F Seat Allocation

[turtlemichael]

I don't want to spend hours trying to second guess how QF yield management works, but it is fun when it concerns you!

I'm looking at availability in F for an upcoming QF107 to JFK. It's part of our DONE4 and we registered to use points for the upgrade 89 days out. Hopefully we are near the top of the priority list. Even though we both are WP, there are two of us travelling.

Expertflyer currently gives F6, A5 for SYD-JFK (and F5, A2 for SYD-LAX). The seat map for SYD-JFK however has eight unallocated seats plus the two blocked bassinet seats. We nabbed row 16 seats on the upper deck and the X signifying blocked seats was removed on expertflyer. My interpretation is therefore that the bassinet seats in F are yet to be allocated? Is that a correct interpretation?

I'm not sure why the numbers from availability and seat map do no marry because I thought F seats were allocated when an F booking was made?

In any case, although it's still three weeks away, my belief is that our chances of the upgrade are still realistic. Any views?

 

[Dave Noble]

Seats are not always allocated when a booking is made, so 8 unassigned seats does not necessarily mean that there are only 6 bookings in first. Also, a seat taken in F doesn't mean that there is a ticketed passenger in F since people do make bookings which are never ticketed

F5A2 would sounds reasonable, but there are still 3 weeks to go

Dave

 

[MelUser]

If you get the upgrade will you take your chances with seat allocation in F?

Does anyone know of anyone who got 2 pax upgraded J into F and where QF seated them?

We are thinking of upgrading J-F and are 2 pax plus infant in bassinet. At the moment we have 11JK - ie together with bassinet directly in front.

I am scared to upgrade as we might get the bassinet 4A or 4K but where will they seat the second pax:

- directly over the ailse in row 4; or
- directly in from - ie 3A or K; or
- somewhere else in the cabin?

Any thoughts? Who else has had 2 or more pax upgraded into F and where have they seated you?

thanks

 

[opusman]

The majority of F passengers are solo travellers and so the outside single seats are the ones to go first, so the odds are you would be seated together in the middle.

 

[turtlemichael]

The only other QF points upgrade I had to F netted 1K and 3A. Didn't worry us, but others may differ.

Two op-ups on CX got seats together.

The greater risk that I can see is that we will be bypassed on the list because we are two and there is only one upgrade available.

 

[MelUser]

The majority of F passengers are solo travellers and so the outside single seats are the ones to go first, so the odds are you would be seated together in the middle.

But this means we'd lose the bassinet - so would have to hold bub?

 

[NYCguy]

But this means we'd lose the bassinet - so would have to hold bub?

Sheesh... Some people are just never satisfied!

 

[MelUser]

The only other QF points upgrade I had to F netted 1K and 3A. Didn't worry us, but others may differ.

Two op-ups on CX got seats together.

The greater risk that I can see is that we will be bypassed on the list because we are two and there is only one upgrade available.

I would classify 1K and 3A as being at opposite ends of the cabin!
When you checked in, were you give the option to seat together?

 

[Evan]

I can't comment with F but having managed to upgrades on poitns to J with a partner they seated us together, but then again a lot more seats in J to choose from.

I would think they would try to seat you together, hopefully with the bassinet.

I do wonder if the baby and a couple come into it when QF allocate upgrades.

E

 

[MelUser]

No problem in past with self plus partner plus baby Y-J but then again there are 5 bassinets in J and two seats directly behind each bassinet.

I am reasonably sure of one of us getting bassinet for self plus bub but am horrified at though of partner being on other side of cabin and having to use the in seat phone to call one another!

I am starting to think why would I give up best J seats for a random lottery that may result [worst case scenario] in total loss of bassinet and seats on opposite side of cabin!

 

[turtlemichael]

I would classify 1K and 3A as being at opposite ends of the cabin!
When you checked in, were you give the option to seat together?

Nope. Others who had presumably paid for F got priority over a mere upgrade in seat allocation, as it should be. As I said, didn't worry us. There may be different rules for upgrading with a baby, such as no upgrade unless 4A/K available. Others might know?

Of course, there will be those in the F cabin who hope that an upgrade request for someone travelling with a baby gets bypassed. :shock:

 

[MelUser]

Ha ha - our baby is well behaved. We have flown with her about 10 flights now. When we enter the cabin - especially J, we get horrified looks from passengers but half way through flight people are coming up to us [again especially in J] and saying what a well behaved baby we have! It might change though as she gets older.

 

[JohnK]

For those couples that travel together, is the thought of spending a flight seated apart so frightening?

I can understand if you have booked and are allocated to sit next to each other but for upgrades or separate bookings why do you think it is OK to inconvenience someone else just so you can sit together?

