Big development! Qantas seat selection!

[AnonymousCoward]

Hmm - I dont normally pay $450 for my return trip to the city, nor have travel time of 3 hours (including to the station, waiting to board, boarding, getting to take off, take off, in flight, landing, getting to the gate and getting to the city)...

Well, all the time getting to/from the city has nothing to do with what seat you're sitting. Sit in 4D or 24D, travel time to/from airport is pretty much the same (except you might have to wait a bit longer for a taxi).

And there are plenty of people out in Sydney's west, or up the central coast or Illawarra that spend 1-2 hours each way, every day, commutting to work. So, a flight is a bit longer. But BIS is still only an hour and is there really that much difference between 4D, 5D and 6D (or heaven forbid) 10D (and I even had to sit in 14D on a SYD-WLG flight! - the horror!)

 

[oz_mark]

They also have never defined preferred seating either...

Funnily enough, I did go looking to find just what Qantas meant by this!

I think you have a legitimate annoyance JohnK - something has changed and you are not benefitting from that change - other people are. I think the issue is that to some people this makes business sense - but obviously not to you.

Indeed, JohnK has used the way the program works to, amongst other things, optimise his seat selection. It would be annoying to then have the way it works change, but these things happen.

 

[simongr]

Well, all the time getting to/from the city has nothing to do with what seat you're sitting. Sit in 4D or 24D, travel time to/from airport is pretty much the same (except you might have to wait a bit longer for a taxi).

And there are plenty of people out in Sydney's west, or up the central coast or Illawarra that spend 1-2 hours each way, every day, commutting to work. So, a flight is a bit longer. But BIS is still only an hour and is there really that much difference between 4D, 5D and 6D (or heaven forbid) 10D (and I even had to sit in 14D on a SYD-WLG flight! - the horror!)

I actually sit in the same seat every day on the train to work and generally the same seat on the way home...

I actually think the seat is not just about waiting times to embark/disembark - I find when they are serving food that being in the middle of the cabin you get quite rushed when it comes to food and if that is your only food of the evening it can be a long wait...

 

[JohnK]

...more incoming....

That is OK. If they are attacking me then they are leaving other people alone.

Yes, this is one of the reasons people aim for status

Was one of the only reasons I aimed for status a few years. Unfortunately I now work in BNE and status will come naturally with the weekly travel.

It is also a benefit of silver and gold status

I am not Silver or Gold. I will let them fight their own battles.

Row 21 on the 733 does have good proximity to the galley

It is way too far down the back and I feel the rocking a lot more down in the back rows. Does not make for a comfortable flight. Another reason why I am a Qantas Platinum and not flying Tiger, Jetstar or Virgin Blue more often.

They also have never defined preferred seating either...

Well maybe they will need to define preferred seating if more Platinums get allocated seats down the back of the aircraft regularly. And I know I am not the only Platinum who prefers to sit as close as possible to the front of WHY.

I think you have a legitimate annoyance JohnK - something has changed and you are not benefitting from that change - other people are.

I am not sure whether I will benefit or not yet. When I tried using it I could not select seats while reports from some Silver status indicating they were able to select exit rows and now getting better seats.

I think the issue is that to some people this makes business sense - but obviously not to you.

It will more than likely benefit Silver status the most or those who book early. Not sure why this would makes business sense to me....

 

[simongr]

I am not sure whether I will benefit or not yet. When I tried using it I could not select seats while reports from some Silver status indicating they were able to select exit rows and now getting better seats.


It will more than likely benefit Silver status the most or those who book early. Not sure why this would makes business sense to me....

Given that we don't know the full functions of this we can't assume that PS will benefit...

 

[jamesatfish]

Just out of interest does anyone know if the class of fare is taken into account in the current and future system of allocation? Does a SG on a E class fare have access to seats that a NB/No status on a K/Y fare would not?

It's only my own observation with the very brief time we had with the system last week, but as WPs my wife and I had the same seat (un)availability for CBR-SYD vv. (business class) bookings regardless of whether the ticket for the flight was booked in D or J paid classes or FF awards classes.

 

[futaris]

oneworld - oneworld Tier Status

Pre-reserved preferential seating*

*In accordance with the individual policy of the oneworld member airline operating the flight.

 

[moa999]

Can we save the vitroil till we see this system working (for more than a 24hr period)

 

[tuapekastar]

Just a little more data to further confuse things:

As a QP NB I just flew MEL-CBR-MEL, same day.

OLCI-ed at T-24 (T-32 for the return), and was allocated 5B for outbound on a Crash-8 with nothing further forward available. Most of the pax in front of me were associated with the Swans-Bulldogs game at Manuka Oval (WB prez David Smorgon, commentators Gerard Healy, Rohan Smith, Liam Pickering..I didn't recognise the others). So understandable.

For the return I was allocated 9D with nothing available further forward (may have been a middle or two but wouldn't be interested). Checked again at T-11 or so, and 6C (1st row Y in this 734) was available so moved there. Flight turned out to be quite lightly loaded - I ended up the only pax at all in row 6, there were 9/20 in J, and behind me I'm unsure, but there weren't a helluva lot.

No idea whatsoever causes the changes in row 6 availablility...maybe some of the J pax were originally there?

 

[pauly7]

Indeed, JohnK has used the way the program works to, amongst other things, optimise his seat selection. It would be annoying to then have the way it works change, but these things happen.

