Seat Blocking

[EmilyHoward]

Jessica, you say you are 6" (6 inches) ! What 6 inches tall?? How do you climb onto the seat in the first place.

EH

 

[rothesaylass]

If you want to be certain of securing an empty seat by buying it....be aware that it doesn't work on all airlines.
My husband, son and I had paid for 3 flights ADL-PER on Jetstar. My son's plans changed and he was no longer travelling on the same flight as us.
Due to the high costs of changing the tix and the fact that we were in a row of 3, we decided not to cancel the ticket and enjoy the empty seat between us.
Imagine my surpise when I was advised at check-in, that I could not check-in the empty seat even though I had paid for it!!
Check-in advised that if my son did not check in, his seat would be treated as a no show and could be allocated to anyone else (stand-by etc)
They also advised that if anyone on the plane noticed the empty seat (we had paid extra to have row 1), they could request to be moved to that seat.
If they had a valid reason to need the extra room (eg sore knee), the crew would give them the seat.
The fact that I had paid for it was irrelevant!
As it turned out, we had the 3 seats between us, but I would never assume again that by buying the seat I had secured it.

 

[themaiz]

I've just done a swag of sectors with DJ after making SG by subterfuge (ie: via tier-match). On pretty much all my pnrs I logged on early and grabbed the frontest window available (3A, a surprising number of times). On almost all of the flights, 3B was empty. The reason for that could be affected by my practice of asking at checkin if the seat next to me is empty, with the lame but honest excuse that I intend to do some work. A couple of times the lounge agent advised that he/she would try to block the middle seat.

My sense on domestic flights is that the seat next to me has been empty more times on DJ than with QF. However I certainly get the impression that the QF system attempts to give me the space if it's available. Nice on long-haul, and especially appreciated.

j

 

[oz_mark]

It's terrible isn't it, having to sit next to someone on 'public' transport that anyone can buy a ticket on. Outrageous. :mrgreen:

Matt

Now, where is your sense of entitlement?

 

[Deleted User]

If you want to be certain of securing an empty seat by buying it....be aware that it doesn't work on all airlines.
My husband, son and I had paid for 3 flights ADL-PER on Jetstar. My son's plans changed and he was no longer travelling on the same flight as us.
Due to the high costs of changing the tix and the fact that we were in a row of 3, we decided not to cancel the ticket and enjoy the empty seat between us.
Imagine my surpise when I was advised at check-in, that I could not check-in the empty seat even though I had paid for it!!
Check-in advised that if my son did not check in, his seat would be treated as a no show and could be allocated to anyone else (stand-by etc)
They also advised that if anyone on the plane noticed the empty seat (we had paid extra to have row 1), they could request to be moved to that seat.
If they had a valid reason to need the extra room (eg sore knee), the crew would give them the seat.
The fact that I had paid for it was irrelevant!
As it turned out, we had the 3 seats between us, but I would never assume again that by buying the seat I had secured it.

Done similar before but with Qantas, suggestion is to be the last to board and make yourself comfortable (read as take up lots of room...!)

Also there is another thread on this somewhere in here...

 

[eosphoros]

If you want to be certain of securing an empty seat by buying it....be aware that it doesn't work on all airlines.
My husband, son and I had paid for 3 flights ADL-PER on Jetstar. My son's plans changed and he was no longer travelling on the same flight as us.
Due to the high costs of changing the tix and the fact that we were in a row of 3, we decided not to cancel the ticket and enjoy the empty seat between us.
Imagine my surpise when I was advised at check-in, that I could not check-in the empty seat even though I had paid for it!!
Check-in advised that if my son did not check in, his seat would be treated as a no show and could be allocated to anyone else (stand-by etc)
They also advised that if anyone on the plane noticed the empty seat (we had paid extra to have row 1), they could request to be moved to that seat.
If they had a valid reason to need the extra room (eg sore knee), the crew would give them the seat.
The fact that I had paid for it was irrelevant!
As it turned out, we had the 3 seats between us, but I would never assume again that by buying the seat I had secured it.

I don't see the problem here. The ticket was in your son's name and—I assume—non-refundable. If he wasn't there, that ticket is then treated as a no-show, not as a "okay we'll transfer it to a family member for free." In most of the discount Y fares, you will find name changes are not permitted.

 

[Deleted User]

...that ticket is then treated as a no-show

Hence do the OLCI and be the last to board...!

 

[eosphoros]

Hence do the OLCI and be the last to board...!

That's what I would do!

 

[ozbeachbabe]

If you want to be certain of securing an empty seat by buying it....be aware that it doesn't work on all airlines. My husband, son and I had paid for 3 flights ADL-PER on Jetstar. My son's plans changed and he was no longer travelling on the same flight as us.Due to the high costs of changing the tix and the fact that we were in a row of 3, we decided not to cancel the ticket and enjoy the empty seat between us.

To book an extra seat eg for 'personal comfort' it must be booked as such so the airline is aware that whilst 3 seats are booked and paid for there are only two people travelling. The extra seat code "EXST" is appended to a passengers names & not actually booked under a different person's name

Imagine my surpise when I was advised at check-in, that I could not check-in the empty seat even though I had paid for it!! Check-in advised that if my son did not check in, his seat would be treated as a no show and could be allocated to anyone else (stand-by etc).

If you checkin at the airport (as opposed to doing online checkin or mobile checkin) obviously they won't checkin a phantom passenger & therein lies the problem. By not checking in, your son became a noshow so if there had been standby passengers the airline would have realised your son isn't travelling so would then have time to checkin and standby pax onto the flight & into any spare seat on the plane which would be done about 30 minutes prior to departure on JQ flights.

