Domestic & International Seat Selection now has exit rows

[TheInsider]

re: Domestic & International Routes Seat Selection now includes exit rows

So for those SG, PS, and NB members - can you select seats further forward than were previously available or has this remained unchanged?

On international flights does paying the additional $20 give you bulkhead seats at the front of Y?

I'm guessing not for both questions but would like to know.

The same business rules still apply in the system.

 

[Must...Fly!]

re: Domestic & International Routes Seat Selection now includes exit rows

So for those SG, PS, and NB members - can you select seats further forward than were previously available or has this remained unchanged?

I used to be able to select SFA at OLCI, often 27 and back on 737s. So being able to pre-select 19 is great for an NB such as myself.

Although their is a big negative in this for me...any chance of being able to pinch an exit row at the airport is basically gone now. Being quite a tall person (6'5"), this isn't great for me. In that respect, flying JQ is much more attractive because I'm (more or less) guaranteed an exit row for $25 on transcon flights.

 

[ReLoad]

re: Domestic & International Routes Seat Selection now includes exit rows

So for those SG, PS, and NB members - can you select seats further forward than were previously available or has this remained unchanged?

On international flights does paying the additional $20 give you bulkhead seats at the front of Y?

I'm guessing not for both questions but would like to know.

edit: Must...Fly! read my mind and answered the NB part of the question before I could post!!

Here is my flight on Saturday.

 

[pshepvic]

re: Domestic & International Routes Seat Selection now includes exit rows

In what way?

I see this a good thing for those once or twice a year travellers. Gives them more choice compared to aisle or window request.

Except that this may have a negative impact on people who fly regularly (and have elite status with the airline) in that they may miss out on their preferred seats because they book later on.

Why should someone who books 360 days ahead and pays $1500 for a MEL-LHR return (example only) get to pay $20, and select a seat, when a Platinum traveller who paid $3000 for their ticket (and thousands more with the airline over the year), but because they didn't book until 2 weeks before they miss out on any decent seating?

IMHO, once or twice a year travellers should not get the same availability to seating as those who fly much more regularly.

 

[TheInsider]

re: Domestic & International Routes Seat Selection now includes exit rows

Except that this may have a negative impact on people who fly regularly (and have elite status with the airline) in that they may miss out on their preferred seats because they book later on.

.

But like i have said. The same altea check-in seating business rules apply.. Those seats will not be able to be selected by NB's and non FF'ers.

 

[ReLoad]

re: Domestic & International Routes Seat Selection now includes exit rows

Well I've just spent the last 20 minutes going through all my bookings and working out new seat assignments in whY.

Perhaps the biggest thing was the QF codeshare flights!!!! I could pick Exit rows on AA flights!!!

Power to the people! - question is, will it actually happen or not

 

[pshepvic]

re: Domestic & International Routes Seat Selection now includes exit rows

In many ways, the need to pay to select a particular seat, QF has been one of the last airlines in the world to provide this facility and now requires payment for non status passengers, and when the pax get to the airport they will notice the lack of staff thanks to NGCI, and if their bags are overweight its pay up time buddy (which is often the case with infrequent flyers).

Yes QF have been very slow in this regard.

I'd like to be able to see seat selection DURING the booking process - that way you can make a decision before you finalise the booking (like on JQ). Then if there are no exists or seats of preference, you could try the flight before or after for luck. Make this available for SG/WP/CL only of course!

 

[pshepvic]

re: Domestic & International Routes Seat Selection now includes exit rows

But like i have said. The same altea check-in seating business rules apply.. Those seats will not be able to be selected by NB's and non FF'ers.

International is less restrictive though - and sometimes the preferred seat may not be in the "premium" seating zone. For example, 80A on an A380 is not an exit, but has no seat in front. I'd say this is a premium seat, and should be available to maybe SG/WP only, but is available to anyone to pre-allocate.

 

[TonyHancock]

re: Domestic & International Routes Seat Selection now includes exit rows

Except that this may have a negative impact on people who fly regularly (and have elite status with the airline) in that they may miss out on their preferred seats because they book later on.

Why should someone who books 360 days ahead and pays $1500 for a MEL-LHR return (example only) get to pay $20, and select a seat, when a Platinum traveller who paid $3000 for their ticket (and thousands more with the airline over the year), but because they didn't book until 2 weeks before they miss out on any decent seating?

