How to change seat for a partner so we sit next to each other when booked separately.

[xd9000]

Hey all

I had to make seperate bookings for flights (due to mine being paid and partner is a reward).
On one of the flights we are travelling on the same flight.
I am WP and she is bronze.
Is there a way on the website to change her seat so we sit together.
Or will I need to call in for that?

Thanks
Mike

 

[encryptededdy]

Calling is the only option unfortunately.

 

[HirafuHeartAttack]

Calling is the only option unfortunately.

Yep, and be prepared for it to be painful...

 

[Seat0B]

Hey all

I had to make seperate bookings for flights (due to mine being paid and partner is a reward).
On one of the flights we are travelling on the same flight.
I am WP and she is bronze.
Is there a way on the website to change her seat so we sit together.
Or will I need to call in for that?

Thanks
Mike

Yes, this happens often to me and Mr Seat0A as I travel for work and he pays his way to accompany me. You have to call. However, once they link the bookings, you can select seats and make changes to those selections (say at T-80 if better seats open up) for both of you. And the conditions for the higher tier flyer will apply to you both.

 

[Ade]

Is there a way on the website to change her seat so we sit together.

I think the question most are dying to ask, but didn't so far is, do you really want to sit together? just kidding, pls don't hurt me

Call up the WP customer support and have the bookings linked together.

But before selecting seats next to each other, select a seat just for yourself & save the selection. Re launch seat selection again and see if the seat next to you is blocked? This is a good test to see if as WP you get a shadow, assuming shadows are a thing and they are applied instantly.

 

[xd9000]

Hahaha. I did consider that Ade

Thanks for all the advice everyone.
Mike

 

[MEL_Traveller]

You could always sit down the back with your partner? No need to call then.

 

[Matt_01]

Yes, this happens often to me and Mr Seat0A as I travel for work and he pays his way to accompany me. You have to call. However, once they link the bookings, you can select seats and make changes to those selections (say at T-80 if better seats open up) for both of you. And the conditions for the higher tier flyer will apply to you both.

Once linked can the higher select seats for the lower tier online. Like yourself I travel normally travel on a separate PNR to Mrs&MissM, once linked I normally ask the agent will put then in R1 or 4 while on the call. I seem to recall that when trying to do this online prior to T-80 I could select said rows however the girls could only select what was available for WP. I can not be certain but I also seem to recall when there have been involuntary flight changes and I accepted these online sometimes the computer had reallocated their seats in the WP zones and I had to call up and get this fixed.

I think the question most are dying to ask, but didn't so far is, do you really want to sit together? just kidding, pls don't hurt me

I only do this on domestic flights, international on wide bodies we often sit behind each other. I can even take this a step further, for some international fights I do not travel on the same carrier as them

 

[ronlon]

Hi all. I am missing something here ? Seat selection can be made for each booking online can it not ? I have had my family of four on the same flight each with a separate booking on a number of occasions and I seat us together one by one.

 

[JohnM]

Hi all. I am missing something here ? Seat selection can be made for each booking online can it not ? I have had my family of four on the same flight each with a separate booking on a number of occasions and I seat us together one by one.

But where in the bird?

Like the OP, I am WP and my partner is NB. I recently had a situation where we had separate bookings on the same flight. I called to link our bookings so I could ensure sitting together - up front.

Post #7 makes the point.

 

[Rangalad]

Hey all

I had to make seperate bookings for flights (due to mine being paid and partner is a reward).
On one of the flights we are travelling on the same flight.
I am WP and she is bronze.
Is there a way on the website to change her seat so we sit together.
Or will I need to call in for that?

Thanks
Mike

Here’s how it used to be done…..

 

[HirafuHeartAttack]

Once linked can the higher select seats for the lower tier online. Like yourself I travel normally travel on a separate PNR to Mrs&MissM, once linked I normally ask the agent will put then in R1 or 4 while on the call. I seem to recall that when trying to do this online prior to T-80 I could select said rows however the girls could only select what was available for WP. I can not be certain but I also seem to recall when there have been involuntary flight changes and I accepted these online sometimes the computer had reallocated their seats in the WP zones and I had to call up and get this fixed.

When I called to have this done in December it was unable to be done. My understanding is that if they're under different booking references they can't be merged within the customer facing side of Qantas' system but can be linked on the back end. Thus only customer service staff can allocate the lower tier member the same seats as the higher tier member.

Interestingly when I did this in December it took about 4 hours of calls to finally sort and have showing on my booking. Alaska on the other hand, who have far better benefits for OW Sapphire, apologised for not being able to upgrade both myself and my partner to premium class, put us in the first row of standard economy together, clarified our baggage allowance and asked if I still wanted to be waitlisted for first class, all in 12 minutes... Baffles me how hard it seems Qantas dropped the ball when other airlines can provide this level of competitive service post Covid.

 

[Seat0B]

Once linked can the higher select seats for the lower tier online. Like yourself I travel normally travel on a separate PNR to Mrs&MissM, once linked I normally ask the agent will put then in R1 or 4 while on the call. I seem to recall that when trying to do this online prior to T-80 I could select said rows however the girls could only select what was available for WP. I can not be certain but I also seem to recall when there have been involuntary flight changes and I accepted these online sometimes the computer had reallocated their seats in the WP zones and I had to call up and get this fixed.

My experience is that once the PNRs are linked, whenever I enter MMB to change a seat, we both come up as passengers together, and I can change seats for me, for him or for us both, and all in the WP zone. But I have also found that sometimes when I call up to get it fixed, they tell me that the PNRs have been linked but they actually have not been - the agent simply arranged our seating together on the phone call but did not link the PNRs at all and then if I want to make changes, he gets kicked back down the back of the plane and I have to call them again. So now I always check that the linking happened before I leave on the trip! I do this by going into MMB and seeing that we both come up, and then make a test change to seating to see that I can, but I don;t actually make the change. Once bitten, twice shy!

edited for typos

 

[Seat0B]

Hi all. I am missing something here ? Seat selection can be made for each booking online can it not ? I have had my family of four on the same flight each with a separate booking on a number of occasions and I seat us together one by one.

This works just fine if you all have the same FF tier status or if higher tier passengers are willing to accept the less attractive seating options offered to lower tier family members. I'm WP, Mr Seat0A is LTG, so I can get seats that he can't - unless we link.

Part of the problem is that as a WP, the seat next to me is often greyed out when I try to select it for LTG Mr Sat 0A - and I can't get that seat for Mr Seat0A unless I call to get us linked.

Added this bit above via edit.

 

[Seat0B]

When I called to have this done in December it was unable to be done. My understanding is that if they're under different booking references they can't be merged within the customer facing side of Qantas' system but can be linked on the back end. Thus only customer service staff can allocate the lower tier member the same seats as the higher tier member.

Interestingly when I did this in December it took about 4 hours of calls to finally sort and have showing on my booking. Alaska on the other hand, who have far better benefits for OW Sapphire, apologised for not being able to upgrade both myself and my partner to premium class, put us in the first row of standard economy together, clarified our baggage allowance and asked if I still wanted to be waitlisted for first class, all in 12 minutes... Baffles me how hard it seems Qantas dropped the ball when other airlines can provide this level of competitive service post Covid.

I suspect you might have dealt with someone who didn't know exactly what they were doing. I have linked separate PNRs for myself and Mr Seat0A on many many occasions, and it usually works just fine - unless as I noted in my post above they tell you they have linked when they actually haven't, and instead they just moved the seats together - and you don't find that out until later.