Where's my shadow?

[opusman]

I am WP and SWMBO is SG.
I have allocated us 6A/C on QF1011 on 19/10/12. If I look on EF 6B does not show as blocked.

Do shadows only work if you're travelling alone or something?

 

[opusman]

Wow, thanks all for your attention!

 

[MarkD]

No problem


I'm too poor to own a signature

 

[serfty]

E/F may be evaluating your status level as being eligible for that seat - its really only an approximation.

Really the only way to check is to see what another WP on the same flight may select. (not P1 or CL).

Then again it may be to soon for one to appear.

I have really only observed it via another persons booking a day our two before travel.

 

[simongr]

I had my first shadow in a while on yesterday's flight down. I have no idea how or even if it works

 

[whughes3]

In my experience, "shadows" only show up at T-80; this was certainly the case on my last few flights.

 

[mrfreeze]

I recently completed a HBA - SYD - MEL - HBA trip with a co worker and had a shadow on all flights initially.
The first flight we checked in at the counter and was told we had a blocked seat between us (Exit Row).
EF was also showing this for me.
We sat there waiting as the last passengers boarded and had a woman occupy the seat between us (Glanced at her boarding pass and she was 13E).
Had a shadow on the other 2 flights.

 

[tuapekastar]

Okay, a few questions because I'm genuinely interested in sorting fact from speculation/deduction.

I'm unsure, as far as 'shadows' go, what is real and what is not (I guess you could say I'm jumping at shadows :shock. It seems many people see an empty seat next to them and say "I have a shadow" - I see an empty seat next to me and say "I have an empty seat next to me". I'm not suggesting the concept doesn't exist, just that people seem to see 'shadow' when perhaps they are just looking at 'unallocated seat? How do I tell the difference?

Is 'shadow' official terminology related to the res/seating system (ALTEA I guess)? Or just a term coined on an FF board to describe a situation? How much of what is said on AFF re shadows is speculation/logical deduction, and how much is fact?

I understand the concept of blocked seats, and have been the beneficiary before (the check in agent advised me of same). It makes perfect sense for an airline to try and ensure their higher-tiered FF members receive the benefits of empty neighbouring seats ahead of the lower-tiered ones.

It would be nice if I could use any factual info to assist in my seating arrangements, but I do struggle sorting fact from speculation, and I suspect if I asked 10 different AFFers to explain how shadows worked I'd get at least five different explanations! Or maybe not, hence the questions.

 

[mannej]

Where is a shadow published as a benefit?

 

[serfty]

Where is a shadow published as a benefit?

It isn't.

"shadow" is used to described what has been observed.

It would seem to me that any shadow is a function of "Altea" and is not always present.

If it is present, it "follows" you as you move seats.

Say you are in 5C, being the only person in rows 4 and 5. 5B/C show as unselectable to another PAX booked on the same flight and E/F shows 5B as blocked, 5C allocated. If you move to 4D, the other PAX will then now see both 5B/C as available for selection and 4D/E unselectable - E/F shows 4E as blocked & 4D allocated with row 5 free.

 

[tuapekastar]

So it would seem that you could only have some degree of surety (but no guarantee) as to a 'shadow''s presence if you tested it out by shuffling yourself around the cabin a bit? If you did not do so, then all you would note is an empty seat next to you (blocked in E/F), which presumably could be come unblocked at any time. And sounds like it is a coined term, rather than anything out of Altea?

 

[serfty]

"shadow" in this context was most definitely coined by members of this forum.

Posted on a wing and a prayer ...

 

[JohnK]

It seems many people see an empty seat next to them and say "I have a shadow" - I see an empty seat next to me and say "I have an empty seat next to me". I'm not suggesting the concept doesn't exist, just that people seem to see 'shadow' when perhaps they are just looking at 'unallocated seat? How do I tell the difference?

I feel the same. An vacant seat is a vacant seat and a vacant seat next to you may have nothing to do with "shadows" following you everywhere.

"shadow" in this context was most definitely coined by members of this forum.

That is comforting to know....

 

[tuapekastar]

Thanks for the input serfty. I think a shadow is probably not something that will figure highly in my seat selection. What happens, happens!