Does seating preference mean anything?

[k3nnis]

Ok thanks. Going to use the Amex plat charge to enter the lounge. Wonder if they will let in my wife with the supp card....

 

[ozbeachbabe]

My question was about seating preferences and whether they mean anything.

Under the old system you were allocated a theoretical seat based on your preference when check-in opened if you did not already have a seat allocated.

If you are talking about QF above theoretical seating didn't actually allocate a firm seat if you hadn't already chosen one, it just means at that if JohnK checked in at that moment in time it may allocate him 23F. Theoretical seating changes constantly as people move to later/earlier flights. It can also mean that if two people already in 23DE on one pnr check in with an NB companion on a different pnr it will link them all together and assign 23DEF so if you check in afterwards to may get 28J.

It's much better to physically allocate yourself a seat and although that's not set in stone eg if you get an a/c swap or downgrade, it's certainly better than waiting until you checkin (whichever method you use) and ending up with the leftovers.

Afternoon and evening flights always get a huge amount of pax who flow forward & every time one of these pax is (force) transferred onto your flight it will override any theoretical seating protocols & it appears the system default is to allocate that pax (regardless of status) the most forward seat it can which unfortunately could be your theoretical seat. However, if you have pre-allocated a seat obviously that will show as occupied so the pax transferred to your flight will not get 'your' seat.

Obviously implementation of Altea at Virgin is not the same.

VA don't use Altea as that is the name of Amadeus' checkin system used by QF.

 

[JohnK]

I understand ozbeachbabe. Sort of.

How do we explain my allocated seat of 5D changed to 4D at T-24 hours?

Anyway was able to change again to either 3C or 3F with 3E vacant. I chose 3C and changed my mind again to 3F in the hope 3E remains vacant and as soon as I did that 4D and 4F were allocated within minutes.

 

[k3nnis]

I think I made a mistake. Scenario:

I have plat edge and plat reserve. So entitled to two return flights. I can't book until next Friday as the reserve anniversary is not due yet.

My wife, me and 2 year old daughter wanting to go to ool from syd together on VA. So my wife purchased a return ticket using cash on va website when they had the discount. The flight is not until September. So my wife pre selected the middle seat on the left side of the aircraft thinking less chance of people selecting the 2 other seats on either side. Anyways my thought is when I book my 2 redemption tickets which is myself and daughter can I actually select the seats either side?? I wouldn't think so because I'm travelling with a child and she needs to seat directly next to me? Or will they allow to be seated separately?

sorry if it sounds silly! So should I leave it or get my wife to change to either the window or aisle seat?

thanks,
k.

 

[JohnK]

sorry if it sounds silly! So should I leave it or get my wife to change to either the window or aisle seat?

You shouldn't have a problem.

When you have booked the award seats call Virgin and ask them to move your wife to aisle or window and then select the other 2 seats for you and daughter. Should not be an issue this far out.

Enjoy the flights.

I have a few flights to/from OOL in September so maybe able to help with lounge access.

 

[k3nnis]

Thanks John.

 

[notzac]

I understand ozbeachbabe. Sort of.

How do we explain my allocated seat of 5D changed to 4D at T-24 hours?

That's really interesting - I've never had an actual seat allocation (obtained via calling and visible thereafter in the booking) change on me between selecting it and checking in since VA went to Sabre.

Out of curiousity, how did you select the seat in the first instance? Did it show up in the booking after you'd selected it?

 

[mrpooky]

I have a sort-of related question.

Have any of you status Velocity members had your chosen seat be 'out of service' at boarding, and if so, what happened?

It happened to me (SG) last week coast to coast, and my chosen forward window seat boarding pass was replaced at the boarding gate with a forward middle seat. I said, "I don't want a middle seat, thank you." and I ended up with a window seat about half a dozen rows from the back of the a/c, surrounded by unpleasantly loudly crying young children. It wasn't a pleasant flight. I guess I had thought that a status PAX would be preferentially moved to a 'good seat' if his or her chosen seat became unavailable, and a non-status PAX would have to suffer reallocation instead, but that wasn't the case in my situation.

So my related question is: does status mean anything when pre-allocated or seating preference becomes unavailable while boarding?

 

[serfty]

Not sure about status but I had similar issues last May.

Had 1A/C for MEL-PER but sadly 1A was out of order (dodgy try table) so went to row 1 middle. (XFA)

Had 1H/K for PER-MEL but 1K was out of order - stuck mid recline/slope so forced to 2 H/K (XFE). (Hint - row 1 is much better than the other rows on the new configurations as feet can get jammed under the seat in front when reclining)

 

[Intra]

I'm starting to question my seating preference....atleast going off my last two International flights; BNE->AKL was given 8C, the return leg afew days later seated in 4C - Should of been 5C, but somehow I mixed up my seat and whoever was supposed to be seated there didn't appear... someone else sat in my seat anyway... (The Manifest didn't even have me right in 5C) I was the better one off - Rows 3 and 4 in Y had the middle seats empty (Meaning me too ), Rows 5 right to the back had none!

Double checked my seating preference - Window seat it still was. Was it because the next available seat as a Window was way back.... Either way, I've started to ring the call center to have window seats allocated as far forward as possible.

 

[JohnK]

That's really interesting - I've never had an actual seat allocation (obtained via calling and visible thereafter in the booking) change on me between selecting it and checking in since VA went to Sabre.

Out of curiousity, how did you select the seat in the first instance? Did it show up in the booking after you'd selected it?

Seat chosen during web checkin at T-48 hours and saw it on my booking a few times before it changed automatically.

 

[notzac]

Seat chosen during web checkin at T-48 hours and saw it on my booking a few times before it changed automatically.

Given it ended well it probably doesn't warrant a complaint but it sure would be interesting to understand why this sort of stuff happens.. I personally think that once a seat is selected it should *stay* selected (even if better seats open up later).

VFF, do you have any comment on why a Gold member would be moved out of their selected seat without notification?

 

[JohnK]

Given it ended well it probably doesn't warrant a complaint but it sure would be interesting to understand why this sort of stuff happens.. I personally think that once a seat is selected it should *stay* selected (even if better seats open up later).

Agreed. I was not going to complain. Just interested in an explanation. Don't think I will get one.

I Just do not like all these pre-allocated seats changing. Is it happening manually? Some employee doing favours for a "friend"?

By the way it has happened on Qantas a few times as well.