Had your son checked in online & your son was a 'fail to board pax' (someone who has actually checked in but not yet boarded the flight) it would not be apparent until well into the boarding process that your son wouldn't be travellings & as a result of the late notice there would be less time for JQ on onload any standby passengers, particularly if they had luggage.

They also advised that if anyone on the plane noticed the empty seat (we had paid extra to have row 1), they could request to be moved to that seat. If they had a valid reason to need the extra room (eg sore knee), the crew would give them the seat. The fact that I had paid for it was irrelevant!

Whilst I can understand them saying they could seat a tall pax there if they requested it, someone with a sore knee or some other injury would not be deemed as being suitable ie not bodied & able to assist in an emergency so should not be seated there as per CASA regulations.

As it turned out, we had the 3 seats between us, but I would never assume again that by buying the seat I had secured it.

Again, if you do want 3 seats between two people it must be booked as an extra seat attached to one of the two passengers - it cannot be in another name like a normal passenger reservation.

 

[JohnK]

I do not ask for seats to be blocked but it has been offered a few times. As it turned the seat ended up occupied anyway and it is not that often that I have a vacant seat next to me.

As for Platinum shadows I do not believe I have one....

 

[themaiz]

As for Platinum shadows I do not believe I have one....

Are you the guy who sat next to me and had no reflection either?

 

[kevrosmith]

I do not ask for seats to be blocked but it has been offered a few times. As it turned the seat ended up occupied anyway and it is not that often that I have a vacant seat next to me.

As for Platinum shadows I do not believe I have one....

JohnK, being on the busy SYD-BNE routes, I'd suggest that it would be more difficult for your shadow seat to be unoccupied, especially travelling at peak times. Do you choose row 3 or 13/14 mostly on the 73H?

If you do advance seat selection, and then compare to EF, you'd probably find that a shadow seat is allocated initially (EF will show the seat as blocked) but then fills up.

 

[abstraction]

You can tell the platinum fliers apart on long haul flights, they are the ones given the noise canceling head sets! when sitting in Y, no matter where they are sitting. Don't know if this happens with golds or silvers as I went direct bronze to platinum so couldn't test this theory.

Now I've never been given these. Except years ago one of the air crew accidently broke my expensive headphones. She felt really bad, but you know, accidents happen, nobody's fault. The crew thought i was so nice about it that they presented me with a gift of qantas headphones. Ok, only useful on a flight. When I do take them with me i always feel guilty when i pack them away to take as though I'm going to be accused of pilfering.

 

[abstraction]

I've occasionally been told they have blocked a seat for me on the basis that the plane isn't full, but that they can't guarantee it will stay that way. And i think the shadow must happen, because on occasion I have one of the few empty seats beside me. I don't expect it, but it's very nice. I've been home only 20 days this year, and a lot of my flying has been with qantas, albeit all discount economy (NGO!), so these extras actually mean a lot. Regular long haul flying must be taking a toll on my health somewhere.

 

[JohnK]

Are you the guy who sat next to me and had no reflection either?

I have got a huge reflection but still no shadow!

JohnK, being on the busy SYD-BNE routes, I'd suggest that it would be more difficult for your shadow seat to be unoccupied, especially travelling at peak times. Do you choose row 3 or 13/14 mostly on the 73H?

I normally choose row 4 if it is available.

I have been on flights where I have been the only pre-allocated seat in the cabin and still no shadow. I have asked people to check for me as I do not have expert flyer access.

Now for international flights it may well be different and my next flight(s) are coming up soon. Can someone please let me know if there is a shadow next to 40G on QF023 SYD-BKK on April 25 and QF024 BKK-SYD on May 06? Last I looked there were only 2 seats pre-allocated in forward economy cabin.

 

[kevrosmith]

I normally choose row 4 if it is available.

Now for international flights it may well be different and my next flight(s) are coming up soon. Can someone please let me know if there is a shadown ext to 4G on QF023 SYD-BKK on April 25 and QF024 BKK-SYD on May 06? Last I looked there were only 2 seats pre-allocated in forward economy cabin.

Ah yes, row 4 on QF! It's row 3 on DJ... I keep getting my airlines mixed up!

40G?

 

[kevrosmith]

Qf24

 

[JohnK]

Ah yes, row 4 on QF! It's row 3 on DJ... I keep getting my airlines mixed up!

40G?

Yes sorry. Sticky fingers on these Apple keyboards.

The X means blocked right and the shaded is pre-allocated? So a Platinum is sitting in 40G on a lightly loaded flight and there does not appear to be a shadow.

I still believe "shadows" are a myth or at least they do not appear to exist for this Platinum. And yes we do know that not all Platinums are treated the same. Don't we?

 

[kevrosmith]

Yes sorry. Sticky fingers on these Apple keyboards.

The X means blocked right and the shaded is pre-allocated? So a Platinum is sitting in 40G on a lightly loaded flight and there does not appear to be a shadow.

I still believe "shadows" are a myth or at least they do not appear to exist for this Platinum. And yes we do know that not all Platinums are treated the same. Don't we?

I was surprised not to see a block next to you. What does MMB show you? It could be a domestic/international difference as well...

Im curious now and am going to trial some things with my future QF bookings.

 

[Happy Trails]

Ah yes, row 4 on QF! It's row 3 on DJ... I keep getting my airlines mixed up! 40G?View attachment 6656

I suspect that this view shows what is available to you as a WP.If you remove your QFF number from EF (and hence your status) you will find that many more seats appear as blocked. Including the rest of JohnK's row.