Qantas New Check In Seating Allocation

[JohnK]

With the variable configuration Qantas 734, Rows 1-5 are "converta seats", so all have "J" leg room.

Thanks. I did not have to time to recheck so I left the seat allocation at 4F. It is a full flight anyway.

Aside from that 73H/734 are often subbed for each other, so row 4 is the place to be (especially if this is the front row of WHY on the 734).

Not having a lot of luck lately. I try to avoid the 734s and I am almost certain that when I booked these flights it was either a 767 or 738.

 

[Tortuga]

Please Qantas, think of us tall folk :evil:

 

[dot]

Again, I am unimpressed by the new seating allocation system - I have just booked a Y SYD-BKK (QF1) for next Wednesday and the allocation system has given me 70A! I have no idea how that comes anywhere near close to my preference of Window, Forward. I find it difficult to believe that as a WP PG and LTG, there would be too many PAX with higher status in Y that would push me back to the third last row. Sure, I can ring the QFF premium line and request a seat further forward, but the allocation is hardly representative of my preference.

By contrast, on the return flight later next week - flying on BA, I got allocated 30A (second row of Y) - it would appear BA have their seating allocation working correctly.

It will be interesting to see where I get allocated in the MEL-SYD and SYD-MEL legs and see how wrong QF get it again.

I am not a fan of this new system - the old system worked a charm as far as I could see.

Update: I spoke to the QFF Premium desk and they explained that with the old system, a number of seats would be blocked out for WP and CL pax up until -24hrs. The new system however does not do that. So, because I booked the flight only 6 days in advance, I got stuck with whatever was left over - potentially with NB's who booked early getting the prime seats. With almost all of my travel being at short notice - 2 weeks to 2 days typically, it looks like my company's new travel rules of everything in Y is going to be a painful experience for me...

I am not a fan of this new system.

As it turns out, 70A is not too bad a seat - it has extra space around it due to it being a row of 2 seats instead of 3 so I am going to stick with that seat for now (APEC BT card and carry on only should still see me out of the airport quickly)

 

[moa999]

Dot,
As a WP you should request an exit row seat which I believe remain blocked out, although remember the window exit seats are not that great.

On my last flight (one week ago, booked five weeks ago on points on a near full 747ER), I was auto-allocated 35K (consistent with forward window preference) so there must still be some allocation saved for WPs.

Maybe the allocation had been exhausted on your flight???

 

[JohnK]

Another interesting observation for this evenings flight SYD-BNE on a 734. I used OLCI earlier this morning and I could see the following seats allocated 4ABC, 4EF, 5C (me) and 5D. Someone in 4C must have switched flights and there were no other seats allocated in the WHY cabin. I changed my seat allocation to 4C, confirmed the seat change and then clicked on change seat again only to see 5C now allocated but 5D vacant.

The seat allocation system must be constantly fine tuning theoretical seats until the seat is actually allocated.

 

[medhead]

Another interesting observation for this evenings flight SYD-BNE on a 734. I used OLCI earlier this morning and I could see the following seats allocated 4ABC, 4EF, 5C (me) and 5D. Someone in 4C must have switched flights and there were no other seats allocated in the WHY cabin.

Or could have have checking and taken a seat next to their lower status companion towards the back

The seat allocation system must be constantly fine tuning theoretical seats until the seat is actually allocated.

I think this must happen, it could explan 4C opening and and also the thing with 5C/D.

At least it seems that way for a NB who doesn't see all the open seats that you seem to have available.

 

[simongr]

Ok - that's it, I have had enough!

I just again checked my seating preference on AA - it sasys AISLE

Currently booked syd-mel-syd tomorrow with my AA number in the booking and a points upgrade from whY (K fare basis) to J for SYD-MEL (on the A333).

Seating allocations per the system:

SYD-MEL - 1A - I think you will find that is a window seat
MEL-SYD - 32K - again a window seat

I then moved to 2B (ok 1 seat back but still a preferred aisle seat) and 25B - 7 seats forward.

I know QF may be blocking the 32J seat but then again they might not (I do recall that for 7 of 8 flights on my SYD-CBR status runs that I had an empty seat next to me).

I really don't understand

Also a tad sad that I can't upgrade to J on my retrun flight despite it being D9 this morning (I0 though).

Well - let the domestic travel begin anyway!

 

[NM]

I just again checked my seating preference on AA - it sasys AISLE

What makes you expect that a seating preference in you AAdvantage profile will have an effect of QF seating allocations?

