I'd actually like to hear whether anyone can confirm that forward rows are a free for all at check-in? I would have thought checking in so close to cut off time that no row 3 seat would be left, but I got one, so maybe they are holding them off for status pax? My apologies if an inside source has already confirmed either way...
It looks like they're exclusive to WP's until the counter opens for check-in, cannot always be booked by SG's (even when they're available, and at the last minute), and seem to be accessible to non-status flyers in certain circumstances (for passengers with special needs, when flight passes a certain level of check-ins, or some other reason...)
There's been a bit on the forums about this recently, going back to the days after the Sabre rollout.
Here are some of the first reports:
I am not liking all these changes I'm seeing since the change to Sabre. The main benefits of flying VA over QF are being eroded away. I used to almost always pick VA over QF if the price was similar because I could get row 3. If that benefit is no longer there, I might as well stick with QF.
I just had a look at my next block of travel (book 3-4 months in a go). I can pick row 3(WP) for my flights by myself but when I travel with my girlfriend I can only pick row 6(SG)! So for a couple that did just under a 100 segments last year now flight together in row 6, crazy!
Also of note all the flights that I looked at had no other people on it, I could pick any seat. And this was for flight only 5-6 months away!
It seemed like this change only affected SG's, PS's and NR's - but for some reason, not non-status flyers:
I have found a way around the issue whereby a the seat map is only showing seats available to the lowest status member - i.e. A plat and a gold can only book row 6 back.
Simple remove the velocity number for the lower tier member - i.e. only leave the number in the Plat member and have no number entered for the Gold member.
I did exactly this and was able to select row 3 seats for myself and a companion passenger when I did not enter his velocity number into a dummy booking.
It would appear that this is definitely a bug.
Apparently SG's were still entitled to Row 3, but only when checking in at the airport:
Have been informed row 3 opens for golds (if available) upon check in at the airport.
(Note: Once checked in and seats were selected online, several SG's noted that it seemed they couldn't be moved.)
...Then, we saw SG's checking in at the airport and still being unable to get Row 3
So the results of my experiment are getting worse.
After sitting in 13C on Friday night in a 22 row Embraer I got to SYD airport ~20 minutes ago to be given 8D for today's flight. :shock:
That is what I got at check-in and asked if that was the most forward aisle to be greeted with "Yes and my husband is also Gold and it is the same for him".
No more than 3 minutes later at premium entry in SYD I ask again questioning how a Gold can be allocated 13C and 8D while people with no status what so ever sit in rows 3,4,5,6 regularly? Told there is a window seat in row 4 and an aisle seat in row 5. So I opt for the aisle in row 5 and a few seconds later an aisle seat in row 3 magically appears.
Now I have 3D but I do not want to keep playing this game and I should not have to keep playing this game. Another 6 flights to go and then I think it is time for a break from Virgin....
It appeared the front seats were being given to non-status flyers (when the plane reached a certain checked-in capacity
(?)):
Pure luck based on my flight last night. According to FA we had about 130 out of 170 odd seats. 4B and E occupied, part of a couple with C and F. In fact all of rows 3 to about 7 were occupied. 4E dropped and left their BP on the floor and was not VFF. 4F travelling with them constantly dropped their rubbish onto the the floor, which makes me think red or nothing.
A lot of the people around me did not look like high tier frequent flyers and not many blocked seats either as that would suggest free for all once at airport. Funny that 3C remained vacant while I was only given 5C late in the piece and it appeared 4DE required some sort of assistance. The 2 ladies sitting next to me in 5AB looked like very irregular flyers.
When I got to OOL airport I got a call from Virgin Lounge informing that my 7:05pm flight was delayed by ~1 hour and would I like a seat on an earlier flight which was about 15 minutes from boarding. I accepted without too much hesitation. I was offered 7D or 14C so I took the exit row.
Flight was delayed ~3 minutes and I was last to board and noticed 4D and 8D vacant. Seat shuffling going on? The flight did not look like it had many higher status passengers on board. Perhaps the long weekend is skewing the numbers slightly.
And the nett effect was that it disadvantaged SG's and PS's:
As a gold VFF, I have no issues with the current seat allocation changes. Such is life. What will really tee me off is if check-in start allocating red or non member flyers, forward seats on late check-in whilst air travel saavy golds and silvers stay languishing in > row 7.
Effectively disadvantaging their mid tier elites for being organised with their check-in. Hopefully that won't happen, but VA have demonstrated their ability to struggle with the concept of a loyalty programme from time to time........
Is it a bug, or a "new feature"? Amagz spoke with a VAngel:
I was in MEL lounge last week and speaking to one of the VA girls about the sabre switch. Got onto topic of seat allocations and she told me that the issues with golds not being able to access these seats is a bug in the system and they are working to fix it
That's not everything - but it's a reasonable summary of discussions spread out across threads so far.
Amagz's quote above is one of the most recent, being from yesterday.
And it seems like SG's are now having more luck (most of the time) on the phones, selecting forward rows - at least with some aircraft configurations.
