Qantas Increases Legroom Charges; Changes to Row 4 selection on most 737 flights

[MEL_Traveller]

Shame! CX used to allow free exit rows and bulkheads for OWR, as per madrooster’s post (and just trying now)… no longer a benefit

 

[opusman]

Has been extensively written about on Pointhacks etc and is widely discussed on the various FF facebook groups.

I imagine this is partly the reason for the "crack down".

 

[Julesmac]

There's a few seats that are free so far....the ones in the toilets...it's a wonder they haven't come up with charging for
oilet paper

 

[p--and--t]

There's a few seats that are free so far....the ones in the toilets...it's a wonder they haven't come up with charging for oilet paper

Didn't Ryanair already consider this?

 

[tdimdad]

Row 4 is the only real advantage QF has in Y over VA and ZL (and a little snack again these days). Any row behind that is the same the same than in any other airline.

When funding the trip personally, I could consider paying for the seat, in theory (in practice would not pay), but for work travel it would not go through (when it's a BFONT = best fare of near-time i.e. when you intend to go). This then cuts away the little but nice advantage QF has.

A middle ground could perhaps have been a T-80 for WP/SG for a fee and T-24 for WP/SG for $0 and the remaining pax for a fee, creating three steps instead of the current two. The fee might deter some of the Tiktok travel hack crowd but the middle ground still gives the higher FF members a way to select a seat as a free benefit from the program at a certain point.

 

[michaele]

Here’s a question to consider - What even is the benefit you receive as a Platinum when on a plane, doing the actual flying - you know, the whole point?

Personally, I’ve flown 21 sectors in the past 3 months - a third QF, a third OW, and a third *A. I’ve just started a fresh membership year, my 11th year in a row as WP - might be time to pull the plug while I’ve got 0SC and no real pull to ensure I retain.

 

[Seat0B]

So the bigger issue for me is that it is not just Row 4 and exit Rows that they are wanting to charge for. Have a look at this for my upcoming Y trip CBR-MEL on 21 June. Four of us all on the same booking - I'm a WP, Mr Seat 0A is LTG and the kids are no status. We want to sit together and given the other seats that were booked, the best I could get was Row 15 and 16. I know we could risk it in the 3 seats as far "forward" as Row 10 and 11, and hope no one takes the middle seat on us, but to be sure I've settled on Row 15 and 16 in the 2 seat section.

This is quite the downgrade in terms of ability to select a good seat for free as a WP. It's certainly a moment I will be exerting my rights to priority boarding to be sure of hand luggage space in the overhead lockers. QF is fast losing my loyalty.

 

[serfty]

Wasn’t it a benefit for everyone who didn’t have access at time of booking?

No - as per @madrooster's post, PCV came into it and still will.

The mix of status pax and their PCV scores on the flight will continue to determine what rows are visible, eg. on a elite-lite flight, row 4 will likely be visible to most if not all pax, whereas on a elite-heavy flight, row 4 may only be visible to P1 or a high PCV platinum.

 

[michaele]

Are QF considering the 2 of the 2-3 config an extra legroom seat? Without any extra legroom? They have no shame

 

[Princess Fiona]

No - as per @madrooster's post, PCV came into it and still will.

So no change to that then as per @madrooster and therefore not a loss of a Plat benefit

 

[serfty]

Are QF considering the 2 of the 2-3 config an extra legroom seat? Without any extra legroom? They have no shame

Apparently, there is an extra 5cm or so of legroom in those seats.

 

[michaele]

Apparently, there is an extra 5cm or so of legroom in those seats.

But not on the RHS (I assume DEF) seats? So they aren’t aligned in even rows?

I haven’t set foot on a 220 yet

 

[oz_mark]

But not on the RHS (I assume DEF) seats? So they aren’t aligned in even rows?

I haven’t set foot on a 220 yet

Correct, the rows don't align across the cabin.

 

[I love to travel]

I wonder whether QF have dropped this bad news so that when they release the program enhancement we either a) will think this is no big deal in comparison or b) will be so tired of whinging that we will be too tired to do any more.

@TheInsider please take this as a friendly joke but just needed to give you another conspiracy theory for you to have a laugh at us with your QF colleagues.

 

[im.daniel]

No problems, I’ll just direct more of my Domestic Y flying to VA and save quite a bit of money, with more YX seats to choose from (for free!!)

 

[serfty]

and therefore not a loss of a Plat benefit

Other than, when offerred, needing to pay to select between 24 and 80 hours ...

 

[Spacetravel]

With the T80 rule being published far and wide lately, it no longer was an “industry secret” its no surprise QF pretty much put an end to it. This happens every time frequent flyer bloggers catch wind of something and promote it far and wide, the benefits disappear then the airline clamps down.

 

[Captain Halliday]

Other than, when offerred, needing to pay to select between 24 and 80 hours ...

There will also be less availability for WP.

Every row four seat selected and paid for by SG and below between T-80 and T-24 reduces availability for WP to select for free at T-24.

 

[DC3]

That new CEO is making such a differenceView attachment 377107

And we were expecting anything less?

 

[RooFlyer]

With the T80 rule being published far and wide lately, it no longer was an “industry secret” its no surprise QF pretty much put an end to it. This happens every time frequent flyer bloggers catch wind of something and promote it far and wide, the benefits disappear then the airline clamps down.

But why 'clamp down on it'? People were selecting seats as they were allowed to. This isn't about 'clamping down', its revenue raising and another diminution of Plat benefits.