789/388 Broken Business Suites Rife - PAX Involuntary moved

J

Josh

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Jun 7, 2006
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Virgin
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Hi all,

I've had a situation happen a couple of times now, where my seat has been changed either during online checkin (T-24) or in the few days leading up to a International J flight (trans-Pacific). When I ask the staff at the airport why I was moved, their line is "the seat you allocated doesn't recline", so they moved me to another one. However, both times on the plane, I've witnessed the people in these seats reclining without any issue. On one flight, I even asked the CSM if this was correct (before takeoff), and she backed up that "they don't recline" story. Note these tickets have been classic award redemptions as well, so maybe I'm not seen as a "high value" passenger on that flight (even though I am WP).

Is this something anyone else here has experienced? I'm wondering if this is a common occurance - these seemingly blatant lies by the Qantas airport and flight crews.

Thanks,

Josh
 
Josh said:
Hi all,

I've had a situation happen a couple of times now, where my seat has been changed either during online checkin (T-24) or in the few days leading up to a International J flight (trans-Pacific). When I ask the staff at the airport why I was moved, their line is "the seat you allocated doesn't recline", so they moved me to another one. However, both times on the plane, I've witnessed the people in these seats reclining without any issue. On one flight, I even asked the CSM if this was correct (before takeoff), and she backed up that "they don't recline" story. Note these tickets have been classic award redemptions as well, so maybe I'm not seen as a "high value" passenger on that flight (even though I am WP).

Is this something anyone else here has experienced? I'm wondering if this is a common occurance - these seemingly blatant lies by the Qantas airport and flight crews.

Thanks,

Josh
Click to expand...
They shift seats all the time unfortunately but misleading you as to the reason why is pathetic. Do they actually think we won't check?
 
For QF, I am not surprised you mentioned it.
I wanted a window seat, AKL - BNE, always have window in my profile.
Even when I made the booking.
In my case, just because I was in AKL and too slow to do OLCI, after it opened, even by about 15/20 mins, my window seat disappeared, and I got an aisle in the middle instead, it was an A330, so even in the middle, wasn't an end, but still, I did not agree to be moved.
QF does not care, its in the terms, that seats are not guaranteed, and can be changed for operational and safety reasons.
Mine was a true rev tix, in J, and wasn't an upgrade, ie, paid actual $.
 
Yeah, I totally understand that they need to move seats all the time for operational reasons, but it's the blatant lying about the reason that really pisses me off. Why can't they just be upfront about it?
 
Josh said:
Hi all,

I've had a situation happen a couple of times now, where my seat has been changed either during online checkin (T-24) or in the few days leading up to a International J flight (trans-Pacific). When I ask the staff at the airport why I was moved, their line is "the seat you allocated doesn't recline", so they moved me to another one. However, both times on the plane, I've witnessed the people in these seats reclining without any issue. On one flight, I even asked the CSM if this was correct (before takeoff), and she backed up that "they don't recline" story. Note these tickets have been classic award redemptions as well, so maybe I'm not seen as a "high value" passenger on that flight (even though I am WP).

Is this something anyone else here has experienced? I'm wondering if this is a common occurance - these seemingly blatant lies by the Qantas airport and flight crews.

Thanks,

Josh
Click to expand...
I had a seat change on a domestic J last month from 3A to 2A (from close to window position to aisle-side). When I asked te CSM, he also said the recline was broken. However, that seat remained empty. (J wasn’t full.)
 
Josh said:
so maybe I'm not seen as a "high value" passenger on that flight (even though I am WP).
Click to expand...

Has also happened to me as WP, on revenue flights in J. At least once I saw my seat with a then prominent sport administrator's backside in it, so I'm guessing the moves often occur due to a WP1 who couldn't be bothered getting a seat assignment beforehand, knowing Qantas will tip out someone for his choice on check-in.


Josh said:
Why can't they just be upfront about it?
Click to expand...

Not surprised that its happened, am surprised the CSM carried the story. At check-in the check-in agent is faced with having to give you some bad news, not of their making, so finds a convenient excuse. The CSM - they've answered your question and no correspondence will be entered into, maybe.
 
