Anyone else having problems with seat selection?

[Rebekkap]

In my experience the issue occurs to any domestic booking where there has been an equipment change. I started a thread sometime last month that 3 of my bookings were having the same issues. But my issue is that I can see the seat map, see that there is a seat already allocated by someone, choose another seat and then get an error when trying to save the selected seats. Called Qantas and apparently I was already allocated in the initial allocated seat shown on screen.

Mmm, but there hadn't been an equipment change on this booking.

I usually choose 26JK and try to avoid 25JK as some 767s do not have row 25. Only problem with this is one is that you are then left without a seat allocation.

Better be without a seat allocation than end up down the back in the middle! Rows 5 or 6 to 22 would not have had economy class passengers on the original equipment, so I'd have been better off without one in the events described in my initial post!

By the way I believe if there has been an equipment change on domestic flights outside the T-24 hour mark then only allocated seats that exist on the new aircraft configuration are transferred across. They do not do any automatic allocation of seats.

Every so often I check the next 2-3 bookings and if missing an allocated seat then I know the aircraft configuraition has changed and select a new seat.

the problem on that MEL > CBR flight is, aas QFMEL said, the equipment changes are VERY last minute - I checked before I left for the airport, was still the big plane.

 

[Fantic125]

*sigh*...... another enhancement......

 

[Standby]

the problem on that MEL > CBR flight is, aas QFMEL said, the equipment changes are VERY last minute - I checked before I left for the airport, was still the big plane.

There are 3 differnt configs with 767s 229 (international), 244 & 252 seaters (dom configs)so the aircraft can be the same but the seating differs

 

[ausi ski bum]

I have a booking for five of us flying to Tokyo later in the year and when I try and move our group it won't work. I just get a message saying I need to phone them. I often move around the plane whenever they fill the spare seat next to us.

I actually made an error when I booked as I booked all five together now I wast to upgrade two I can't as its everyone or no one.

 

[Rebekkap]

There are 3 differnt configs with 767s 229 (international), 244 & 252 seaters (dom configs)so the aircraft can be the same but the seating differs

Be that as it may, I'm fairly sure I can tell the difference between a single aisle, narrow bodied aircraft, and a two aisle, wide bodied aircraft - that's not a config change!

 

[medhead]

Be that as it may, I'm fairly sure I can tell the difference between a single aisle, narrow bodied aircraft, and a two aisle, wide bodied aircraft - that's not a config change!

Ah, but there is a a slight difference in the 767 configs, involving rows 23 and 24. for example one has 24F and the another doesn't. I once had many problems when I selected 24F and they then switched me to a 767 without 24F.

Compare 25J, 204Y with 30J, 220Y

Onboard Seat Maps for the Boeing 767-300

Could that be the problem?

 

[QFMEL]

Ah, but there is a a slight difference in the 767 configs, involving rows 23 and 24. for example one has 24F and the another doesn't. I once had many problems when I selected 24F and they then switched me to a 767 without 24F.

Compare 25J, 204Y with 30J, 220Y

Could that be the problem?

Have had this happen half a dozen or so times on this route and it's always on account of low yields (particularly in J where the difference in available seats is stark) and/or reduced crew requirements- in every case a change down to a 734 or 73H: not a sideways 763 move.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

There are 3 differnt configs with 767s 229 (international), 244 & 252 seaters (dom configs)so the aircraft can be the same but the seating differs.

Just to be different VH-OGV is is 30/219 config as no 24DEF due to the extra galley which was a hangover from its days flying for AO - the wheels still even have the orange hub cups.

I have a booking for five of us flying to Tokyo later in the year and when I try and move our group it won't work. I just get a message saying I need to phone them. I often move around the plane whenever they fill the spare seat next to us.

I actually made an error when I booked as I booked all five together now I wast to upgrade two I can't as its everyone or no one.

Not quite true. Just call QF & have them split the booking so the 3 pax destined to stay in whY are in one pnr, then the two pax you do want to upgrade are in another pnr.

That's the easy part, the hard part is actually being able to get the U class seats to do the upgrade! :shock:

 

[medhead]

Have had this happen half a dozen or so times on this route and it's always on account of low yields (particularly in J where the difference in available seats is stark) and/or reduced crew requirements- in every case a change down to a 734 or 73H: not a sideways 763 move.

