Article: Qantas Blocking Exit Row Seats on Long-Haul Flights

[Jester38]

Does a

Qantas Blocking Exit Row Seats on Long-Haul Flights is an article written by AFF editorial staff:

Qantas Unlocks Exit Row Seats on Long-Haul Flights

Qantas passengers will finally be able to select exit row and extra legroom seats on long-haul flights again from tomorrow, with the airline removing the

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

You can leave a comment or discuss this topic below.

Does anyone have an update on this? I have just tried to book QF9/10 for end June/early July and all exit row seats are blocked. They show as unavailable on Qantas website but on Expert Flyer some are booked and rest are marked as unavailable. Tried ringing Qantas and they could not provide an explanation other than to quote the Jan announcement re the reasons for blocking originally. Were not able to offer any comment on why Expert Flyer showed some already booked other than to say that they were ‘probably for people with a child (bassinet)’.
Keen to hear if anyone can shed some light on this situation as it does not appear that Qantas has not released this block on the Dreamliner post May 22.

 

[mviy]

I booked exit row seats during the DSC promo for a return trip to the UK for the middle of the year. They were available for booking then. Will be interesting to see if those bookings are honoured. I have also put in upgrade requests so I would prefer not to find out whether they'll honour the exit row seat and get an upgrade.

Edit: Well I think my seat for the flight over is actually in the row behind exit row but with no seat in front so it is extra leg room. My flight home is showing an exit row seat.

 

[Jester38]

Thanks for this. Yes, I cannot work out why they are not available - logged in with status so it is not that. Easy solution - I am going Emirates directly where I can book exit rows and the flight is quite a bit cheaper. Second time in two days when I have chosen to go directly with a OW carrier rather than Qantas and even if there is a few less SC on offer, getting increasingly disillusioned with Qantas. Getting very expensive and increasingly less FF friendly
Good luck with your upgrade or exit row selection - sure the former is much more palatable….!

 

[TheInsider]

Thanks for this. Yes, I cannot work out why they are not available - logged in with status so it is not that. Easy solution - I am going Emirates directly where I can book exit rows and the flight is quite a bit cheaper. Second time in two days when I have chosen to go directly with a OW carrier rather than Qantas and even if there is a few less SC on offer, getting increasingly disillusioned with Qantas. Getting very expensive and increasingly less FF friendly
Good luck with your upgrade or exit row selection - sure the former is much more palatable….!

It's already been said why they aren't available.
It's due to the jump seats being opposite the exit rows. Quite a pathetic excuse now to be honest.

 

[Jester38]

It's already been said why they aren't available.
It's due to the jump seats being opposite the exit rows. Quite a pathetic excuse now to be honest.

They have said why they did it in the first case but these blocks were apparently meant to have been lifted (at least on most aircraft) and some people can book for flights June onward and others cannot. No explanation offered by Qantas

 

[Ade]

My experience on recent interstate flights (CBR, SYD, MEL) - exit row seats on larger aircrafts and the exit rows at the front of the small aircraft (D8/717) are blocked.

The seats 1 AB, 2CD on a D8 are blocked (as in, not selectable) for the entire duration of the flight. I asked the FA nicely mid-air and he let me sit on 1C after giving me the exit row safety brief. On another D8 back home, I requested for a exit seat in the J lounge, the agent tried selecting it, but she couldn't. She then called the gate at which the D8 was boarding and requested an exit row seat. The person on the phone at the gate, initially hesitated, but later released 1 exit row seat (2C) so that the lounge agent could select it and re-issue BP. It is worth noting the exit seats I was trying to book are opposite to jump seats.

The exit seats of a A330 (ex-MEL) were also blocked (as in, not selectable) by check-in/lounge staff. However, on boarding I saw someone seated on the exit row seat. Not sure what happened there.

 

[AFF Editor]

Today is the last day of Qantas blocking of exit row seats that face cabin crew jump seats. From tomorrow, these will be available once again for for passenger use on all Qantas flights.

Qantas has increased the cost of extra legroom seats, though, compared to pre-COVID times. These will now set you back $115-190 per long-haul flight (previously $90-180).

Qantas Unlocks Exit Row Seats on Long-Haul Flights

Qantas passengers will finally be able to select exit row and extra legroom seats on long-haul flights again from tomorrow, with the airline removing the

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[TheInsider]

Today is the last day of Qantas blocking of exit row seats that face cabin crew jump seats. From tomorrow, these will be available once again for for passenger use on all Qantas flights.

Qantas has increased the cost of extra legroom seats, though, compared to pre-COVID times. These will now set you back $115-190 per long-haul flight (previously $90-180).

Qantas Unlocks Exit Row Seats on Long-Haul Flights

Qantas passengers will finally be able to select exit row and extra legroom seats on long-haul flights again from tomorrow, with the airline removing the

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

FINALLY!
Their staff still haven't been advised though.

 

[RedSMS]

I've secured 31A (A380 PE) MEL-LAX & 20A on return (789), having previously experienced 24A/B/J/K pre refurb, what are my seats like?

 

[clifford]

It's all well and good, but I'm afraid I couldn't contemplate a long-haul flight in economy (or even premium economy), even in an exit row seat.

Been there, done that, and now too old to willingly do it again...

 

[mviy]

It's all well and good, but I'm afraid I couldn't contemplate a long-haul flight in economy (or even premium economy), even in an exit row seat.

Been there, done that, and now too old to willingly do it again...

Those of us on a tighter budget don’t have much of a choice. I looked for points seats to LHR for the middle of the year back in March(?) and understandably didn’t find any. I have put in an upgrade request, but the extra legroom will be welcome if the upgrade doesn‘t come through. I don’t fancy having my knees in the back of the seat in front for 24 hours.

 

[dlivo]

I was able to select an exit row seat on a classic reward economy flight to LA in late May, but then ticketing was delayed due to the seat not being allocatable. When I followed up, the call centre rep said it was indeed for the reason stated in the article - the seats were blocked because the exit rows were facing crew. I was put into 71D instead, which - while not quite as good as an exit row - is also a fine seat, so no complaints.

Did you have to pay extra for seat 71D?

 

[dlivo]

It's all well and good, but I'm afraid I couldn't contemplate a long-haul flight in economy (or even premium economy), even in an exit row seat.

Been there, done that, and now too old to willingly do it again...

Oh the horror

 

[Jean Prouvaire]

Did you have to pay extra for seat 71D?

I had already paid extra for the exit row seat, so did not have to pay extra extra for 71D.

 

[marki]

But we know there are always people who would refuse to do that.

Well thank goodness for that! better than kicking the can down the road.