I can see their point of view giving the generic "seat doesn't recline " etc. Saying to you Joe Blogger is a CL so you get shifted is going to lead to arguments in loads of cases. Doesn't help, but I can understand
 
There are many business seats in the 787 fleet where the seats are currently broken and have been broken for months.
The passengers you may see in these seats are either staff passengers or passengers who have accepted downgrade compensation.
Some cabin crew may assist in manually reclining the seat, but this is usually only done once, actually very rare now for them to actually do it.
 
Gawd if a Blogger is a CL then we're all doomed!! :D

I just want to say, as a P1, I've never seen any evidence or heard of any other P1 who has been shifted - or requested to unseat someone else to suit their wishes. Now I'm sure there some douche DYKWIA types who would insist on this kind of thing and some might get away with it (probably more CL tbh. Most P1's are less ego and more seasoned warrior, but I digress).

Having said that we've read any number of anecdotes of seemingly "helpful" agents shifting people to suit others (eg: moving solo pax so couples can sit together).

I just weary a bit of the suggestion that most of the high status types truly are the "W" in WP1 because that's not my experience as being one (well others may disagree on that point, but I mean in terms of flight behaviour :) ) and others I know/have met.

I have been moved on one flight in F MEL-LAX due to inop seat (and it definitely was) but generally otherwise I've always kept the seat I've allocated but yes, having held P1 for eight years I suppose that is to be expected.
 
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Josh said:
Yeah, I totally understand that they need to move seats all the time for operational reasons, but it's the blatant lying about the reason that really pisses me off. Why can't they just be upfront about it?
Click to expand...
It's not a lie at all. There are numerous broken seats currently in the 787 fleet.
Even some of the aircraft have around 5 broken J seats at any one time.
 
Pushka said:
They shift seats all the time unfortunately but misleading you as to the reason why is pathetic. Do they actually think we won't check?
Click to expand...
They wouldn't be misleading them at all. Just becuase it seems that the seat has reclined, doesn't mean it's been an automatic recline. It would've been a seat with nil electricics, and as posted above would've been a manual recline.
The situation is so dire that Qantas have temporarily suspended selling 1-2 seats in J on every 787 flight just to accommodate for the broken seats.
 
TheInsider said:
They wouldn't be misleading them at all. Just becuase it is seem that the seat has reclined, doesn't mean it's been an automatic recline. It would've been a seat with nil electricics, and as posted above would've been a manual recline.
The situation is so dire that Qantas have temporarily suspended selling 1-2 seats in J on every 787 flight just to accommodate for the broken seats.
Click to expand...
Same assumptions here. If someone else is reclining In the broken seat then it's not broken.
 
TheInsider said:
So you expect crew to come by every single time to put up and down your seat, which can take up to 20 minutes every time?
Click to expand...
If someone is sitting there and not the displaced person than that is what they must be doing. And this assumes it was broken in the first place.
 
TheInsider said:
So you expect crew to come by every single time to put up and down your seat, which can take up to 20 minutes every time?
Click to expand...
Fair call, although that’s exactly what QR cabin crew offered to do when my seat broke midflight ( longhaul), if I want to stay at my single window seat, rather move to a vacant one of a pair in the middle of the cabin.
 
RooFlyer said:
Fair call, although that’s exactly what QR cabin crew offered to do when my seat broke midflight ( longhaul), if I want to stay at my single window seat, rather move to a vacant one of a pair in the middle of the cabin.
Click to expand...
Fair enough mid-flight. But if it's known before hand, then why not move people out of it.
 
Josh said:
Is this something anyone else here has experienced? I'm wondering if this is a common occurance - these seemingly blatant lies by the Qantas airport and flight crews
Click to expand...

No experience specifically relating to the seat issues you mention but we recently returned to Australia on QF12 and when we asked about PJs were told some story that there were none because only enough had been loaded for the outbound QF11. Then when wandering up to the bathroom at the front it was obvious that everyone in the front cabin had been given a set each.

Why lie? Why not say there were only a few sets left over from the outbound? Or better yet don’t give the few you do have to anyone at all instead of pissing off 3/4 of the J cabin who missed out.
 

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