Percentage of seats occupied

[Melburnian1]

At present, Expert Flyer is showing many 'blocked' seats on various QFd flights.

EF seat maps are not always a reliable indicator of how many passengers travel on a particular flight. Some seats may be blocked for travellers who've not selected a particular seat. Others may genuinely be empty.

Given on routes like SYD-MEL today from the four airlines operating (ZL has recommenced) there are only about 30 total flights (below what used to be the case), are 'AFF" users typically finding lots of vacant seats, or are flights highly variable in loadings?

 

[jakeseven7]

We have people shuttling between Syd and Mel on QF mostly (bit of JQ) and they are saying the flights are very full that they are on. I don’t know if there is cancellation / consolidation happening though.

 

[dajop]

Are you looking at seat maps before or after the flight has departed? If you look after check in has closed, or after the flight has departed, IIRC any seats showing as blocked are genuinely blocked and unoccupied. Whereas in advance, they could be blocked for people who have been allocated the seat but not checked in yet.

 

[Melburnian1]

Are you looking at seat maps before or after the flight has departed? If you look after check in has closed, or after the flight has departed, IIRC any seats showing as blocked are genuinely blocked and unoccupied. Whereas in advance, they could be blocked for people who have been allocated the seat but not checked in yet.

I just looked at QF470, the 1700 hours peak period MEL - SYD.

According to EF, it had 51 empty Y seats out of 162, so for that class, it's seat utilisation of a low 68.5 per cent. As always, that doesn't disclose anything about yields.

The identically timed QF471 but southbound (SYD to MEL) has 100 seats occupied in whY so 62 allegedly vacant, meaning only 61.7 per cent of seats have a posterior.

This sample isn't large enough but goodness, if it's typical then depending on the median fare, QFd will be losing either some or a lot of money.

In non-viral times, you'd expect such Sunday arvo flights to be very close to 95 per cent seat occupancy (or greater), given a few of us always fail to show.

 

[Mrmaxwell]

I would suggest QF are consolidating and cancelling flights daily to maximise efficiency. They know domestic PAX are not going to have issue with being moved within 60mins of departure especially if they are notifying them 24-48hrs out.

 

[jakeseven7]

I would suggest QF are consolidating and cancelling flights daily to maximise efficiency. They know domestic PAX are not going to have issue with being moved within 60mins of departure especially if they are notifying them 24-48hrs out.

We haven’t had any cancellations with our staff, but we are travelling in the more business popular times. I guess QF are also still grabbing a hefty $ premium over VA2, JQ and Rexy. I look at the Rexy prices and there is no way they are making money on many of their fares.

 

[wannabeinvestmentbanker]

I'm back on my regular 5pm shuttles between the capitals and this evenings SYD-MEL is surprisingly busy

 

[jakeseven7]

I'm back on my regular 5pm shuttles between the capitals and this evenings SYD-MEL is surprisingly busy

Amazing what open borders with no stupid tests can do hey. We have found the same.

 

[dajop]

Some data points (why not?) from the seat maps of departed flights late afternoon today (numbers are business class/economy)

QF 471, 5pm - 11/117 (74%)
ZL 145, 5:30pm - 2/108 (65%)
QF 479, 6pm - 12/128 (80%)
VA 874, 6pm - 7/148 (88%)

 

[Franky]

Some data points (why not?) from the seat maps of departed flights late afternoon today (numbers are business class/economy)

QF 471, 5pm - 11/117 (74%)
ZL 145, 5:30pm - 2/108 (65%)
QF 479, 6pm - 12/128 (80%)
VA 874, 6pm - 7/148 (88%)

I did two flights PER-ADL return last Thursday, back yesterday Monday. 99.9% occupancy both ways…

 

[jase05]

Some data points (why not?) from the seat maps of departed flights late afternoon today (numbers are business class/economy)

QF 471, 5pm - 11/117 (74%)
ZL 145, 5:30pm - 2/108 (65%)
QF 479, 6pm - 12/128 (80%)
VA 874, 6pm - 7/148 (88%)

What is very noticeable is how badly Rex are getting mauled by VA
Looking at the SYD-MEL 0700 departure today and we had
ZL9 4/30 (18%)
VA808 8/152 (90%)
Tomorrow morning not looking any better
ZL9 0/24 (14%)
VA808 8/137 (82%)

In the opposite direction this morning MEL-SYD
0930 VA829 7/132 (79%)
1000 ZL42 8/20 (12%)
1100 VA837 5/145 (86%)