Qantas New Check In Seating Allocation

[Nathan75]

All,

Just checked in at ROK for BNE and was told that you cannot ask for emergency exit rows anymore due to their new system that came on-line this morning.

I have been calm until now about QF/JQ with late departures/dogey aircraft, but if this is true I will be switching my travel arrangements to the Virgin's.

Can anyone confirm if this is the case. It was explained to me that the computer automatically assigns you a seat based on status (which I already knew) but won't allow you to move to exit rows etc...

Maybe its the staff that aren't yet fully trained in the system???

Who Knows???

 

[Mwenenzi]

Were the exit row seats already allocated to other pax ?
What is your QF status ?
Other AFF'ers have reported being able to change seat allocations without trouble

 

[International Lady]

True! Seating map of available seats will only show what's left applicable to your fare and/or status.

Even Chairmans Lounge members on cheapie economy tickets will have less access to better seats than someone paying a full class fare!!!

 

[serfty]

True! Seating map of available seats will only show what's left applicable to your fare and/or status.

Even Chairmans Lounge members on cheapie economy tickets will have less access to better seats than someone paying a full class fare!!!

Not sure about that; Qantas haven't been able to get the revenue side of things working properly; 95% of my doestic travel is on the cheapest of the cheap fares and I am still getting the better seats to select from.

See this post:

• http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/com...fury-economy-passengers-14036.html#post182339

 

[Travel Guru]

According to someone I was chatting with the other day, Qantas' new system major focus is weight distribution, as they've worked out they can save a bundle in fuel if the plane is evenly weighted L-R and Fwd-Rear.

Im not sure the specifics, but i know they're going to get tougher on seating in order the even weight distribution targets are achieved.

I dont know what this has got to do with the exit rows, but im sure time will reveal all.

Incidently, I always find asking at the QP elicits a much better response re seat changes than at bagdrop.

TG

 

[International Lady]

That's good! Let's see what happens when it kicks in with International flights next month.

 

[JohnK]

Even Chairmans Lounge members on cheapie economy tickets will have less access to better seats than someone paying a full class fare!!!

Not sure I agree with this statement based on my experiences with my last 3 flights on the cheapest possible red e-deal. I have been allocated bulkhead aisle on 767, 2nd row aisle on another variation of the 767 and a complimentary upgrade to business class on a 767.

This is how I would expect the system to work. I do agree though that if there are 2 identical status passengers and they have paid a different price for their ticket then I would expect the higher airfare would get a better seat allocation. I do not expect to see a situation where a bronze passenger with a high fare class would be given a better seat than a Platinum passenger on the cheapest fare class. Maybe I am wrong....

 

[Travel Guru]

Not sure I agree with this statement based on my experiences with my last 3 flights on the cheapest possible red e-deal. I have been allocated bulkhead aisle on 767, 2nd row aisle on another variation of the 767 and a complimentary upgrade to business class on a 767.

This is how I would expect the system to work. I do agree though that if there are 2 identical status passengers and they have paid a different price for their ticket then I would expect the higher airfare would get a better seat allocation. I do not expect to see a situation where a bronze passenger with a high fare class would be given a better seat than a Platinum passenger on the cheapest fare class. Maybe I am wrong....

I'd have to agree with you there John, aside from identical status and different bkg classes, i'd expect status to win out when it comes to seating.

TG

 

[codash1099]

According to someone I was chatting with the other day, Qantas' new system major focus is weight distribution, as they've worked out they can save a bundle in fuel if the plane is evenly weighted L-R and Fwd-Rear.

Yeah, I've heard that as well. In fact I was on a 767 with a very light PAX load but with people scattered all over the plane. CSM announced that was for "balancing" reasons but we were free to change seats after take-off.

Not sure whether this relates to fuel conservation, though.

 

[Homer]

I'm sitting in the CNS QP waiting to board a flight to SYD. This is my first time in Y for a very long time - but the revenue seats for three of us were far too expensive and I couldn't get three upgrades at a time that suited us. Anyhow...

I just had a long chat to the QP staffer on the front desk about the new system and she says that load balancing has no more effect on the seating allocation than it previously did. As far as she has been told the three influencing factors are your tier, the price you paid for your seat and - get this - your commercial worth to QF. Apparently the new software adds up not just your individual spend over a pre-determined period with QF but also the spend that you might have influence over; ie a CRM type system.

