Urgent Seating Question - Flying Tonight

[justinbrett]

I've just bitten the bullet and booked my self on a flight out of Darwin tonight (well tomorrow 0155) to Brisbane (Qantas).

I'm Qantas Club Silver with seat preference of Window. I always get it.

However, I have a feeling as I've just booked it today (4pm), will I have missed out on pre-selection? ie - I'm on the bottom of the list for a window seat even though I'm club silver?

If this is a case, would checking in early help? The flight leaves just before 2am, so to me it doesn't matter too much what time I get to the airport. All the more to enjoy at the Qantas club. However I would like to sleep for as long as possible before going to the airport.

I'm only going to take carry-on bags so I guess I'll be checking in at the Qantas Club itself. Unless it is better in this case to check in at the main check in?

Some advice would be appreciated - it's my first time flying on a red-eye (managed to avoid it until now) and this is the one time I want my status privillege.

 

[Dave Noble]

The exit rows will not have been pre-assigned. It looks like your flight tonight is operated with a 73H so the exit rows are 13 and 14.. 13AF or 14AF would nicely meet your preferences .

Since ( except in rare occasions ) the exit seats are not pre-assigned and not available normally from QuickCheck, just ask for them in the QP and you have a good chance of success ; admittedly this makes no use of you lowly status privileges, but should enable you to get a decent seat

Dave

 

[cpl]

However, I have a feeling as I've just booked it today (4pm), will I have missed out on pre-selection? ie - I'm on the bottom of the list for a window seat even though I'm club silver?

Yes (but as FF Silver you're at the bottom of the 'status' list anyway )

If this is a case, would checking in early help?

I'd say that's your best bet.

I'm only going to take carry-on bags so I guess I'll be checking in at the Qantas Club itself. Unless it is better in this case to check in at the main check in?

Is it actually possible to check in at Darwin's Qantas Club?

 

[shillard]

Early check-in is your best bet, but don't get there TOO early.

Check the QF Pub's opening time before you head off - spending a couple of hours in the check-in area is not my idea of fun.

 

[Dave Noble]

If you live somewhere near the airport, have you considered just popping down early in the evening and checking in and getting a decent seat; then you can return home and relax/sleep/rest and just ensure that you are back at the airport at around 01:30

Dave

 

[justinbrett]

Thanks for the advice - checking in early seems to be my best bet, covers all my bases.

I just rang up Qantas, the club opens at 11pm.

The flight musn't be very full, I got the lowest Red-e-deal 8 hours before the departure, so I guess there will be plenty of spare seats.

Oh well, I'm sure it will be a great flight. My mate will be the Tower controller tonight in Darwin so he's going to chat to the pilots to send some free Bundy's my way.

I just had horrible images of me in the middle seat next to sreaming children between 2am and 6am. Not a good thing.

 

[justinbrett]

If you live somewhere near the airport, have you considered just popping down early in the evening and checking in and getting a decent seat; then you can return home and relax/sleep/rest and just ensure that you are back at the airport at around 01:30

Dave

Yeah, I live in the city but it's only a 15 minute drive at that time of night.

I work in the control tower which is just next to the terminal, where I will be leaving my car. So I was going to check in and go over and hang out in the Tower for a bit.

Checking in early though, there is a limit, isn't there? About 3 hours before?

 

[Dave Noble]

Checking in early though, there is a limit, isn't there? About 3 hours before?

No; if you are travelling without luggage , then you can check in at any time during the day. If you are only 15 mins away, then pop in and check in now; should have little trouble getting 13AF/14AF as long as you check in with a hoo man and specifically ask for the exit row

(if you are travelling with luggage, then go and check in without luggage and get a decent seat, then when you return to the airport, then just check the bags in then )

Dave

 

[meloz]

I'm showing 81Y and 11J available.

I think you will get your window seat.

Meloz

 

[justinbrett]

Checking in early though, there is a limit, isn't there? About 3 hours before?