The best way to ensure Qantas knows your seating preference is to go to the Qantas reservation through the Qantas web site using the Amadeus booking reference number (without logging-in with a QF FF membership account) and add your seating preference to the booking.

I realise it may make a lot of sense for Qantas to be able to determine your personal seating preference from AAdvantage, but that level of information sharing does not seem to be available and may even breach some countries' privacy rules.

I have had great success is updating the QF reservation prior to on-line check-in commencing and having the preference honoured.

 

[simongr]

I thought it was a benefit of status - preferred seating. I guess the benefit does not refer to the automation of this....

 

[Traveller F]

G`Day,

Another angle to the emergency exit pre seating saga I experienced last year was with a low cost European carrier “Air Berlin”. My wife and myself visiting friends in Germany decided we would take a side trip to the island of Mallorca from their local airport (Dortmund). Air Berlin are one of the few low cost airlines that for a small fee actually allow you to pre book seating.

Both my wife and myself are both over 6” tall and thought we would take advantage of the service and phoned the airline to book and reserve two emergency exit row seats. We were told that for safety reasons no emergency exit seats can be pre-booked and are only allocated at the check-in desk when passengers are physically seen (by the check-in staff), are over 18, deemed fit and able to move quickly in case of a emergency. She suggested that we arrive early for check-in to secure a exit seat (we did and got them!).

I suppose it does make sense!

Kind regards, Traveller F

 

[NM]

I thought it was a benefit of status - preferred seating. I guess the benefit does not refer to the automation of this....

The OneWorld benefit is "Pre-reserved preferential seating*" and the * points to "In accordance with the individual policy of the oneworld member airline operating the flight". Note that the policy for Qantas domestic flights is that pre-reserved seating is not available.

 

[simongr]

Noted again - it was easier to upgrade to J this evening

 

[NM]

Noted again - it was easier to upgrade to J this evening

Always a preferred option

 

[medhead]

Amazing seating results for me (NB QC) for my flights tomorrow ADL-xSYD-CBR return.

Preallocatted 8 or 9 D on QF732 ADL-SYD - Changed to 4F on a 738, sequence No. 17. Normally, I'm an aisle only person. Anyone know if I can store hand luggage under the business seat in this row?

SYD-CBR return on Dash 8 - 9 B and 8 B Seq 2 and 1. First (and second) time on this aircraft.

SYD - ADL QF 743 - 12 D. Its a 734 apparently, so that's an exit row.

Very happy for someone of little status

 

[notzac]

Anyone know if I can store hand luggage under the business seat in this row?

I've never had any trouble doing so. Enjoy your flight.

 

[medhead]

I've never had any trouble doing so. Enjoy your flight.

Thanks. 4F will be a new experience as well.

 

[Tooner]

There's only 1 group of seats better on a 73

 

[Hvr]

Well did CBR-MEL-PER on Monday, sequence # 1 for both flights on a corporate fare. Row 10 aisle on MEL-CBR which was surprisingly empty. A short flight so no probs.

Got row 33 for the MEL-PER and asked for the exit row aisle at the CBR QP. The joys of checking in early and transiting through MEL.

For the return PER-ADL-CBR I got row 10 and row 7, sequence # 4 and 1 respectively. Again early check in, and at the PE check in got an exit row on both flights.

Naturally my bag was last off at CBR, to the extent I thought it had been offloaded at ADL despite it being the same plane the whole way through.

Is there an allowance in the algorithm for the type of fare as well as status.

Finally to refer to yet another thread, I got a Priority tag on my bag from CBR and a Business tag from PER.

Seems they don't like using the Business tag in CBR.

 

[serfty]

Well, every "cloud" has a silver lining!

Of the last 10+ years when connecting from an international flight to a domestic and when getting both BP's, the domestic allocation has generally been ordinary.

Tonight when checking in I received both BP's for Sunday's flights back from HKG. confused My ex HKG BP was for my preallocated exit aisle seat. From BNE to MEL the seat is 4D on a 73H! (one of the two best WHY seats on that aircraft IMHO)

 

[JohnK]

Tonight when checking in I received both BP's for Sunday's flights back from HKG. confused My ex HKG BP was for my preallocated exit aisle seat.

This one I find really hard to understand as I would not have thought the flight would be open to check-in 2 days before the flight.

From BNE to MEL the seat is 4D on a 73H! (one of the two best WHY seats on that aircraft IMHO)

This one I find even harder to understand. You have a seat allocated for a domestic flight that is 2 days away? So all the speculation we read on AFF and FT about seating allocations for domestic flights happening in the 24 hours before the flight is just garbage....