I got three seats in row 27 on a 763 so I'm not loving the new system so far...

 

[Groundfeeder]

As far as she has been told the three influencing factors are your tier, the price you paid for your seat and - get this - your commercial worth to QF.

YAY!! I knew that CIP on the BP would finally come good.:mrgreen:

 

[dot]

Well - on the only two Dom flights since the new system was introduced, I have been allocated front row of the economy cabin on both flights (a 763 and a 738).

That said, it did allocate me the isle on the 763 and the middle seat on the 738:shock:. I am not sure when it happened, but the preference in my profile changed to give priority to the forward position over the window. Previously, my profile just said "forward window", but now I can change which of those two properties takes precedent. I presume this change in profiles occurred with the introduction of the new seat allocation system.

I have changed my preference to window forward now, so we will see how I go on the next flight. If you - like me - prefer window seats, I recommend you revisit your QFF profile and check that your seating preference is still the way you want it.

 

[Homer]

Thanks for the tip on the profile changes. I'll check mine out. In my case yesterday the three seats in the middle suited as I had Marge and Maggie with me. However my normal preference is Window, then Forward.

I joked with the QP staffer that "a CL must have got in before me" and she said "actually there were two". However the two sets of families in front of me in Y looked and acted as though this was their first time on a plane... :shock:

 

[oz_mark]

I joked with the QP staffer that "a CL must have got in before me" and she said "actually there were two". However the two sets of families in front of me in Y looked and acted as though this was their first time on a plane... :shock:

CL's aren't always in that status cause they fly a lot. In fact, the may travel little themselves.

 

[NM]

A colleague and I had no problems changing seat this week. I was allocated 1C and he was allocated 2C. We asked to be seated together and were moved to 3A and 3B. By boarding time both 1C and 2C were allocated to other pax (ODUs I expect). So no issues with our change affecting weight and balance of the 734.

The QF staffer at the service desk in the BNE Domestic Business Lounge was very helpful and commented that it was her first day using the new system and she had to play around a little to find the right place to make the changes.

 

[pauly7]

All,

Just checked in at ROK for BNE and was told that you cannot ask for emergency exit rows anymore due to their new system that came on-line this morning.

I have been calm until now about QF/JQ with late departures/dogey aircraft, but if this is true I will be switching my travel arrangements to the Virgin's.

Can anyone confirm if this is the case. It was explained to me that the computer automatically assigns you a seat based on status (which I already knew) but won't allow you to move to exit rows etc...

Maybe its the staff that aren't yet fully trained in the system???

Who Knows???

I think you may have copped some staff still working out the new system, I asked for an exit row yesterday and was given one no problems

So good news for you!

 

[Jobu]

As far as she has been told the three influencing factors are your tier, the price you paid for your seat and - get this - your commercial worth to QF. Apparently the new software adds up not just your individual spend over a pre-determined period with QF but also the spend that you might have influence over; ie a CRM type system.

So, how does one increase their "commercial worth" to Qantas?

Cheers,

J

 

[oz_mark]

So, how does one increase their "commercial worth" to Qantas?

Cheers,

J

Fly more on high yielding airfares and get Qantas to think you influence your comapnies travel policy

 

[simongr]

I think commercial worth would be determined more by which company you work for rather than some individual spend. A one time flier for xx_ corp spending $10M a year on QF is more commercially important than a 4 times a year $10,000 flier. The one timer is part of a broader revenue stream that needs to serviced and maintained.

 

[medhead]

I think commercial worth would be determined more by which company you work for rather than some individual spend. A one time flier for xx_ corp spending $10M a year on QF is more commercially important than a 4 times a year $10,000 flier. The one timer is part of a broader revenue stream that needs to serviced and maintained.

Except the one timer is unlikely to have an influence on how the $10m is spent. Providing them with better service is unlikely to get more money or a bigger share of the money to the airline. I was a cog in a big mining company once and I got one flight from them one year - absolutely no choice on airline regardless of service.

Whereas the $10000 flyer might have direct control over how the money is spent and might be more likely to take it elsewhere if they don't get good service.