Odd seat selection process at T-80

[GCC]

Logged on at around T- 75 this morning to select seats for a family trip to ADL, pax are me, Mrs G, Toddler G (2.5) and baby G (1 month).

Seat 4 A,B,C were all available - hooray. Selected them for the 3 paying passengers, agreed that no prohibited substances were traveling (other than babies and toddlers). At the end of the process received a message that "your seat selection cannot be guaranteed".

I then called the help desk, and a very helpful CSA advised that 4 B and C were showing as blocked, and 4 A as available on his system, and that we had no seats allocated. He put us in row 5, but it was annoying to have row 4 in hand and then lose it like that.

Have checked a few times today and all of row 4 is taken.

I am wondering whether it might have been the baby that caused it? I've been in row 4 with toddler G when she's paid to travel, but I cant remember ever having been allocated those seats when she was a lap infant - we always seemed to end up in row 5.

Or was it some other non baby related factor at work?

 

[TheInsider]

Depending on what 737-800 aircraft you are on, means row 4 has seat belts which have airbags. Off the top of my head children cannot sit there.

 

[harvyk]

I've had that before with row 4 as well. The operator couldn't see the reason why row 4 was blocked off, but row 5 was available. As a side note, I was also travelling with an infant that day as well. Perhaps there is something in the system which prevents infants from taking row 4?

Depending on what 737-800 aircraft you are on, means row 4 has seat belts which have airbags. Off the top of my head children cannot sit there.

Would fit in with current anecdotal evidence...

 

[oz_mark]

It is always possible that the seat availability may have changed between you getting the selection screen and when you pushed the button to confirm your seats.

 

[GCC]

The newer 737 800's with the in seat IFE have the airbag's in row 4, so that might be a reason.

Mrs G's rational was "well, they don't want screaming kids sitting right behind business class".

 

[simongr]

Let us know what happens - if you have seat back IFE than that is the issue.

I wonder though if there is a blanket ban on row 4 for toddlers as the aircraft type can not be guaranteed.

 

[medhead]

I don't think a blanket ban. I managed to get my kids, 8 and 11, into row 4 on a 737 earlier this year, technically the same as a 2.5 year old on a paid ticket. It started as a 73H when I got row 4 and then changed to a 734.

When I read this earlier today, I did thinking the warning about seats not being guaranteed might just be a standard caveat. (not that I've actually paid that much attention) In which case I would have just ignored it. But I didn't remember about the air bag thing.

 

[JohnK]

In my experience this is a glitch in the Qantas system and most times happens after a change of aircraft to original booking.

Say I have been able to select 25J and trying to confirm it says that seat selection cannot be guaranteed. Go back into booking and try another seat and the same error message appears.

Occasionally I call customer care who confirm that I am indeed in the seat I have chosen but for some reason the online seat map does not recognise my selection.

There have also been times where my booking does not show a seat allocation and I had originally selected 25J. So I choose 26J or 27J and have the same issues so call Qantas again. Apparently I am the one in 25J already and again it is not recognised by online seat map.

If you fly often enough you may come across all the glitches I have seen and then some.

 

[docjames]

IME it's the seatbelt airbags in row 4. Infants not allowed.

 

[GCC]

Just as an update the aircraft was a rather old 738, so no airbags.

When we flew on BA within Europe, there were only certain designated seats that can be allocated if you travel with infants. The explanation given to me when I queried this (as they weren't good seats) was to do with oxygen masks. So possibly QF have taken a different approach and designated row 4 seats as seats that cannot be allocated if traveling with an infant.

In a about a week I'll be trying to select row 3 seats on a VA 737 SYD to ZQN, so we'll see what happens

Slightly OT, but of interest for those with small kids. We flew VA J on the return leg ADL - SYD, and I was told that 2.5 toddler G could not sit on my lap in an infant belt for takeoff and landing as she is older than 2. I've flown with her few times over the past six months and this has never happened before - including on the outward QF flight SYD - ADL. Explanation was that this is a CASA regulation and that in case of emergency you cannot brace with a bigger child in your lap, but you can with a baby.

I'm sure this is correct, but found the reasoning a bit tenuous. Looking at my petite toddler sitting in her own J seat, I cant see how she is supposed to brace herself as her feet don't even reach the edge of the seat. Also an adult belt on a 11 kg child in a J seat doesn't seem to be likely to restrain her effectively in an emergency. When i pointed this out ot the FA she had no answer.

Also OT but the QF crew on the SYD - ADL flight were fantastic and really looked after the whole family from the moment we walked onto the plane. As we were heading to ADL for grandma's birthday they even gave my mum 2 bottles of bubbly, and gave a toddler G a baileys miniature to give to grandma. Bit of an odd look to see a 2.5 YO running up the arrival ramp waving a bottle of baileys!

Without buying into the whole debate, frankly the flight in QF Y on the way over was a better experience than VA J on the way back.

 

[simongr]

I will be intrigued how boygr who although will be four and a half and quite big for his age will go in a Skybed to DXB. The whole restraint thing will be interesting an unlike in whY I wont be able to restrain him myself.

 

[GCC]

On the VA flight miss Toddler G was shaping up to get upset about not being on daddy's knee. I showed her a Chuppa Chup and said "you have to sit in your own chair but you'll get a lollipop - and if you're good one for landing too".

Did the trick and outcome was one happy and basically angelic child!

 

[The Rok]

I logged onto a PER-KTA flight at T-80 yesterday morning. As a lowlely PS I was able to select any seat on the plane except row 17 ABC and about 10 already taken seats. Needless to say I took Row 4 C…

 

[simongr]

On the VA flight miss Toddler G was shaping up to get upset about not being on daddy's knee. I showed her a Chuppa Chup and said "you have to sit in your own chair but you'll get a lollipop - and if you're good one for landing too".
Did the trick and outcome was one happy and basically angelic child!

That's how it starts - a chuppa chup here, some chippies there - next thing you are selling your comic collection to buy her a BMW as a graduation present - it's a slippery slope