Qantas charge $20 for advanced seat selection now!

[digitalbath]

Hi,

Just went to choose some seats for an upcoming USA trip and Qantas now charge $20 per seat per flight to choose your seats!

Annoying

I'm travelling with someone else - I hope they at least seat as together when we check in!!

 

[JohnK]

Yes it is disappointing but the change has been in for a while. If you have QFF status then then you are able to pre-allocate seats.

I wish I could still pre-select exit rows on international flights but lost that privilege last year as well. Now need to pay $80 for an Austalia-Asia flight or $160 for an Australia-Europe/USA fligjht.

 

[Robert K]

Yes it is disappointing but the change has been in for a while. If you have QFF status then then you are able to pre-allocate seats.

I wish I could still pre-select exit rows on international flights but lost that privilege last year as well. Now need to pay $80 for an Austalia-Asia flight or $160 for an Australia-Europe/USA fligjht.

WPs can't select it either?

 

[ozmille]

WPs can't select it either?

Not in whY

 

[awilcockson]

Thank goodness this doesn't apply to WPs. Just booked a return flight to MCO via LAX for me and 6 family members, would have cost me $280 to pre-allocate the seats so we could sit near each other without WP (assuming my understanding is correct that it is $20 per person per sector).

Still miffed that I can't preselect exit rows on international sectors anymore though ...

 

[Misha]

I got stuck with this too when booking QF1 for August. I saw no way around it considering I have no status with QF and am travelling alone - worth the $20 (cheeky buggers) to avoid being stuck in the middle of the Victorian Farting Champion, and his understudy in row 70

 

[JohnK]

WPs can't select it either?

As mentioned not in economy but can preselect exit rows in premium economy, business class and first class?

 

[OverrideServlet]

This thread title is a little misleading.

There is a difference between charging $20 for a pre-existing feature and charging $20 for new feature.

If memory serves me correctly QF has done the latter. They never offered advanced seat selection for non-status passengers, thus did not charge for it.*

I believe that prior to $20 feature being offered advanced seat selection did become available to these passengers upon check-in (online or otherwise).

* I do recall that one used to be able to call QF as a non-status passenger and request a seat? Is this right?

 

[blackcat20]

This thread title is a little misleading.

* I do recall that one used to be able to call QF as a non-status passenger and request a seat? Is this right?

Yes, that is the case, but excluded being able to request exit row seats. So for a NB, the new system is quite good. Both systems still only allow a NB to select a seat within their "area" of the plane.

 

[Robert K]

Seat Selection - Qantas

Choosing seats is complimentary, just not exit rows, for silver gold and WP. bronze can pay $20

 

[drewbles]

Seat Selection - Qantas

Choosing seats is complimentary, just not exit rows, for silver gold and WP. bronze can pay $20

For international flights, if booked via a travel agent, your TA can still put a seat request in, providing the flight has not reached its maximum pre-allocation of seats. Once that's reached, the only way an NB can allocate a seat will be via the $20 fee.

NB's have always been able to request a seat allocation under this provision, just not online, until check-in opens.

I don't see it as being an issue. NB's never could pre-allocate seating up until time of check-in anyway, so it's actually an enhancement for them. I don't believe they have open slather at all seats either, there are still certain rows blocked for PS/SG/WP and CL's (usually the front part of Y).

 

[ThunderbirdNZ]

but surely if we're selecting our own seat then we're doing their job for them, so why should we pay for the privilege? I've just booked aisle seats for myself and my 73 year old mother (Aug/Sept UK flight) which cost $960 to cover all segments. I resent paying it, but felt I had to because I couldn't rely on getting my elderly mother a good seat otherwise.

 

[OverrideServlet]

but surely if we're selecting our own seat then we're doing their job for them, so why should we pay for the privilege?

I really don't understand how you connected those dots.

QF doesn't have a person in charge of seating assignments for each flight. It's done by a computer.

Selecting your own seat, whether you choose to pay for it or have earned the privilege via the frequent flyer program, doesn't reduce QFs workload in any way.

 

[awilcockson]

I've just booked aisle seats for myself and my 73 year old mother (Aug/Sept UK flight) which cost $960 to cover all segments.

I'm assuming you mean exit row seats, not aisle seats, otherwise that's an awful lot of segments! If so, are you sure that your 73 year old mother is able to lift and throw a 15Kg door in the case of emergency? It would be terrible to turn up at the airport and be denied the exit row seats you've paid for ...

 

[adrian]

I'm assuming you mean exit row seats, not aisle seats, otherwise that's an awful lot of segments! If so, are you sure that your 73 year old mother is able to lift and throw a 15Kg door in the case of emergency? It would be terrible to turn up at the airport and be denied the exit row seats you've paid for ...

I thought maybe thunderbird hit 9 instead of 1, and meant $160? 4 segments x 2 pax x $20

 

[Blackadder]

Thank goodness this doesn't apply to WPs. Just booked a return flight to MCO via LAX for me and 6 family members, would have cost me $280 to pre-allocate the seats so we could sit near each other without WP (assuming my understanding is correct that it is $20 per person per sector).

Still miffed that I can't preselect exit rows on international sectors anymore though ...

If it was all booked together then wouldn't QF ensure the family are seated together or at least over two adjacent rows.

 

[Archphoto]

Not in whY

Wow! I was allocated 28D on my latest BKK-ADL flight on QF302/BA9, and changed it to an exit row yesterday after calling the BA office.

Guess my booking BA9 for that award flight for my partner was a *good* idea after all - I paid $80 for theirs and mine was gratis.

So if it had been QF2, I would had to pay for both of us even though I'm SG? (NB I understand, but SG or WP??:shock

 

[awilcockson]

If it was all booked together then wouldn't QF ensure the family are seated together or at least over two adjacent rows.

You'd like to think so, but nothing is certain.