Qantas Neighbour Free Seat Reservations

[TheInsider]

Why do QF (and apparently all airlines) make "comfort" seats so hard to book? Why aren't they a standard online offering?

It's probably not worth the IT investment for it to be viable for an automated online process - the EXST excludes some taxes too, so it can be cheaper sometimes.
It's like the CBBG fare (cabin baggage) like for cellos and other items.

 

[fairhsa]

But i did have to move from my upfront seat to get this new "better" (worse) seat. I agree. Either you get a seat where you were sitting without a neighbour or don't bother to offer it!

 

[downgraded]

You're not expected to move. They decided to move due to children being behind them, unless there is something else I've missed.

They did have to move from their originally selected seat to get the neighbour free seat.

 

[Mr H]

But i did have to move from my upfront seat to get this new "better" (worse) seat. I agree. Either you get a seat where you were sitting without a neighbour or don't bother to offer it!

I guess that cuts both ways. If you are offered what you perceive to be a worse seat, don't buy it.

You had a choice of two seats. You made the wrong choice. You really have nobody to blame but yourself.

 

[TheInsider]

They did have to move from their originally selected seat to get the neighbour free seat.

Yes, and they got what they paid for in moving seats.

Imagine if a platinum or gold frequent flyer was travelling with their children up the front of the aircraft....

 

[mrsterryn]

Ok so if I am travelling internationally economy I usually book a comfort seat . Once there was such a fiasco , anyhoo I ended up with seats that didn't permit the arm rest to go up
That was a long flight . Yeppers I am the fat passenger

 

[Ade]

SBLK

It's an SSR code that would also be displayed on the passengers BP and also the seat is 'H' blocked off in the system.

Thank you @TheInsider - Appreciate your response.

@TheInsider - slightly OT - do you know if there is a SSR code for "Courtesy Block" ? Is that even a thing?

 

[TheInsider]

@TheInsider - slightly OT - do you know if there is a SSR code for "Courtesy Block" ? Is that even a thing?

Nah there isn't.
It's on the seatmap as either a 'H' or a 'P' seat. But the courtesy blocks are not really a great thing to rely on, it's honestly a lot better to rely on the algorithm giving you the 'shadow' if you are a higher tier. The more manual intervention with seating and overriding things, the more the seating allocation is prone to 'errors' as such.

 

[muppet]

Looks like Qantas trying to sell me a WP shadow it’s already granted.

Given literally every other seat is blocked on a lightly loaded flight - my bet is Qantas sold a neighbour free seat to 4A and was after the double-dip. (Although it’s not blocked via expertflyer)

Pass, I’ll take the shadow and keep my $45 thanks.

 

[TheInsider]

Looks like Qantas trying to sell me a WP shadow it’s already granted.

Given literally every other seat is blocked on a lightly loaded flight - my bet is Qantas sold a neighbour free seat to 4A and was after the double-dip. (Although it’s not blocked via expertflyer)

Pass, I’ll take the shadow and keep my $45 thanks.

View attachment 358274

The system doesn't double dip. It's not possible.

 

[serfty]

Looks like Qantas trying to sell me a WP shadow it’s already granted.

Given literally every other seat is blocked on a lightly loaded flight - my bet is Qantas sold a neighbour free seat to 4A and was after the double-dip. (Although it’s not blocked via expertflyer)

Pass, I’ll take the shadow and keep my $45 thanks.

View attachment 358274

I see something similar for a MEL-AKL flight tomorrow ... For $45 ...

Nup, still X9 ...

 

[Beano]

Ok so if I am travelling internationally economy I usually book a comfort seat . Once there was such a fiasco , anyhoo I ended up with seats that didn't permit the arm rest to go up
That was a long flight . Yeppers I am the fat passenger

I recall travelling SYD-DFW on an A380 being given a whole row to myself. The only problem was that the arm rests wouldn't stay up. I had to tie them back with headphone cords.

 

[serfty]

I see something similar for a MEL-AKL flight tomorrow ... For $45 ...

Nup, still X9 ...

View attachment 373385

There were a few other options after row 25.

Here is the actual WP view of the seat map ...

 

[OzzRod]

Cheeky Qantas? I recently flew Sydney-Auckland return in Y with reserved window seats and prior to both flights was invited to "purchase" a neighbour free seat. On the flight out of Sydney, there were unoccupied middle seats everywhere, including my row; so glad I didn't fork out $45 unnecessarily. Conversely the return flight was absolutely chokkers, no vacant seats at all. Surely Qantas must have known that before inviting purchase?

 

[Mr H]

Cheeky Qantas? I recently flew Sydney-Auckland return in Y with reserved window seats and prior to both flights was invited to "purchase" a neighbour free seat. On the flight out of Sydney, there were unoccupied middle seats everywhere, including my row; so glad I didn't fork out $45 unnecessarily. Conversely the return flight was absolutely chokkers, no vacant seats at all. Surely Qantas must have known that before inviting purchase?

I really don’t see anything wrong with it. If there are enough middle seats there’s no guarantee one will be next to you - unless you pay. It’s just like if people didn’t choose seats then someone would end up in the extra legroom seat by chance - but letting people pay extra guarantees it will be them.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Au eastern state capitals, - NZ, the J is quite cheap, $850, have done it several times, got to QF SG this way.
Plus also of course, at that time EK flew Aus eastern capital cities to AKL.
Even in Y, on the 737, 5.25 hrs (really 3.25 hrs less time diff), isnt so bad, have had that too.

 

[PineappleSkip]

Surely Qantas must have known that before inviting purchase?

Of course!

 

[justinbrett]

I did NFS for the first time today on QF11, and boy did it pay off.

We had just past Fiji after the dinner service and the cabin manager asked if I would do her a favour and move to premium economy, as she needed my two seats for other pax who had broken IFE. She did specifically say I was chosen because I was WP who had a NFS.

Not bad at all.

Oh, and I still got a NFS in PE. Seems that cabin was undersold, the other three were near full.

 

[justinbrett]

Does anyone know if QF have extended NFS to Japan routes yet? They hadn’t when I last went in April.

 

[p--and--t]

Does anyone know if QF have extended NFS to Japan routes yet? They hadn’t when I last went in April.

If anyone is in the know - I’m interested in the extent of the offering overall - particularly if available on Per-Cdg or the Finnair wet leases.