IMHO, once or twice a year travellers should not get the same availability to seating as those who fly much more regularly.

What I'm trying to understand, and I think QFSCA has answered it, is what impact on actual seat selection will this have.

On a domestic flight, if we ignore exit rows, then it would appear that an NB would be able to select a seat from a limited number of rows, PS would have slightly better selection, and SG slightly better again, and WP better again, with only CL being able to select seats in the first two rows of Y until T-80.

Presumably the scenario for international is similar?

Am I reading that correctly QFSCA?

If this is the case then I don't think it will impact a WP booking two weeks out from the flight any more than it currently does.

Edit: Thanks QFSCA - read my mind! I can't keep up with this thread.

 

[tallie]

re: Domestic & International Routes Seat Selection now includes exit rows

So for those SG, PS, and NB members -

On international flights does paying the additional $20 give you bulkhead seats at the front of Y?

I'm guessing not for both questions but would like to know.

edit: Must...Fly! read my mind and answered the NB part of the question before I could post!!

You are correct, there is no option to pay $20 to get bulkhead seats as they appear unavailable, well for QC NB anyway. Still charged $80 for exit row seat on BKK-SYD.

 

[TheInsider]

re: Domestic & International Routes Seat Selection now includes exit rows

Presumably the scenario for international is similar?

Am I reading that correctly QFSCA?

If this is the case then I don't think it will impact a WP booking two weeks out from the flight any more than it currently does.

Exactly right, it is the same as it is was 1 month ago. Seat allocation is all based on your FF tier and probably other factors.

 

[TheInsider]

re: Domestic & International Routes Seat Selection now includes exit rows

International is less restrictive though - and sometimes the preferred seat may not be in the "premium" seating zone. For example, 80A on an A380 is not an exit, but has no seat in front. I'd say this is a premium seat, and should be available to maybe SG/WP only, but is available to anyone to pre-allocate.

So the only thing that has changed then is that NB's will now have to pay for their 80A/K seat. But the majority of travellers will not know this is one of the best Y A380 seats..

 

[pshepvic]

re: Domestic & International Routes Seat Selection now includes exit rows

So the only thing that has changed then is that NB's will now have to pay for their 80A/K seat. But the majority of travellers will not know this is one of the best Y A380 seats..

Unless they use Seat Guru: SeatGuru Seat Map Qantas Airways Airbus A380-800 (388)

According to this there are only 7 "good" seats in economy (I guess we could argue there are more, depending on your preferences) and 80A is pretty clearly one of them.

I guess my point is that the seating allocation still needs to be looked at to determine what are "premium" seats - perhaps Exit seats on international flights should be reserved for SG and above (even if at the same cost as current) and then if they are not sold, release them to everyone for allocation a few days before (where they could be charged when checking in or selecting on line like they are now).

I also thought that advance seat selection online was only available to Silver and above until this change? And for anyone else they would have to call their TA or Qantas to allocate in advance (which most wouldn't know about)? Or am I mistaken?

 

[TheInsider]

re: Domestic & International Routes Seat Selection now includes exit rows

Unless they use Seat Guru: SeatGuru Seat Map Qantas Airways Airbus A380-800 (388)

I guess my point is that the seating allocation still needs to be looked at to determine what are "premium" seats - perhaps Exit seats on international flights should be reserved for SG and above (even if at the same cost as current) and then if they are not sold, release them to everyone for allocation a few days before (where they could be charged when checking in or selecting on line like they are now).

I also thought that advance seat selection online was only available to Silver and above until this change? And for anyone else they would have to call their TA or Qantas to allocate in advance (which most wouldn't know about)? Or am I mistaken?

cough was only avail online for the above members and had to be done through the above too.
For exit rows, the flights that i checkin, there are generally still atleast 3-5 seats avail for purchase in most flights and most days. So we sell them at the airport.

 

[anat0l]

re: Domestic & International Routes Seat Selection now includes exit rows

Just booked my extensive 6 QF flight itinerary (2 pairs are the same flight number) for a swathe of travel I'm doing from and to Europe in the middle of the year.

For the long haul segments all the good seats are gone, except for some bulkhead seats which I've selected (picked 50A on 388; 40C on 744 (although on this one 40AB are "taken" whilst 40DEFG are free, as are 41HJK)). Plenty of everything in the middle, including exit rows (but on international itineraries, they are pay-for-sit).