That's your experience, and I've experience a change of 767. As the OP has clearly said that it is still a 767 I think it is probably valid to ask if the config has changed.

 

[Rebekkap]

That's your experience, and I've experience a change of 767. As the OP has clearly said that it is still a 767 I think it is probably valid to ask if the config has changed.

I didn't actually say it was a 767, I don't think I had specified at all. But I think some confusion's crept in as I was originally talking about two separate incidents - last week's flight and this coming week's flight.

As it happens this coming week it is a 767, so I suppose it could have changed config, although it would be pretty unusual for that route.

 

[medhead]

My normal state of being is confusion, so please ignore me.

 

[nlagalle]

For two days now, every time I go in to try to select a seat, my booking loads fine, but then when I hit select seats, I just get a blank page.

REALLY frustrating. I thought it might be just internet explorer, but tried from the ipad, same thing there.

Mind you, considering last Monday they did a last minute change from a 767-300 to a 737-400, but left me in my carefully-selected 24B seat, which instead of being second row of economy on the left-hand aisle was suddenly second-LAST row of economy in a middle seat - thanks Qantas, way to look after your frequent flyers - perhaps I'm better off!

Same thing happened to me so my carefully selected 25B put me into the back row! I was not impressed but the CSM moved me to row 9. I now always book a j or k seat just in case it changes and I haven't OCLI'd.

My guess is that the system still sees your seat as a valid choice even when the aircraft changes..

 

[Rebekkap]

My normal state of being is confusion, so please ignore me.

I was confused too, and I was the one who started all this!

I don't know whether they ever fixed the issue, but I don't care now, as when I called Qantas, the helpful person on the phone told me they'd keep playing around to get me a decent seat, and I wasn't holding my breath but just went into my booking then to check and discovered she got me a very decent seat indeed - front row of economy on the left-hand aisle. Awesome.

I'll be platinum after that flight too

 

[Fantic125]

I've just checked my bookings again and using both Opera and Internet Explorer still having the problem of unable to show seat map...

 

[nonpop]

I've just checked my bookings again and using both Opera and Internet Explorer still having the problem of unable to show seat map...

I've had this happen several times recently.
Always ends up being the boat type is changing e.g from a B767 to B737 ... seems to happen a lot for me between SYD & BNE.
I find that I just need to keep checking every few ours and sometimes I'll clear my cache to ensure it does load up. Then all of a sudden, blam it will work and sure enough the boat has changed. Personally I avoid B737's so when I've selected a B767 and end up on a single isle plane, I'm usually unhappy. But so be it, these things happen. And yes the system seems to shove me in a middle seat. Yes thanks Qantas, we WPs must like the middle seats even thought our profile says AISLE seats. Rrrrr

 

[Rebekkap]

I've had this happen several times recently.
Always ends up being the boat type is changing e.g from a B767 to B737 ... seems to happen a lot for me between SYD & BNE.
I find that I just need to keep checking every few ours and sometimes I'll clear my cache to ensure it does load up. Then all of a sudden, blam it will work and sure enough the boat has changed. Personally I avoid B737's so when I've selected a B767 and end up on a single isle plane, I'm usually unhappy. But so be it, these things happen. And yes the system seems to shove me in a middle seat. Yes thanks Qantas, we WPs must like the middle seats even thought our profile says AISLE seats. Rrrrr

Yes, I totally sympathise!

But I suspect in the case I'm having it's unlikely to be a change from a B767 to a B737, as the first MEL > CBR flight on the Monday of a week when Parliament is sitting is generally chockers, even when Parliament doesn't sit til Tuesday, so they're not likely to put on a smaller plane.

 

[medhead]

And yes the system seems to shove me in a middle seat. Yes thanks Qantas, we WPs must like the middle seats even thought our profile says AISLE seats. Rrrrr

This was sort of touched on already. If you have a seat selected that will override a seat preference for aisle. So if you select a seat on the 767 that is also on a 737 then the seat will transfer across to the new aircraft. So the trick is to selest a seat that is no on a 737, e.g. a J/K seat. Then if the aircraft changes you then get no seat allocation, as per seat selection, and your seat preference will kick in. I'm talking about this in theory as a very rarely get a 767, but reverting to the seat preference should then see the computer reserve you a seat towards the front based on status. IMO a better situation than to keep a seat selection of 24B.

