OLCI - What's the point? Shocking seat selection

[ozbeachbabe]

I always OLCI without a printer. Seeing as I have checked baggage most of the time anyway, I ask for a BP when I go to drop off my bags.

A lot of people don't realise you can OLCI without a printer. If you're PS & above you've probably already allocated yourself a seat at T-80 however it's good for NB's or pax with no status to OCLI at T-24 otherwise you risk getting a middle seat if you checkin at the airport.

Used my card at the gate. Worked. Was the first time she'd seen it.

Does the same scanner that does the mobile & OLCI scan the chip on your FF card & if so, does it print out the docket with your seat number on it etc that you present to the FA when you board the flight?

 

[samh004]

Does the same scanner that does the mobile & OLCI scan the chip on your FF card & if so, does it print out the docket with your seat number on it etc that you present to the FA when you board the flight?

It scans the barcode on the back of the card and a docket is printed. Wonder if they have the docket printing machines here in LRE? Will report back on my return tomorrow.

 

[Joshua]

Last time in ROK the docket printer was the boarding pass printer so you never know.

I thought they were putting in new systems to read the chip? Though if the barcode works, doesn't seem worth the replacement cost.

 

[drewbles]

Interestingly enough, i'm guessing that very few people are using the system yet, as well as mobile-based check-in.

On Departure from PER the other day (as first time using NGCI) I got to the gate not knowing if they have RFID readers or barcode. I handed the girl my FF card and she gave me a puzzled look. She asked a colleague who said 'oh you just scan the barcode' and it was all done no sweat.

This morning in MEL, using mobile-based OLCI (with the digital boarding pass on your phone), I walked up, said good morning, and put my phone under the scanner. The lady gave me a strange look, the reader went green, and I took the boarding 'receipt'. She said "I'm glad you know whats going on!" and smiled at me.

Are that few people really using these features?

 

[Stealth]

Trying all the options. Last week used the card and bag tags. Only got Row 3, so did OLCI tonight and got Row 1. Not sure if I can get away with a carry on this time, but if not will try using the the Q Card and e-tags. I'll keep the printed boarding pass just in case.

 

[JohnK]

An observation from last night's flight on a 767-338 international configuration.

I used OLCI the night before but ~1 hour late as I got the flight times mixed up. I had 25B already with OLCI I had seq # 28 (I think) and could not find anything better. At all times 23E was vacant but I am not keen on selecting this seat just in case of aircraft change.

Just before I headed to the airport I selected 23E. I managed to see the boarding pass (how can one resist when they leave it on the seat as they try to find room for their bags) and it was a Gold member (cute medical student I am guessing as she had 2 books one was Last's Anatomy and the other was also to do with the anatomy) with seq #20.

From a selfish point of view I guess it is a little disappointing to see that a Gold has been able to get one the best seats in economy but it just goes to show that if you want good seats then use OLCI as early as possible.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

An observation from last night's flight on a 767-338 international configuration.

I used OLCI the night before but ~1 hour late as I got the flight times mixed up. I had 25B already with OLCI I had seq # 28 (I think) and could not find anything better. At all times 23E was vacant but I am not keen on selecting this seat just in case of aircraft change.

Just before I headed to the airport I selected 23E. I managed to see the boarding pass (how can one resist when they leave it on the seat as they try to find room for their bags) and it was a Gold member (cute medical student I am guessing as she had 2 books one was Last's Anatomy and the other was also to do with the anatomy) with seq #20.

From a selfish point of view I guess it is a little disappointing to see that a Gold has been able to get one the best seats in economy but it just goes to show that if you want good seats then use OLCI as early as possible.

So the cute med student had 23D?

 

[JohnK]

So the cute med student had 23D?

If you put it that way then the answer is yes.

 

[moa999]

Am normally a window seat flyer but will always take 24F if it is available on the Int config.
Then watch in case it changes.

 

[blackhelicopter]

From a selfish point of view I guess it is a little disappointing to see that a Gold has been able to get one the best seats in economy but it just goes to show that if you want good seats then use OLCI as early as possible.

I've gotten some pretty amazing seats on international J back before I was in QFF. Rows 23 and 11 on B744, for example. The fact I was on a full J ticket paid for by a company that spends many millions per year with QF might have had something to do with it, don't know.

