I've been assigned an Exit Row

[Springthing]

Hi everyone

Love this site!. I'm a long time lurker, first time poster....

I don't travel anywhere near as frequently as some of you, but I still manage to just scrape up enough Qantas SCs each year to remain on Silver.

I'm flying Melb/LA this Thursday with Qantas (QF93) on a discounted economy fare (S), and I'd planned to burn some points to upgrade. But I've noticed I've been pre-assigned 58K both there AND back, which to the best of my knowledge is an exit row window seat, and from all reports, it's not a great seat due to the bulky emergency door, and cold temperature.

I thought exit row seats weren't assigned unless pax agree to assist crew in the event of an emergency. Plus I thought Qantas was charging extra for the exit rows these days?

Just wondering whether, they'll assign me another seat at check-in? I might not burn the points if I keep the seat.

Mike

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Hey

Welcome to AFF Springthing! Posting and contributing is good Don't be a lurker.

As for your flight - QF93 this thurs is operated by a 747 and 53K is not currently an exit row. To me it appears like you are behind a special area sectioned off for FA's and if I'm right you have the advantage of nobody reclining into you. If you're not travelling with the person in 53H, I would be trying to switch to the aisle seat - otherwise it looks fairly full back there.

Premium Economy is ALWAYS worth the upgrade on a long flight - if not too late to put a request in now, you should definitely hook it up.

Have fun flying!

 

[milehighclub]

Exit rows that have crew next to the door have slightly different requirements to exits that do not have crew. Passengers do not have to be briefed onboard the aircraft like over-wing exits for example.

Looks like your lucky day to be getting it for free! However as you mentioned the seat bustle can get in your way.

For such a long flight I would certainly upgrade if you can. If you are only going to upgrade for one sector - do it on the LAX-MEL sector.

Hey

Welcome to AFF Springthing! Posting and contributing is good Don't be a lurker.

As for your flight - QF93 this thurs is operated by a 747 and 53K is not currently an exit row......

I think you misread the post. They are seated in 58K not 53K.

 

[mannej]

Row 43 in the ex-BA 767's are like this. As there is a crew seat facing you there is no safety card or pre flight briefing


Sent from my iPhone using AFF Mobile

 

[Springthing]

Thanks for the quick posts guys.

Row 58 is definitely an exit row on this flight, as I went into the online seat allocation area on the Qantas site, and that confirmed it is.

You're right about the crew facing these seats, as this was the case on a similar trip I did back in June, when I 'paid' the extra $$$ for an Exit Row seat.

So it sounds like I've just lucked the seat, without paying for it this time. Still though, I might burn some points on the return 'night' sector for an upgrade to premium, for the added comfort and service.

 

[drewbles]

Here's the seat map for your flight out (I can't do one for the return as you've not mentioned the date).

Looks like it should be a fairly full flight:

Note that X = blocked, and the solid blue seats are all assigned. Anything that's just a white box is not assigned, however, this is showing seats available to Platinum FF's so you may not be able to request other seats, but you shouldn't want to if you've already got row 58. Just remember though, 58 A and K do have the exit rafts in front of them, so if you're taller than 5' you may have issues with leg room.

 

[docjames]

IIRC the A/K seats in this config arent "sold" (for the $160) as exit row due to the slide container impinging on leg room. It's still a good seat (but cold!) but you're kind-of forced to sit with your legs stretched towards the B/J seats. It's not that big a deal, but it's enough QF dont want to charge for them.

+1 to requesting upgrade - any Y+ seat is better.

 

[Springthing]

Thanks for the seating map. I had wondered about the flight loading, to see what my chances were for scoring an upgrade using points.

My return flight needs to be flexible at this stage, so I don't know what the date will be, but thanks for offering to look at it anyway. I'll drop back here with it, when I know the details.

I don't have long legs, so the added exit door bulk around 58k might not be an issue for comfort, though then there is the draft....

 

[drewbles]

Thanks for the seating map. I had wondered about the flight loading, to see what my chances were for scoring an upgrade using points.

My return flight needs to be flexible at this stage, so I don't know what the date will be, but thanks for offering to look at it anyway. I'll drop back here with it, when I know the details.

I don't have long legs, so the added exit door bulk around 58k might not be an issue for comfort, though then there is the draft....

Here's the current Fare bucket for QF93 on Thursday:

F9 A9 J9 C9 D9 I8 W9 R9 T9 Y9 B9 H9 K6 M5 L3 V4 S2 G0 E0

Looks fairly open, but you never know. Don't forget you have SG/WP in upgrade queue in front of you, as well as OW Emerald and Sapphire, but it never hurts to try for the upgrade lottery

 

[serfty]

IME, 58K is a shocker - unless you want to spend the journey playing footsies with the 58J occupant. :shock:

Here's a pic of 29A on the old 2 class Pacific config. It's a similar seat set up - you'll get the idea.

 

[Springthing]

Thanks for the current load info, and photo as a reminder of what the seat locations looks like. I've walked past these type of seats on a few occasions heading towards an allotted seat further back in the plane, but never considered how annoying that extra bulk sticking out would be for 14 hours straight!... And since I'm travelling alone, I don't have the luxury of sharing the leg spare of the next seat with someone I know....

Just curious, but can upgrades for International flights be requested at the Qantas Club after check-in?

 

[Worldtraveller8888]

Just curious, but can upgrades for International flights be requested at the Qantas Club after check-in?

Unfortunately not. International upgrade requests must be made before -24hrs.

Personally, I would prefer an aisle seat to the A/K exit seats.

WT

 

[RSD]

I'm doing SYD-JFK (via LAX) and return shortly on a QF cheap sale fare. It mentioned somewhere in the sale conditions that the fare isn't upgradeable - is there any way around this? Premium Y on the way home would be nice.

 

[samh004]

I'm doing SYD-JFK (via LAX) and return shortly on a QF cheap sale fare. It mentioned somewhere in the sale conditions that the fare isn't upgradeable - is there any way around this? Premium Y on the way home would be nice.

You could ask at check-in or over the phone before travelling if you could pay the fare difference.

 

[RSD]

You could ask at check-in or over the phone before travelling if you could pay the fare difference.

I was wanting to use points instead of throwing $ at it.

 

[Springthing]

Thanks for the tip on International upgrades not available 24 hours prior to departure. I've since read up on these terms and conditions on the Qantas site. I'd better get an upgrade request in quick smart as I leave in roughly 72 hours....

Just in response to the question re using points to upgrade discount economy fares - I had the same scenario earlier this year, having picked up a dirt cheap sale fare SYD/LAX, and the terms of the sale stated upgrades were not available on this fare. Wanting confirmation of this, I contacted Qantas phone sales, and they said I could pay the difference to change the discounted fare into an upgradable one, but it almost doubled my initial fare price, so I didn't go through with it. I guess they need to put 'some' conditions on the 'cheapies'...

 

[samh004]

I was wanting to use points instead of throwing $ at it.

But if you’re on a discounted ticket that doesn’t allow points upgrades you might need to pay the fare difference to a ticket that does allow upgrades, and then play the upgrade lottery with points

 

[Springthing]

The upgrade fairies must have been looking after me as the request has been confirmed for Qf12 lax/syd. It's apparently a very full flight tonight too, so I am lucky it came through given my silver status. Looking forward to some room and quiet in premium.

 

[Flashback]

The upgrade fairies must have been looking after me as the request has been confirmed for Qf12 lax/syd. It's apparently a very full flight tonight too, so I am lucky it came through given my silver status. Looking forward to some room and quiet in premium.

Nice! Enjoy the flight