Platinum Shadow - International? Does it work?

Status
Not open for further replies.
E

ermen

Established Member
Joined
Oct 9, 2010
Posts
1,244
Qantas
LT Silver
Oneworld
Emerald
I took my first international flight as a WP last week. However I didn't really experience the Platinum Shadow. I was seating in the first bulkhead seats in front of economy and my neighbour I believe was a non-status flyer. Flight was rather full though I noticed a few empty seats scattered further behind the plane (maybe around 5 or so?).

Does the Platinum Shadow work for international flights? Would a better strategy be to choose the non WP / SG seats a few rows back and hope the shadow works there? Maybe the shawdow was negated once the good bulkhead seats opened up at OLCI.
 
Score 10,000 Bonus PayRewards Points on your business spend!*
Elevate your business spending to first-class rewards! Sign up today with code AFF10 and process over $10,000 in business expenses within your first 30 days to unlock 10,000 Bonus PayRewards Points.
Join 30,000+ savvy business owners who:

✅ Pay suppliers who don’t accept Amex
✅ Max out credit card rewards—even on government payments
✅ Earn & transfer PayRewards Points to 10+ airline & hotel partners

Start earning today!
- Pay suppliers who don’t take Amex
- Max out credit card rewards—even on government payments
- Earn & Transfer PayRewards Points to 8+ top airline & hotel partners

AFF Supporters can remove this and all advertisements

I have had a booking in row one of business class for 3 weeks and I have a Platinum shadow. The adjacent seat is listed as blocked on Expert Flyer, however, it is available for selection on Qantas.com. I hope it stays unoccupied!
 
johnny said:
I have had a booking in row one of business class for 3 weeks and I have a Platinum shadow. The adjacent seat is listed as blocked on Expert Flyer, however, it is available for selection on Qantas.com. I hope it stays unoccupied!
Click to expand...

It's available for selection for you *wink*
 
I've never been on a QFi flight that's had enough seats to have many WP shadows. If there's 5 empty seats on the flight, it would be empty (based on the MEL-LHR and MEL-LAX flights I take).
 
I had one on QF9 at the end of May. I was in 12E with 12F empty and Expertflyer showing it as blocked. (Although I could select it!)
 
My row shadow stayed the part. It really made my trip. A 'particular' person appreciates the privacy you know?
 
Relegated to Y for my next long haul to LHR and rang Qantas Platinum number to request a seat block (a.k.a. Platinum Shadow). Only to be told that they had never heard of it and "don't do that sort of thing". Even after requesting a Supervisor's opinion, the answer was still the same. Does it still exist or is it simply that it can not be done manually by phone? The seat selection on QF shows that the flight is not full, but I don't have my shadow.
 
Im only bronze - so feel free to correct me with facts - but from what I have experienced is:
even as bronze you will have a vacant seat next to you if the flight load allows (is this the shadow you refer to?)
You will be sat in a better area of the plane (in the pre assign your own seat days)
it is an unwritten rule so most staff are unaware
everyone in the section knows whats going on but no one knows exactly 'why'
I flew to LHR and the plane had 3 rows of alternate seats apart from that every seat was taken (F, J and Y)...
Again - I was bronze, I had taken out QFF specifically before that trip so no status or history nothing - brand new

You can buy a seat next to you. I know of people who have done this when J wasn't available. You don't get the extra luggage allowance. I think its a % of the fare and I'm not sure about paying the taxes (because its not an extra passenger) ... I always hope to sit next to a person who bought the seat next to them. I have sat next to people who specifically requested it be free when booking with their agent - their ticket cost more than mine, so they had probably paid for the empty seat and not realised and to my benefit as well.
 
shearsense said:
Relegated to Y for my next long haul to LHR and rang Qantas Platinum number to request a seat block (a.k.a. Platinum Shadow). Only to be told that they had never heard of it and "don't do that sort of thing". Even after requesting a Supervisor's opinion, the answer was still the same. Does it still exist or is it simply that it can not be done manually by phone? The seat selection on QF shows that the flight is not full, but I don't have my shadow.
Click to expand...

Because seats are able to be selected does not show how full the flight is. All it shows is that the seats are not allocated yet. Don't forget those who wait until OLCI and the airport to have their seats allocated.
 
shearsense said:
Relegated to Y for my next long haul to LHR and rang Qantas Platinum number to request a seat block (a.k.a. Platinum Shadow). Only to be told that they had never heard of it and "don't do that sort of thing". Even after requesting a Supervisor's opinion, the answer was still the same. Does it still exist or is it simply that it can not be done manually by phone? The seat selection on QF shows that the flight is not full, but I don't have my shadow.
Click to expand...
If you care to mention what flight/date/route you're on we can look and see rough loadings (ie, what's for sale still and what seats are available for WP's to pre-select).

The system will either block a seat next to a WP on a lightly loaded flight, or allocate the seats last on more heavily booked flights.

The "Platinum Shadow" is a phrase we have coined here, based on people seeing a blocked seat next to them, and when they move, the blocked seat moves with them (and the previously blocked seat becomes available for selection).

I know for a fact that VA will always block a seat next to a WP wherever possible, and try and seat all WP's in the front two rows of whY and leave the middle seats empty (straight from a VA staffer when I was requesting a seating allocation on AKL-MEL the other day).
 
I think if you have to ask for a "platinum shadow" you probably aren't at the "right" platinum level yet. :p (Just saying.................I believe the modern expression is!)
 
A "shadow" is generally an automatic flag placed on a seat to restrict it from being allocated. This automatic process is provided by Qantas' Altair seating system and is most often employed in defined situations. It can be observed in situations such as a WP being preallocated an adjacent seat. In that example, if the WP reallocates to another seat, the "shadow" moves as well.

A "Seat Block" is a restriction placed on a particular seat for various reasons - this would generally be a manual process.
 
shearsense said:
Relegated to Y for my next long haul to LHR and rang Qantas Platinum number to request a seat block (a.k.a. Platinum Shadow). Only to be told that they had never heard of it and "don't do that sort of thing". Even after requesting a Supervisor's opinion, the answer was still the same. Does it still exist or is it simply that it can not be done manually by phone? The seat selection on QF shows that the flight is not full, but I don't have my shadow.
Click to expand...

I don't believe it is manually activated. There are WP's and there are WP'S !!
 
Sprucegoose said:
I don't believe it is manually activated. There are WP's and there are WP'S !!
Click to expand...

Oddly enough I have had seats blocked as Platinum over the phone previously. But maybe I am only 0.5P as opposed to P1.....

While I am still curious about the answers to this for future reference, the point is moot for now as upgrade just confirmed :D
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Become an AFF member!

Join Australian Frequent Flyer (AFF) for free and unlock insider tips, exclusive deals, and global meetups with 65,000+ frequent flyers.

AFF members can also access our Frequent Flyer Training courses, and upgrade to Fast-track your way to expert traveller status and unlock even more exclusive discounts!

AFF forum abbreviations

Wondering about Y, J or any of the other abbreviations used on our forum?

Check out our guide to common AFF acronyms & abbreviations.

Recent Posts

Currently Active Users

... and 7 more.
Total: 421 (members: 57, guests: 364)
Back
Top