No; if you are travelling without luggage , then you can check in at any time during the day. If you are only 15 mins away, then pop in and check in now; should have little trouble getting 13AF/14AF as long as you check in with a hoo man and specifically ask for the exit row

(if you are travelling with luggage, then go and check in without luggage and get a decent seat, then when you return to the airport, then just check the bags in then )

Dave

Unfortunately Darwin airport basically closes down from about 5pm to 10pm as there are no flights. The last flight just departed Darwin at 1710 (to Mumbai) and the next one isn't until 0130 to Sydney. Mine is shortly after at 0155.

But thanks for the info, I'll head down there about 10pm and check in.

ps. What's a hoo man?

 

[Dave Noble]

Unfortunately Darwin airport basically closes down from about 5pm to 10pm as there are no flights. The last flight just departed Darwin at 1710 (to Mumbai) and the next one isn't until 0130 to Sydney. Mine is shortly after at 0155.

But thanks for the info, I'll head down there about 10pm and check in.

ps. What's a hoo man?

I didn't realise that Darwin shuts down early in the day

Dave

 

[justinbrett]

Unfortunately Darwin airport basically closes down from about 5pm to 10pm as there are no flights. The last flight just departed Darwin at 1710 (to Mumbai) and the next one isn't until 0130 to Sydney. Mine is shortly after at 0155.

But thanks for the info, I'll head down there about 10pm and check in.

ps. What's a hoo man?

I didn't realise that Darwin shuts down early in the day

Dave

Yeah, there's about three "Waves" of flights out of Darwin

There's 0500 - 0630, which is the flight to Cairns and the two Qantaslink 717s to Alice and Gove. QF82 to Adelaide is also in this window (from Singapore)

Then there's 1130 - 1400ish, which are the daytime flights to Adelaide, Brisbane Alice Springs and Perth. Can extend to include QF81 and QF123, international flights to Singapore and Mumbai.

Then there's 0000 - 0200 which are the Red-eye services (Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney).

Outside of these times the terminal is basically closed.

 

[jakeseven7]

Bring on Qantas online check in - would have solved your problem!

Mid year the word is!

 

[QF WP]

as long as you check in with a hoo man and specifically ask for the exit row

ps. What's a hoo man?

Dave's English witticism (or is it attempt at humour :roll: ) for a "human" (i.e. not checking in at the QuickCheck machine because they generally don't allocate exit rows).

 

[serfty]

Bring on Qantas online check in - would have solved your problem!

Mid year the word is!

Given that exit row BP's cannot be obtained without the assistance of a "hooman" agent of the airline, methink's that any online check in process would not allow access to exit row seating.

 

[Dave Noble]

Bring on Qantas online check in - would have solved your problem!

Mid year the word is!

Given that exit row BP's cannot be obtained without the assistance of a "hooman" agent of the airline, methink's that any online check in process would not allow access to exit row seating.

Indeed. Online and Self service checkin without hooman intervention is unlikely to lead to a BP with a nice exit seat

Dave

 

[jakeseven7]

Bring on Qantas online check in - would have solved your problem!

Mid year the word is!

Given that exit row BP's cannot be obtained without the assistance of a "hooman" agent of the airline, methink's that any online check in process would not allow access to exit row seating.

Indeed. Online and Self service checkin without hooman intervention is unlikely to lead to a BP with a nice exit seat

Dave

I think you misread the original question, he was asking about being allocated a window seat not exit row which I was responding to.

Online check in will enable pax to allocate themselves these seats much more easily hours before most ppl rock up @ the airport (will be interesting to see how it is managed though as I would imagine alot of people will try and snap up the forward window/aisles alot earlier - will QF hold back seats for high status FF?)


But yes obviously you are correct about the exit row.

 

[Dave Noble]

But yes obviously you are correct about the exit row.

Which is the only seats that I am interested in when travelling in economy class

Beyond getting that, I have no interest in how the other seats are allocated

Dave

 

[justinbrett]

Well here's an update just in case you guys wanted to know how it turned out.

I checked in at the airport just after 11pm - I asked for an exit row window and she gave it to me.

As it turned out the flight was quite empty (probably 1/3 full) and I was in 13F - nobody was assigned 13D or 13E.

So it worked out very nicely. Turns out I didn't really need the exit row as I spent most of it horizontal spread out over three seats fast asleep.

Also it was a very quiet flight, no screaming children. Probably the perfect red-eye flight.