 

[samh004]

I woke up specifically for a T-80 deadline this morning and managed to snag 4A on a 738 from bed. Ideally C/D are what I want, but I’m not going to complain about 4A

I jumped up from 22D

 

[medhead]

I woke up specifically for a T-80 deadline this morning and managed to snag 4A on a 738 from bed. Ideally C/D are what I want, but I’m not going to complain about 4A

I jumped up from 22D

My considered opinion is that 4A and 4F are the 2 best Y seats on that aircraft followed by 4D/E, due to the ability to store under the seat and still have decent leg room.

Congrats on the opup

 

[samh004]

My considered opinion is that 4A and 4F are the 2 best Y seats on that aircraft followed by 4D/E, due to the ability to store under the seat and still have decent leg room.

Congrats on the opup

I’m very much an aisle person, but happy to have the window seat regardless, and look forward to trying it out and seeing if it’s better.

Thanks

 

[medhead]

I’m very much an aisle person, but happy to have the window seat regardless, and look forward to trying it out and seeing if it’s better.

I agree about an aisle seat in general, I'll sit upto row 12 aisle over 5 window. Just row 4 is the exception to my rule.

 

[docjames]

For me, on the 738

Order of preference
i) 4C or 4D
ii) 4A or 4F
iii) Exit rows C/D/A/F
iv) then it's a toss up between 4B/E and exit rows B/E vs any other aisle seat - will usually try aisle seat if i think the flight is lightly loaded and pray for an empty middle next to me (but if it's lightly loaded, i can often get (i) or (ii) or (iii) anyway!)

On the 734 add rows 5 and 6 C/D/A/F as (iii), then the others after that.

SG has definitely improved my chances of seating compared to PS - i'm getting rows 4+5 pretty commonly now, as opposed to as PS getting stuck around rows 6-9 (aisle).


All this is achieved at T-80h onwards. You also need to keep going in and out regularly after T-80h to try and move seats as people move around / change flights etc.

 

[arraitch]

<snip>

All this is achieved at T-80h onwards. You also need to keep going in and out regularly after T-80h to try and move seats as people move around / change flights etc.

I suspect that this phenomenon is more prevalent on the briefer and more frequent flights around the east coast. Admittedly I've only tried rechecking and rechecking a handful of times, but on transcon flights there seemed to be little such movement.

As a matter of curiosity, with what frequency (every few hours, perhaps?) do other AFFers do the rechecking thing prior to departure time?

 

[Joshua]

I suspect that this phenomenon is more prevalent on the briefer and more frequent flights around the east coast. Admittedly I've only tried rechecking and rechecking a handful of times, but on transcon flights there seemed to be little such movement.

As a matter of curiosity, with what frequency (every few hours, perhaps?) do other AFFers do the rechecking thing prior to departure time?

You're probably right, high frequency flights would have a lot more pax movement. Honestly as a WP I don't think you'd need to recheck too often. If you do then it's simply a matter of how much free time you have on your hands
You can also improve seating by trying OLCI at T24 as that can open things up a bit more.

As a SG I consistently got row 4 all but a couple times, often just getting on quickly + flying times & places with few elite pax. 4A/F can be preferable in the morning even for aisle people as you can get a bit more sleep if needed. Hard call with the middle seats, but usually if they're allocating 4B/E then the flight is quite full IME so I'd much prefer being at the front than the exit rows.

 

[bossreggie]

As a matter of curiosity, with what frequency (every few hours, perhaps?) do other AFFers do the rechecking thing prior to departure time?

I never do for international. On DOM... I used to at around T-80 but my last few flights I have been allocated 1B (767) & 1 C (737) at the time of booking.

 

[Ewing]

I never do for international.

Me neither.

All of my international flights have resulted in one of two outcomes:
#1 - I've been automatically assigned what would be my preferred seat in the cabin at booking time ;or
#2 - my preferred seat is available when performing seat selection straight after booking

For domestic flights - as long as you continue to prefer 1C and me 1D then we won't have a problem (I am rather partial to 1B on the 767s though)

 

[JohnK]

You're probably right, high frequency flights would have a lot more pax movement. Honestly as a WP I don't think you'd need to recheck too often. If you do then it's simply a matter of how much free time you have on your hands

Enough free time to care which seat I am sitting in.

There are glitches in the current/new system and if you are not quick off the mark then cute medical students with QF Gold status can end up in heavily sought after Platinum seats in economy.