For the domestic connectors on 738s, pretty much any seat in the cabin except for rows 4 and 5. So I picked 13C for both.

So it seems domestic at least now exit rows can be chosen in advance. Now who gets access to this feature (or rather, how many seats can each member see)....

 

[pshepvic]

re: Domestic & International Routes Seat Selection now includes exit rows

cough was only avail online for the above members and had to be done through the above too.
For exit rows, the flights that i checkin, there are generally still atleast 3-5 seats avail for purchase in most flights and most days. So we sell them at the airport.

So then with the availability to pre-allocate/pre-purchase these seats online to everyone online now (rather than just silver and above), the chance of them being available at the airport are probably now slim to none...

 

[Craigie]

re: Domestic & International Routes Seat Selection now includes exit rows

As a QF NB:

Domestic economy: Rows 19 - 22, all available (SYD-CBR)

Domestic business: Rows 3, 3 & 4.. (CBR-SYD-HBA-SYD-CBR)

International economy: Rows 57-83 but no bulkhead seats, all for $20 except for the exits were $160. (LHR-SYD)

International business: 3 class 747. Able to select rows 3&4, 23 & 24. Nothing on upper deck (SYD-FRA)



As soon as i read this thread i jumped on and snagged 80K for $20 lhr-syd. In my booking, it now has 80K+, not sure what the + sign is for. It could have something to do with this being a request and not set in stone until some point (flight 26th May), because after i booked the seat it said i had to wait until confirmation email came through about seat and print that out and bring it.

 

[TheInsider]

re: Domestic & International Routes Seat Selection now includes exit rows

So then with the availability to pre-allocate/pre-purchase these seats online to everyone online now (rather than just silver and above), the chance of them being available at the airport are probably now slim to none...

You've obviously have already made up your mind about QF procedures before i had even started adding to this thread. Read everything else that i have stated, and you can see that not every seat is avail.

 

[TonyHancock]

re: Domestic & International Routes Seat Selection now includes exit rows

Just booked my extensive 6 QF flight itinerary (2 pairs are the same flight number) for a swathe of travel I'm doing from and to Europe in the middle of the year.

For the long haul segments all the good seats are gone, except for some bulkhead seats which I've selected (picked 50A on 388; 40C on 744 (although on this one 40AB are "taken" whilst 40DEFG are free, as are 41HJK)). Plenty of everything in the middle, including exit rows (but on international itineraries, they are pay-for-sit).

For the domestic connectors on 738s, pretty much any seat in the cabin except for rows 4 and 5. So I picked 13C for both.

So it seems domestic at least now exit rows can be chosen in advance. Now who gets access to this feature (or rather, how many seats can each member see)....

On the 744 I'd definitely go for 40G. Serfty put me on to it, in one of his posts, last year. It is very quiet because 40 H/J/K are crew rest seats. Flown in 40G a couple of times now and highly recommend it.

 

[pshepvic]

re: Domestic & International Routes Seat Selection now includes exit rows

You've obviously have already made up your mind about QF procedures before i had even started adding to this thread. Read everything else that i have stated, and you can see that not every seat is avail.

Not the case at all, and I have read everything you have stated, and I am giving an educated opinion on the change - that is the point of this forum, isn't it?

Domestic - I'm happy, the benefits for Silver and above are clear, the seats we have access to are clear, and now that I can select exits, I'm happier than before. So no problem with domestic seat selection.

International - less happy. You said in a post "So the only thing that has changed then is that NB's will now have to pay for their 80A/K seat." Well, that's not quite the only thing that has changed. Previously, only Silver and above could select a seat in advance online - therefore my chances of getting a preferred seat (such as 80A/K) were quite good. Yes, TA's could allocate and Qantas could as well if someone phoned up, but the chances of this happening were less because unless you were a frequent flyer, you probably wouldn't know about it. (As you said, there are usually exit row seats available at the airport on the day).

Now that Qantas allows ANYONE to advance seat select online, and are actively promoting it, my chances of getting my preferred seat on an international flight are significantly less, particularly if booking only a few weeks before (and hence my suggestion that seat selection is made available during the booking process, rather than afterwards).

I'm not saying that seat selection shouldn't be allowed. I'm all for it. But I think a review of the rules and definitions of the premium seats should be done by Qantas - 80A/K should be considered premium seats, as should others that are not currently restricted to specific frequent flyer tiers.