Platinum sitting in economy - Do the airlines pay extra attention to us?

[juddles]

As per my experiences and those of others, the benefit of being WP on a Y flight is just about maybe getting a drink or water or hello. I haven't been vanilla WP for a few years - but trust me P1 is the same.

 

[kookaburra75]

International travel is where Platinum can get you a lot, in my opinion.
Access to first class lounges and priority through airport security are two which spring to mind.
The latter can make a huge difference in Europe where there can be a whole segregated fast track or "Green Path" section of an airport such as MAD.
Useful because it often isn't worth paying for "business" flights within Europe as they are merely Y seats with a tray over the empty middle seat.

I agree, I don't get anything from being a WP on domestic flights. I do several long haul international flights per year in Y (putting in for an upgrade to J in points which works half the time). For the times when I'm down the back, fortunately in the Y mini-cabin on the A380, the CSM drops in to say hi, offer the noise cancelling head phones, and the crew normally drop off a few drinks and bit and pieces from the PE trolley. On one flight a short while ago, a lady sitting across the aisle from me, who seemed to question everything the flight attendants did and said, and say how she was important etc, when I was served bubbles in a real glass she complained "why didn't I get that!" I explained that I was special, which I think she had trouble accepting. The flight attendant mouthed a "thank you" as she went off to serve the rest of the passengers.

 

[flyingfan]

I mentioned in the P1 thread, the FAs seem to have trouble again identifying P1s on their manifest - on an international Y flight my WP travelling companion got the extra greeting and drinks in glass, I got nothing! Once again, go in with low (or no) expectations and you won't be disappointed.

 

[samh004]

Lately my experience has been that the first row will receive free drinks on a flight you need to purchase, but rows afterwards will be asked to pay. I haven't paid for a drink in Y I don't think ever, but have taken a lot of flights where the cabin announcement suggests I should have to. I assume that's a WP thing, but really have no idea.

 

[ameno]

As per my experiences and those of others, the benefit of being WP on a Y flight is just about maybe getting a drink or water or hello. I haven't been vanilla WP for a few years - but trust me P1 is the same.

Same experience here. Dropped back down to WP 2 years ago and receive pretty much the same special treatment I did as P1, a random 'Hello Mr ameno' here and there and that's pretty much it.

But at the end of the day, as long as Joycey is being looked after, that's all that really matters

 

[Mike65]

As a WP or SG regular intl Y flyer for many years, I can say that the shadow does exist but not in print and is obviously over-ridden by load factors. Also, the special by name greeting happens almost every flight (maybe less often as SG) but I haven't had an op-up in about 15 years. However, I find that if you ask nicely you can get wines, snacks etc from the J list. I particularly like a glass of dessert wine to help with nodding off to sleep!
Remember you're only entitled to what you pay for and, if you've made it this far, you just got 2c worth of my opinions.

 

[RichardMEL]

Exactly!

And since shadows are not a published benefit of any status level (well I don't know about CL personally...) then nobody should feel entitled to them. That has always been my point. Not that they don't exist. just the notion of that they should be expected which in my book.. they should not. Any time they show and stick is a bonus.

 

[rcn]

Never experienced the proactive distribution of J amenity kits before but sometimes if a WP further up front requested for one, they could bring a few out to distribute down the aisle. It’ll be nice if they proactively distribute these or at least ask if the WP pax is interested in one.

On QF26, sat in the first row of Y. Woke up to find a J amenity kit beside me. WP beside me received one as well. I'm thinking it's becoming a norm on long haul international flights?

 

[esseeeayeenn]

I haven't had an op-up in about 15 years.

I did receive an op-up from J to F as a WP on QF1 SYD-DXB in 2014.
It's been a while!

 

[ferntree]

In many dozens of domestic Y flights as a platinum (not P1), I can count on one hand the number of times I've received "special" treatment.

I can count it on one solitary finger.

 

[Steve N]

I’ve been stuck in Y on a redemption International flight, had a nice chat to the CSM who came and greeted me, checked if I would like anything from ‘up the front’. I declined as the Crew were super busy, as the flight was completely full. I was in 64D on VH-OJT (747).
I wasn’t expecting anything, as it was my first year as a WP. I was surprised when the Crew offered me the choice of meals before they had started the meal service in our Cabin.
Just remember to stay humble.

 

[dannylowau]

Hi,

Platinum holder here. I've flown in economy several times since getting platinum status. I tend to always pick a seat at the front of the plane, and from my last flight I realised that the plane has always been packed in the back but I've always had an empty seat next to me.

Am I right to assume that front seats don't get opened to bronze/silver seat selection unless the plane reaches a certain threshold of occupancy? Does this mean as a platinum holder I should always pick a front seat, or have I just been lucky in my past 3 flights? On my last flight I saw another platinum flyer sit in the middle of 3 seats and he got served champaigne while in economy right after we boarded!

I also realised I get called by my surname specifically, but I'm wondering if that flight attendant was just being super nice or they are actually aware of how many platinum flyers are in the economy cabin.

Would love to know if there's any hidden tips, tricks or benefits?