Basically seat selection is your way of telling Qantas that you want a particular seat. I would guess that the computer is programed to fufil your explicitedly stated seat selection regardless of aircraft type.

By the way I believe if there has been an equipment change on domestic flights outside the T-24 hour mark then only allocated seats that exist on the new aircraft configuration are transferred across. They do not do any automatic allocation of seats.

Better be without a seat allocation than end up down the back in the middle! Rows 5 or 6 to 22 would not have had economy class passengers on the original equipment, so I'd have been better off without one in the events described in my initial post!

As per above I agree that it is better to be without a seat allocation. The computer should, in theory, then try to reserve a seat based on seat perference.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

And yes the system seems to shove me in a middle seat. Yes thanks Qantas, we WPs must like the middle seats even thought our profile says AISLE seats. Rrrrr

You suggest that QF deliberately stick you in a middle seat when your profile says aisle. Note that if you physically select a specific seat ie 24B on an aircraft eg B767, that will override your generic seat request so if there is a change to the type of aircraft operating that service then that is the seat you will get if seat 24B exists on the substitute plane.

I think Medhead's comment below best sums up the scenario.

This was sort of touched on already. If you have a seat selected that will override a seat preference for aisle. So if you select a seat on the 767 that is also on a 737 then the seat will transfer across to the new aircraft. So the trick is to selest a seat that is not on a 737, e.g. a J/K seat. Then if the aircraft changes you then get no seat allocation, as per seat selection, and your seat preference will kick in. I'm talking about this in theory as a very rarely get a 767, but reverting to the seat preference should then see the computer reserve you a seat towards the front based on status. IMO a better situation than to keep a seat selection of 24B.

Basically seat selection is your way of telling Qantas that you want a particular seat. I would guess that the computer is programed to fufil your explicitedly stated seat selection regardless of aircraft type.

As per above I agree that it is better to be without a seat allocation. The computer should, in theory, then try to reserve a seat based on seat perference.

Okay so people want the computer to override the seat they have chosen with their usual seat request eg when 24B on a B767 is the selected seat however no longer an aisle seat when the aircraft is now a B737.

I can see a huge problem if the computer did that because every time you select a seat that is contrary to the preference in your profile it would automatically move you back to your original request. I'm sure you could all thing of an example of when you wouldn't want that to happen but here's 3 I can think of:

a) Your profile says window but you are flying MEL/PER so select an aisle seat as it's a longer flight
b) Your profile says aisle but you are able to select 80A on the A380 SYD/LAX & want that seat because of the legroom
c) Your profile says aisle but you select 23E on the B767 that has the 25/204 international config where there is no 23F

Either select a seat that does not exist on a different aircraft in case of an aircraft substitution or develop OCD & do hourly observations on the manage my booking section so you can rectify any seating issues asap.

 

[AV8]

I can no longer view seat map on QF107 (21 Dec) or QF12 (11 Jan) - rang QF and they think that it's a IE/Msoft issue - could it be an aircraft change or something to do with 2 of the passengers attaining SG status after ticketing.

 

[Rebekkap]

I can no longer view seat map on QF107 (21 Dec) or QF12 11 (Jan) - rang QF and they think that it's a IE/Msoft issue - could it be an aircraft change or something to do with 2 of the passengers attaining SG status after ticketing.

I can tell you when I last had this issue, it wasn't just on ie/microsoft - I tried it from safari as well to see if it was.

Ozbeachbabe, I'm not suggesting that the system should override your specific seat request every time, ONLY if the's an equipment change - no-one selects 23B because they like the number! If there is a last minute equipment change, there needs to be a reset so that previous seat selection is wiped and the seats on the new equipment are allocated by status / fair bucket / preference. Not exactly rocket science.

And I am quite OCD about checking my seat allocation - the original post occured after a VERY last minute equipment change - after I left home for the airport.