Qantas Exit Row Checkin not working as promised

[pshepvic]

I'm pretty sure we were advised by QF that with the new ability to select Exit Rows online, that the only "check" of eligibility for an Exit would be done at the gate. (I think QFCSA may have mentioned this?)

Unfortunately it looks like the system may not be behaving as expected. I selected an Exit for QF412 MEL-SYD yesterday morning, but when I checked in online, I received the old message (below) to see an agent at the airport.



Had to get a BP from an agent although didn't bother until I got to the lounge. Interestingly we just flashed the WP cards and they waved us through - so you could probably get away with "anytime access", even though it's officially gone.

In the end it was all irrelevant, as there was an aircraft change from an A332 to A333 so an upgrade to a SkyBed was on order! Would still be nice to see the site working the same way that QF have advised it should though...

 

[ozmille]

From my understanding if in an exit row you always have to be "checked" by staff to see if you are fit to sit in the seat.

 

[pshepvic]

That's what I thought too, but in another thread here (can't remember which one - there have been a few around the new seat selection) QFCSA said that they will only be checking at the gate now and onboard, and if need be will reallocate seats then.

I remember as this was a question I had specifically asked - particularly with access to the Check in desks now being only for SG and WP at the Premium Service desk.

 

[Undercover Brother]

Mobile check in gave the same error this evening. Tried to print a BP at bag drop and even though I ticked the option to print it, it decided to skip and just give the me the baggage receipt.

I am in the BNE J lounge now so I will just try my Qcard at the gate and see what happens!

 

[2353]

The few times I have been allocated an exit row in OLCI, I've got the "This is not a boarding pass" BP and picked up the BP at a Service Desk.

 

[medhead]

Interesting. Slightly related when I did seat selection this week for a domestic booking I could no longer select exit rows. Not a biggie as I usually get the front row, but still.

 

[Taezar]

I picked up an Exit Row for my trip down to SYD this week. Given I was checking in luggage (60kg of it) I didn't bother "checking in" via the app, but the new fandangled check in gave me my boarding pass no issues - I also put my work mate on my check in and got her an exit row too.
Absolutely no dramas.
It appears then that the seat is still held, you just have to use a kiosk for that boarding pass for the Exit Row.
PS. Sorry I am pretty tired and didn't read the OP properly. #badpanda

 

[ozbeachbabe]

I picked up an Exit Row for my trip down to SYD this week. Given I was checking in luggage (60kg of it) I didn't bother "checking in" via the app, but the new fandangled check in gave me my boarding pass no issues - I also put my work mate on my check in and got her an exit row too.
Absolutely no dramas.
It appears then that the seat is still held, you just have to use a kiosk for that boarding pass for the Exit Row.
PS. Sorry I am pretty tired and didn't read the OP properly. #badpanda

If you elect to checkin via OLCI, mobile or the Podium by scanning your Qcard with the chip (the tower thingy in the terminal that looks like a frosty fruit) you can't verify yourself as being suitable for the exit row as you don't get the pop-up screen with the criteria you have to meet.

You will be on the ineligible to board list until a staff member asks you the exit row questions & prints your boarding pass. You won't be able to reprint an exit row boarding pass at the Next Gen kiosks if you have already checked in via OLCI, Mobile or Podium as it has to be done from the outset.

Pax who are CL, WP, SG or travelling in J can still choose to use the Premium queue for checkin just as they did prior to the cutover to Next Gen checkin & if they had already been able to pre-allocate an exit row eg day before the checkin agent will ask them the questions & acknowledge that they're suitable & print the boarding pass.

Alternatively should you checkin in at a Next Gen kiosk, if you have already been pre-allocated an exit row (eg by yourself at T-80) a screen will popup with the exit row questions & after you tick yes it will print out the exit row boarding pass.

Should you be in a non-exit row seat, when you use a Next Gen kiosk to checkin & exit rows seats are still showing available on the seat map display you can move yourself into one & as above acknowlege the exit row questions & it will print our the exit row boarding pass.

Exit row seats via the Next Gen kiosks are available to everyone on the day including NB & no status pax as by then I'm sure PS, SG & WPs etc would have got one by now if they'd wanted it.

Was trying to get an exit seat for SO the other day to PER on the A330 but they'd all been taken the day before so he had to settle for 49K instead. I think a couple of pax might've been through checked from LAX so they would've asked when they checked in the the US but otherwise I'm assuming status pax had snaffled them.

 

[TonyHancock]

I got a similar message when I tried to check in online for QF93 to LAX tomorrow. (Not an exit row seat though.) I can't remember this happening before. :idea:

 

[TheInsider]

If you elect to checkin via OLCI, mobile or the Podium by scanning your Qcard with the chip (the tower thingy in the terminal that looks like a frosty fruit) you can't verify yourself as being suitable for the exit row as you don't get the pop-up screen with the criteria you have to meet.

You will be on the ineligible to board list until a staff member asks you the exit row questions & prints your boarding pass. You won't be able to reprint an exit row boarding pass at the Next Gen kiosks if you have already checked in via OLCI, Mobile or Podium as it has to be done from the outset.

Pax who are CL, WP, SG or travelling in J can still choose to use the Premium queue for checkin just as they did prior to the cutover to Next Gen checkin & if they had already been able to pre-allocate an exit row eg day before the checkin agent will ask them the questions & acknowledge that they're suitable & print the boarding pass.
.