Cheers

I fly Y on most International flights. The shadow do exist. However during peak seasons, late comers or others joining for onward journey will take the shadows seat kept empty. So, no guarantee at all. I complained once as at the check in I was assured the shadow (seat next to me) was empty and
on boarding someone was allocated the shadow seat.

 

[petwatff]

Hi,

Platinum holder here. I've flown in economy several times since getting platinum status. I tend to always pick a seat at the front of the plane, and from my last flight I realised that the plane has always been packed in the back but I've always had an empty seat next to me.

Am I right to assume that front seats don't get opened to bronze/silver seat selection unless the plane reaches a certain threshold of occupancy? Does this mean as a platinum holder I should always pick a front seat, or have I just been lucky in my past 3 flights? On my last flight I saw another platinum flyer sit in the middle of 3 seats and he got served champaigne while in economy right after we boarded!

I also realised I get called by my surname specifically, but I'm wondering if that flight attendant was just being super nice or they are actually aware of how many platinum flyers are in the economy cabin.

Would love to know if there's any hidden tips, tricks or benefits?

Cheers

Yes you are right, Platimum & Gold holders get seat selection benefits when booking that are blocked to those without status. I have become Gold for first time this year and noticed how the amount of seats available for my seat selection changed greatly. This became glaringly obvious when I booked seats online for myself and a work colleague who didn't have status. My seat choice had almost the entire plane to select from and I selected 9F and when I went to book for my colleague he had the entire front section blocked out which meant I couldn't sit us together. I booked myself if 9F anyway and my colleague in 23D and then rang CS who moved my colleague to 9D with a shadow which was filled by the time we flew so we shuffled to sit together but no issue, along with priority boarding I appreciated that small perk to allow emabrking/disembarking that little bit quicker.

 

[kiwitripper64]

I have very rarely had a shadow seat on a transtasman flight. Even flying with Mrs, someone ends up next to us. That is a bit annoying when the back of the plane has empty seats.
I did get a beaker of champagne for a colleague one flight who was sitting a few rows behind me. The look on her face was brilliant.

 

[AbsolutelyAnything]

On nearly all of my International flights as WP I've had the CSM come and say hello, ask if I need anything to which I normally reply 'a proper glass of chardonnay would be nice', plus I've been given PJ's including ones from First Class for the family when I ask politely (I'm too tight to pay for PJ's when I can get them free) and once or twice had the seat or entire row blocked out beside me (at check in) if the flight wasn't too full.

Doesn't really happen on Domestic unless the crew recognise me.

Stef

 

[ish]

Not going to weigh in on the whole "shadows do / don't exist" debate, but as a WP flying trans-continental flights pretty much once a week for past 6 yrs, sitting aisle in the front 3 rows of economy, I rarely have someone sitting next to me. More often than not, there is a spare seat in the middle. Often see 4B, 4E, 5B, 5E, 6B, 6E all free, and every other seat on the plane occupied.

Other than that, perks are patchy. The occasional CSM greeting post takeoff, and rare (but awesome when it happens) receiving wine from business rather than economy offering. That's pretty much it in my experience.

 

[samh004]

I haven't had an op-up in about 15 years.

Had a few in the last 10 years, ranging from SG to P1.

I did receive an op-up from J to F as a WP on QF1 SYD-DXB in 2014.
It's been a while!

My year of P1 resulted in about 50% op-ups IIRC. I only took 4 international flights and managed 1 upgrade from that, but domestic was a gold mine. Seemed like every other flight.

Less these days since dropping to WP, but my mother and partner were both upgraded with me on our flight to Uluru a few years ago. Add to that, on the way home the crew onboard the 717 from AYQ-ASP offered us – and only us 3 – drinks prior to takeoff in row 1. I was special that year, clearly.

 

[Ekka]

You make a very good point.
As anyone can see from my openflights map I have only ever flown between SYD and NOU and have absolutely no other basis for my beliefs.
I am, however, getting a bit sick of the bus from Perth to Sydney and back which I have to endure to take those flights.

The logical route surely would surely be to fly from PER to BNE followed by BNE to NOU; very close to a great circle compared to a dog-leg via SYD. You wouldn't have the ludicrous change at Sydney airport, which is surely the slowest and most grief-ridden transfer from domestic to international terminals in the world either.

 

[esseeeayeenn]

The logical route surely would surely be to fly from PER to BNE followed by BNE to NOU; very close to a great circle compared to a dog-leg via SYD. You wouldn't have the ludicrous change at Sydney airport, which is surely the slowest and most grief-ridden transfer from domestic to international terminals in the world either.

Apart from the fact that there is more frequency via SYD, and there is the F lounge in SYD, as opposed to a 5 hour wait in the early morning in the combined lounge in BNE. Also more chance of picking up a codeshare flight on an AirCalin (SB) A330 maybe even their brand new neo with J suites via SYD as opposed to the QF B738s or SB A320s. And also more chance of being on a QF A330 PER-SYD than PER-BNE.
I do, however, agree with you about the transit between terminals in SYD.
For the return it can be better to fly via BNE as there is often a 16:30 SB departure to BNE rather than the 12:30 QF flight to SYD.
And there is no real difference between the two domestic J lounges.

 

[Jamie R]

+1 on CX showing you as a Plat the love in Y and Y+