There is no way I'm wading in too deep with this one! I do understand how some people may be feeling happy or indeed upset about the changes. Personally I'm fine with them - used it when it went up seemed good, but broadly I'd say:

1) All the details behind the seat selection have not been revealed - I think alot of people here are very very quick to react (and over-react) to small amounts of information and make leaps and assumptions without the facts. I'd wait to hear it all first, pass opinion then make a change in behaviour if you feel strongly!

2) A great saying that may help many on here - You can ride change or change rides you.

 

[Tooner]

Getting back to the original discussion, it seems from my brief window to the new system that for a flight more than a month out, there were plenty of seats I couldn't access (as a WP) out and back, but I was looking for 4 seats close together.

On this basis, I'd have to conclude either other WPs has booked already, or there was some "blocking" by the QF system.

Once the system is back on-line, some reporting back will help to clarify how it all works.

 

[Flashback]

I'm sick of everyone whinging. Get over it, or move on.

 

[Grooba]

I'm sick of everyone whinging. Get over it, or move on.

I for one don't think of this as whinging, i'm actually very interested in each persons opinions on this issue. Everyone has a different view and mindset, and each is valued IMHO.

 

[ejb]

I'm sick of everyone whinging. Get over it, or move on.

Flashware,

I don't think that it is a case of "get over it", many of us have spent big $'s gaining status and the benefits should not be eroded.

It will not affect me as I fly J but any changing of the rules lowers the value of status and should be challenged.

ejb

 

[Flashback]

Really don't care. The door is there, if you don't like, walk through it; that's all I have to say and that's my last post on this matter.

 

[Grooba]

Really don't care. The door is there, if you don't like, walk through it; that's all I have to say and that's my last post on this matter.

I guess thats a good thing really, no one is making you read this thread. If you don't like what happening then don't read it. :mrgreen:

 

[v8Statesman]

Really don't care. The door is there, if you don't like, walk through it; that's all I have to say and that's my last post on this matter.

Chicken!!!! Lol

 

[straitman]

I have read about a little known factor in the lead up to Ansett's collapse is that Qantas were absolutely thumping them in the yield management due to Ansett's poor Yield Management processes. One of these things was Qantas dropping the Friday (or as it Saturday) night away requirements on their cheaper fares, something that Ansett could not properly respond to.

oz_mark,

This is/was little known in the public but well known in the industry. The Ansett Yield Management responses took around six months to analyse and implement when the the market leaders were able to do so immediately.

 

[Danger]

Further to my previous post (189), I've received further correspondence from Qantas and, I think, some important information:

Thank you for your e-mail.

Advanced seat selectiion is available for Qantas operated domestic and international flights, excluding QantasLink. Chairmans Lounge, Platinum, Gold and Silver members, can request their seat via Manage Your Booking once their booking is confirmed. This is any time from when a flight is released for sale, which can be from 365 days and up to 24 hours prior to flight departure. From -24 hours, customers can request a seat via the online check-in process. Advance Seat Selection recognises premium customers by reserving exclusive zones within a cabin from which you can reserve a seat [emphasis added]. The zones are tiered for Chairmans Lounge, Platinum and Gold Frequent Flyers. Silver members do not have an exclusive zone and do not have access to all available seats. Bronze Frequent Flyers and non Frequent Flyers are unable to request their seat until 24 hours prior to their flight and they will have a limited choice of seating available.

Following the completion of a booking a select seats button can be accessed through Manage Your Booking on qantas.com. Upon clicking 'select seats' as a Platinum Frequent Flyer with a seat preference in your profile, you will be presented with a seat map and a pre-selected seat aligned with your seat preference [emphasis added]. If you wish to change your seat selection to another available seat you will then be able to do so.

If for any reason you are unhappy with the seat selection offered to you online or have a specific seat requirement please contact Qantas Telephone Sales on 13 13 13 (in Australia), elsewhere contact your local Qantas office at [link] once your booking has been ticketed.

We hope this explanation answers your query regarding advanced seat selection.

Regards

I think there's a bit that be gained from this. Firstly, and I don't understand this system particularly well but it sounds like the theoretical seat system is still in play. If I've read correctly, at the point of booking the system automatically allocates you a seat based, at least in part, on status.

Secondly, again if I've read correctly, 11th hour bookings by high tiered passengers may not receive such a favourable seating allocation. My reasoning is it appears that at T-24 hours the seat map is opened to everyone (as it is now). However, I further read that at that point all seats are opened up. Now, from my experience at least, QF still seem to block a certain number of 'premium' seats for last minute bookings.

I'd encourage others to email QF with their concerns/questions; this response took less than two business days.

Interestingly, the 'choose seat' option in MMB is still not available.

 

[Sequel]

But BIS is still only an hour and is there really that much difference between 4D, 5D and 6D (or heaven forbid) 10D (and I even had to sit in 14D on a SYD-WLG flight! - the horror!)

I agree, MEL-SYD or SYD-BNE being only 1 hour flying time not a huge difference, but being based in BNE, where BNE-MEL, BNE-ADL, BNE-TSV, BNE-CNS are all 2 hour flights I do regularly, there is a BIG difference being able to get a seat in row 4 on a 738 (exit row leg room with out the exit row).