Thanks, saved me typing that up!

 

[Undercover Brother]

You will be on the ineligible to board list until a staff member asks you the exit row questions & prints your boarding pass. You won't be able to reprint an exit row boarding pass at the Next Gen kiosks if you have already checked in via OLCI, Mobile or Podium as it has to be done from the outset.

No one asked me anything this evening, just scanned my Qcard and boarded!

 

[Taezar]

No one asked me anything this evening, just scanned my Qcard and boarded!

There was one screen that popped up ozbeachbabe, that reminded me of what the exit row requirements were - I just moved onto the next screen and got my boarding pass. No staff log in or viewing required. No questions asked at the boarding gate either. My experience was exactly the same as Undercover Brother's

 

[pshepvic]

So to sum it all up in a word - inconsistent!

 

[ozbeachbabe]

No one asked me anything this evening, just scanned my Qcard and boarded!

UCB what mode did you use to checkin originally prior to scanning your card to board?

There was one screen that popped up ozbeachbabe, that reminded me of what the exit row requirements were - I just moved onto the next screen and got my boarding pass. No staff log in or viewing required. No questions asked at the boarding gate either. My experience was exactly the same as Undercover Brother's

Taezar when you saw the exit row screen pop up you would have had to click yes to move beyond that & get your boarding pass. No staff had to intervene at all in the process as you're already said you were suitable for the exit.

So to sum it all up in a word - inconsistent!

I think you're jumping the gun a bit there Shep as you don't even know how UCB checked in originally. If it was me I would reserve my judgement until I knew the facts rather than shooting first then asking questions later.

 

[Undercover Brother]

For me;

- Selected exit rows via My bookings on QF website maybe 1-2 weeks ago.
- Tried to use mobile check-in yesterday (day of flight), showed as failed and asked me to obtain an exit row boarding pass from the service desk or something like that
- Went to bag drop, used Qcard and selected print bag tag AND boarding pass. Bag tag only printed.
- Dropped bag at desk, gave Qcard, received no BP from service agent (I Didn't ask)
- Used Qcard at boarding gate, nothing said just got my little receipt and moved on.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

For me;

- Selected exit rows via My bookings on QF website maybe 1-2 weeks ago.
- Tried to use mobile check-in yesterday (day of flight), showed as failed and asked me to obtain an exit row boarding pass from the service desk or something like that
- Went to bag drop, used Qcard and selected print bag tag AND boarding pass. Bag tag only printed.
- Dropped bag at desk, gave Qcard, received no BP from service agent (I Didn't ask)
- Used Qcard at boarding gate, nothing said just got my little receipt and moved on.

If Maxwell Smart was on AFF he'd say "just as I suspected Chief". Mobile checkin, along with OLCI & Podium checkin will check you in, however refer you to a CSA for boarding pass reprint.

Once the CSA gave you the boarding pass then you'd no longer appear on the ineligible to board list so of course when you go to board using your Qcard everything is sweet as no issues to resolve at the gate.

Sorry Shep but on this occasion it would seem that there are no inconsistencies.

 

[Undercover Brother]

So even though my mobile checkin told me to go to a CSA, and I didn't, and still boarded OK. Shouldn't someone have to take me off that list?

 

[ozbeachbabe]

So even though my mobile checkin told me to go to a CSA, and I didn't, and still boarded OK. Shouldn't someone have to take me off that list?

The service agent or whoever printed off the boarding pass more than likely did this or whoever was the gate agent should monitor the list prior to commencement of boarding just to square things away prior to blast off.

Other people on the list might include pax who have done a seat change since printing out an OLCI bdg pass but not reprinted it yet, pax who have been op-uped to J since printing a whY bdg pass, people who have yet to pay for their excess baggage etc.

If you try to board before this is actioned that's when you get a 'beep' at the gate which means they have to acknowledge you're suitable for the exit (if they haven't already) before you can board or in the event of a seat change it will also 'beep' as the system recognises that the seat number on the boarding pass doesn't match your new seat number.

 

[pshepvic]

No I think it all is very inconsistent. We were emphatically told previously that when doing OLCI we would be asked the questions about eligibility at that time, which did not happen.

We were told we'd be able to print a BP ourselves, which did not happen.

We were told we would not need to see an agent until the gate, and that's where they would do the "visual check" to verify eligibility, which doesn't appear to be the case.

QFCSA has now said here pretty much the opposite of that.

And finally people have stated here that they've used OLCI, haven't printed anything, gone straight to the gate, and boarded with no questions asked.

I'd say that's all pretty inconsistent - from the original story we were told compared to the current info, and also between what we're told and what is reality.

 

[Happy Trails]

This was my experience at PER the other day:

I’d done OLCI, answered the prompts about suitability for exit row and was directed to the service desk.

I reported to the service desk in the QP and pointed out that I was in an exit row. The CSA assured me that this was not necessary and that I should go straight to the gate. (Words to the effect of “as a platinum you are already approved”)

Needless to say, at the gate I got the beeps and caused a minor logjam while they sorted it out.

Not a major drama but definitely inconsistent.

OT, but I’d selected the exit row when the booking was made some weeks ago and from T-80 onwards I couldn’t select anything forward of row 13, other than a middle seat (on a 738), while there were plenty of other seats showing as available on EF. Not sure if there’s any connection.