 

[NYCguy]

... [W]hy do you think it is OK to inconvenience someone else just so you can sit together?

Oh, here we go...

 

[MelUser]

It depends what you mean by "inconvenience".

In my view it is no inconvenience to ask a solo passenger to change into any other F seat.

In my view it is an inconvenience to split up 2 pax travelling together. It is not an inconvenience to shift those 2 pax together into a similar pair arrangement within in the F cabin.

I think we might stay in 11JK in business with bassinet as we won't be inconvenienced and we won't inconvenience anyone else!

 

[Dave Noble]

It depends what you mean by "inconvenience".

In my view it is no inconvenience to ask a solo passenger to change into any other F seat.

to me it depends on where they are being asked to change to. If asking to move to a window, I would normally agree unless asked to go to 1A or K at night and as long as asked politely

In my view it is an inconvenience to split up 2 pax travelling together. It is not an inconvenience to shift those 2 pax together into a similar pair arrangement within in the F cabin.

To be fair, if you want to be sure of getting 2 seats together, then way to do so is to purchase 1st class tickets; if you upgrade, then you are one of the last to be booked in the cabin and so one of the last to be able to get seat assignments.

The 2 are not being split up, they are already split up at time of rebooking ; it is no different to a regular last minute booking in that there may be no seats together

Of course, with only 3 rows of 2, that those 3 rows have already been taken by those travelling with someone since, I suspect, that most solo travellers would choose the single seats if they were available

Dave

 

[JohnK]

It depends what you mean by "inconvenience".

Where the person asked to move is given a worse seat than originally allocated.

My original question was not directed at you or only referring to F class passengers but to passengers in all classes travelling together and not having a pre-allocated seat. This may be due to any number of factors including complimentary or points upgrades, waitlisting etc.

In my view it is an inconvenience to split up 2 pax travelling together.

Depends how you look at it. If 2 people really want to sit together then they should make sure that their seats are pre-allocated together. Don't wait until you get to the airport or even the lounge to ask for seats together.

I am just interested to know when two people travelling together and are not seated together always want the better seat. So I have to give up my exit row or any favourite seat that I have gone to the trouble of researching and pre-allocating just so two people can sit together. No thanks.

If putting in points upgrades then you are in the lottery and you should not expect people to move in order to convenience you. If you want to sit together without a pre-allocated seat then do everyone a favour by asking for the worst seats in whatever cabin you will be travelling.

 

[Petch]

In my view it is no inconvenience to ask a solo passenger to change into any other F seat.

I was chatting to a First Host in the lounge the other day, and asked what the biggest issue was they had to deal with on a general basis. The answer was seating!

It seems that understanding what is imperative to different passengers, in regard to their seating, is a hard balancing act @ the pointy end of the plane!

Geeze I try to pay as little money as possible and get upset when I am not allocated my favourite seat on JQ! Now I can only imagine how precious I would be about it all, if "I" paid over $16000 (list price) to fly across the Pacific & back.

 

[Hvr]

It depends what you mean by "inconvenience".

In my view it is no inconvenience to ask a solo passenger to change into any other F seat.

In my view it is an inconvenience to split up 2 pax travelling together. It is not an inconvenience to shift those 2 pax together into a similar pair arrangement within in the F cabin.

So the rights of two people always surpass those of the single person? I hate this attitute towards single people, that we should always move, give up something so that two people can have what they want.

I choose my seat on my preferences, you choose your seat on what suits you. Your "rights" are not more important than mine.

Whilst I don't sit up in F, nor probably never will I would be mightily annoyed if anyone insisted I change my seat to accommodate their preferences to my detriment.

 

[NYCguy]

So the rights of two people always surpass those of the single person? I hate this attitute towards single people, that we should always move, give up something so that two people can have what they want.

I choose my seat on my preferences, you choose your seat on what suits you. Your "rights" are not more important than mine.

Whilst I don't sit up in F, nor probably never will I would be mightily annoyed if anyone insisted I change my seat to accommodate their preferences to my detriment.

Well, when you DO start flying in F, you'll appreciate how nice it is to be tucked away in a secluded single seat when flying on your own. I can't imagine why anyone traveling alone would deliberately choose one of the seat-pairs. When flying with a partner, associate, etc, it is pleasant to sit in the middle in a pair, although it's not imperative for me, especially overnight.

One of the great attractions of flying in First class is privacy. I make use of the privacy screens when I am compelled to sit beside a stranger. I can't bear conversation about nothing, when I can be happily reading my Economist or watching a movie.

Whether or not you get your seat of choice also depends on the FF status of the other pax on that flight who might prefer your seat. If you ever reserve 2A on the same UA trans-pac flight that I book onto, don't expect your BP to say 2A when the agent hands it to you at check-in. The benefits of status, my dear.