failed to put her Velocity number on the booking. Hence, I am assuming because she did not have her VFF on the booking she was given row 3 with her sister. (They were on the same booking)

The other day (after 13th Jan) I made booking for 3 of us. Myself (Plat), wife (Plat) & Daughter (red) to OOL. (mid Feb) When I got to seat allocation step they only showed from row 12 and back. At the time it didn't make sense but now after all these threads it is all making sense. At the time I skipped this step. There is a button that allowed me to do this. So at this time I have no idea where I will be seated. Not that it bothers me that much. I will ring at T14 days and see what happens. Although according to some of these posts maybe I should be calling now.

 

[777]

Fair enough.

But I maintain existing seat allocations shouldn't be being reallocated.

I agree on that front.

 

[JohnK]

Went to check-in online last night for today's SYD-OOL flight and 7D was the best I could do. Not a single seat available in rows 3-6. Are there that many Platinums on every flight?

Anyway it would appear that rows 3-6 will not be available online for Gold or below, even for OLCI, and your best chance is to be lucky with seat change request at the airport.

 

[jazza1971]

What a load of bollocks, moved from row 3 on four sectors back to row 7....and left in row 3 on one....GCC said best way for me to try row 3 is at T-48 OLCI, which others are saying isnt working anyway. Sorry but if there arent Plats in those seats at T-48 Golds should have access and not have chance it at the airport.

 

[bullerdude]

Whilst the entire of Rows 3-6 or 24 seats appear blocked for Plat, I suspect that is not necessarily the case.

Rather, I suspect that at least 6 of those seats are reserved for operational reasons such as passengers with mobility issues - I have seen on numerous flights 4DEF and 5DEF used for these reasons.

Also, keep in mind that an extra benefit of Gold/Plat is that other people travelling your booking are entitled to sit with you - If I had two people travelling with me, then I would expect to have them seated with me in Rows 3-6 as that is a Platinum benefit (online seat selection is for this is currently broken as I have previously described but the call centre has confirmed the benefit)

Hence, rows 3-6 reserved for Plats is very reasonable. Golds then get these same benefits, but in further back rows 7-10 etc.

 

[bullerdude]

The other day (after 13th Jan) I made booking for 3 of us. Myself (Plat), wife (Plat) & Daughter (red) to OOL. (mid Feb) When I got to seat allocation step they only showed from row 12 and back. At the time it didn't make sense but now after all these threads it is all making sense. At the time I skipped this step. There is a button that allowed me to do this. So at this time I have no idea where I will be seated. Not that it bothers me that much. I will ring at T14 days and see what happens. Although according to some of these posts maybe I should be calling now.

Yes Bolthead you should call now - there is no longer a T-14 rule and seats can be allocated at any time. Call up the Plat line have ask them to seat you together in a Plat row at the front - it is a benefit you are entitled to.

As i described in a previous post, if booking online, only add your FF number and pretend that your guests are not FF's and this will allow you to select any Plat row for all you guests. This is because the system is currently broken and gets confused when it sees multiple FF's numbers.

 

[robd]

Yes Bolthead you should call now - there is no longer a T-14 rule and seats can be allocated at any time. Call up the Plat line have ask them to seat you together in a Plat row at the front - it is a benefit you are entitled to.

As i described in a previous post, if booking online, only add your FF number and pretend that your guests are not FF's and this will allow you to select any Plat row for all you guests. This is because the system is currently broken and gets confused when it sees multiple FF's numbers.

What's likely to happen when, after you've selected your seat for yourself and your guests, you re-add the FF number against your guest?

 

[Bolthead]

What's likely to happen when, after you've selected your seat for yourself and your guests, you re-add the FF number against your guest?

Good point and I guess time will tell. I am sure someone will test that soon. However my red daughter added her VFF at the Lounge, after her boarding pass was issued so that would not have been a good test. It would have been hysterical if they called her back and made her change seats.

 

[JohnK]

And 2 flights in a row I have been able to go from 7D to 5C at the airport.

 

[robd]

And 2 flights in a row I have been able to go from 7D to 5C at the airport.

Were the rows in front of you full?

 

[JohnK]

Were the rows in front of you full?

I guess so but I did change of seats at service desk as I cannot use the kiosks for old booking.

I shall have a look on the flight later but as a Gold the expectation should now be that row 7 is the best that could be allocated and anything better is a bonus. Personally I prefer the treatment Golds get on Qantas.

 

[Bolthead]

Yes Bolthead you should call now - there is no longer a T-14 rule and seats can be allocated at any time. Call up the Plat line have ask them to seat you together in a Plat row at the front - it is a benefit you are entitled to.

As i described in a previous post, if booking online, only add your FF number and pretend that your guests are not FF's and this will allow you to select any Plat row for all you guests. This is because the system is currently broken and gets confused when it sees multiple FF's numbers.

Well I tried.... They got all three of us in 4A, 4B, 4C which is expected if there is already 2 x plats in row 3 (either side) .... but wait for it... she said she could not do the return seat allocation as it was before the T14 period. I didn't want to argue with her because my flight going up is not even at the T14 point and I don't blame her. This is a training or communication problem with VA. I will wait until we are closer to the date to worry about the return leg.:?:

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Allowing for a blocked middle seat, Row 7 is reasonable

@777, do you have any info on this apart from AFF rumour (forlorn hope?)?

If VA did give plat shaddows automatically until full capacity requires the seats, then that would be a very real plat benefit which would eclipse the others.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

As a gold VFF, I have no issues with the current seat allocation changes. Such is life. What will really tee me off is if check-in start allocating red or non member flyers, forward seats on late check-in whilst air travel saavy golds and silvers stay languishing in > row 7.

Effectively disadvantaging their mid tier elites for being organised with their check-in. Hopefully that won't happen, but VA have demonstrated their ability to struggle with the concept of a loyalty programme from time to time........

 

[777]

@777, do you have any info on this apart from AFF rumour (forlorn hope?)?

If VA did give plat shaddows automatically until full capacity requires the seats, then that would be a very real plat benefit which would eclipse the others.

I'm not even suggesting it's a rumour! Just trying to calculate what numbers add up to allowing Gold's Row 7 onwards.

However given that Platinums are the only ones to allowed to select seats in those rows i'd expect those travelling alone will tend to organise themselves a shadow wherever possible.

 

[JohnK]

As a gold VFF, I have no issues with the current seat allocation changes. Such is life. What will really tee me off is if check-in start allocating red or non member flyers, forward seats on late check-in whilst air travel saavy golds and silvers stay languishing in > row 7.

A lot of the people around me did not look like high tier frequent flyers and not many blocked seats either as that would suggest free for all once at airport. Funny that 3C remained vacant while I was only given 5C late in the piece and it appeared 4DE required some sort of assistance. The 2 ladies sitting next to me in 5AB looked like very irregular flyers.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

given that Platinums are the only ones allowed to select seats in those rows i'd expect those travelling alone will tend to organise themselves a shadow wherever possible.

You haven't met Mrs Bolthead yet, Have you? :mrgreen:

You are right..... my wife is a Plat and yesterday she moved herself from 4C to 3B. I wouldn't had bothered!!

 

[Deleted member 29185]

A lot of the people around me did not look like high tier frequent flyers and not many blocked seats either as that would suggest free for all once at airport.

That doesn't sound promising. I hope this does not become commonplace. FFers being restricted whilst once-a-yearers holding hands with plats because they were running late for the flight.