Qantas Online Check-in: Why oh Why do I bother?

[96julians]

so here's the story, well its turning out to be more of a rant but here goes...
So I'm booked on QF0518, departing Perth at 12:15 am on wednesday going to sydney. 24 hours before the flight I log onto Manage bookings, and try the online check in: "Sorry you can only check in between 24 and 1 hours before your flight" (or something to that effect), so i think ok, maybe my computer's clock is a bit slow i'll try again later. Fastforward and now its 1:00 in the morning and i've been trying to check in about once every five minutes i'm getting sick of this s%$t :evil:, so I decide to ring up customer service, the first person I talked too was very nice about it, until she put me on hold and immidiately hung up, so i'll give her the benefit of the doubt, maybe she pressed the wrong button or (maybe it was telstra lol ) , I ring up again and get this guy giving me an attitude like "why the hell are you up at this time of night wasting my time" then he has a bit of a fiddle around on his computer while im on hold for 10 minutes and then gives me some stupid excuse "The person at the terminal doing the online check-in must have forgotten to turn it on, try again in a few hours" yeah right buddy, what do you think im that stupid (if he is correct i apologise, and will i shut up but I highly doubt it), so i try it one last time and this is what i get:

"You will need to check in at the airport as internet check-in is only available for domestic e-ticket bookings. If your booking has not been ticketed or is not an e-ticket, you will need to check in at the airport. Check the help pages for more information on internet check-in eligibility. [BR008]"

now i am getting annoyed how am I meant to try again later like the guy said if it wont let me, and if you think im getting angry for no reason, you should see how full these flights get! last flight i was on was chokkers!!

sorry if ive wasted your time, bored you half to death, or i come across as a little bit crazy, but i just wanted to make the most of my flight.

thanks for reading
96julians

P.S. sorry 'bout the spelling, it is late after all

EDIT:
looks like it all worked out okay, phoned up after writing this, and got treated very well, over the phone and she fixed it up for me, dont know why the other ones couldn't, anyways its off to bed 4 me lol *yawn* anyway happy flying people!

 

[Yada Yada]

I've only used QF's online check-in a few times and while it has worked for me, I cannot say that it works as well as Virgin Blue's.

With Virgin Blue I can select any seat. The lowest fare will prevent me from allocating a seat in the front 10 rows, and exit rows cannot be allocated online. Aside from that, it's very straightforward.

With QF, my seq no. was quite low yet heaps of the plane was blocked off and the seat I had automatically been allocated by the system was definitely not the best one available. The way that QF allocates seats remains a mystery to me.

 

[Tooner]

I agree OLCI is a bit of a mystery - the first few times it was allocating me seats up the back when there were vacant seats in 26 etc. A quick move, print the pass and I'm Seq No 1!

Checking in at the kiosk I usually got the first few rows so it is a mystery.

I've not had the problems described with OLCI (perhaps yet!), and I sympathise with people flying from Perth (esp on a 737 )

 

[Gazza]

One thing I have noticed with online check in is that I never get an empty seat next to me now.

I used to get an aisle seat in the first 2 or 3 rows and in the past (with a polite request) to the nice check in lady (or man) I would find that the seat next to me was blocked off.

Obviously this depended on loads but I would find that if there were say 6 empty seats on a plane they would be the middle seat on the first 3 rows.

Now, it’s a dog’s breakfast. I do on-line check in and still get my forward aisle seat but the seat next to me is always taken (even when the flight is 2/3 full). If I ask at the QP I get told that all the aisle seats with an empty next to them have already been allocated (via on-line check-inn) so I am stuffed.

I understand that people without status would prefer to be further forward but what’s the benefit of being a Plat?

Not an enhancement!

Gazza

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

It is a good thing no OLCI yet for QF domestic in NZ. Most of the time any empty seats will be at the front middle seats.

NZ which has fuller loads domestically usually is too full of elites to have empty middle seats in the forward rows (which are reserved for *G and *S). Sometimes I will select at check in an aisle seat further back (around row 10) if I think the a/c is empty enough so as to have a better chance of an empty seat beside me.

 

[Flashback]

A quick move, print the pass and I'm Seq No 1!

This has been another one of my questions that has always bothered me... what exactly does the sequence number mean?!

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Nothing. It is just the order you checked in for a flight.

 

[Tooner]

Nothing. It is just the order you checked in for a flight.

.. and that's the problem. If I am the first to check in, why do they allocate me (as they did recently) 47A, when my preference is forward window, and 28A was available (or at least until I took it myself)?

 

[JohnK]

If I am the first to check in, why do they allocate me (as they did recently) 47A, when my preference is forward window, and 28A was available (or at least until I took it myself)?

Seat allocation for a flight may occur from 24-48 hours before a flight. So in this case 28A may have been allocated but the passenger moved to another flight or cancelled.

 

[JohnK]

One thing I have noticed with online check in is that I never get an empty seat next to me now.

I used to get an aisle seat in the first 2 or 3 rows and in the past (with a polite request) to the nice check in lady (or man) I would find that the seat next to me was blocked off.

Obviously this depended on loads but I would find that if there were say 6 empty seats on a plane they would be the middle seat on the first 3 rows.

I have only done OLCI on the one occassion for a SYD-HBA flight last month and I was allocated 4C. All seats in the first 13 rows were shown as occupied with plenty of seats down the back available.

Flight was almost full with about 8 empty seats. Only 3 Emeralds, 2 Sapphires and 10 Rubys on the flight and none of them sitting behind row 13. Empty seat next to me with Emerald in window seat and Emerald sitting in 4D with 2 empty seats next to him. Not sure where the other Emerald was sitting, possibly travelling with another person(s).

Is it pure coincidence that 3 seats in the 4th row were vacant?

 

[96julians]

thanks for your replies,
how do I find out my sequence number?

regards
96julians

 

[Wunala Dreaming]

Standard Boarding Pass



Towards the bottom, near where it says "ETKT" and "Business" (above Qantas.com) you will find the number "143" - this is where the sequence number is located. As you can see, it is also located on the boarding pass stub, next to "Business"

Online Check-in Boarding Pass

Above is an example of one of my recent online check-in boarding passes.

The 2 arrows point to the places where you will find your Sequence #

Hope that helps!

 

[serfty]

I've only used QF's online check-in a few times and while it has worked for me, I cannot say that it works as well as Virgin Blue's.

With Virgin Blue I can select any seat. The lowest fare will prevent me from allocating a seat in the front 10 rows, and exit rows cannot be allocated online. Aside from that, it's very straightforward.

With QF, my seq no. was quite low yet heaps of the plane was blocked off and the seat I had automatically been allocated by the system was definitely not the best one available. The way that QF allocates seats remains a mystery to me.

Virgin's OLCI works differently to Qantas in that they don't pre-allocate seats for elites. There is some segregation due to Fare paid but that's it. Other than that, it's a free for all with first in best dressed.

Qantas pre-allocate seats domestically in line with PAX status and their seating preferences before allowing on-line check in, so passengers have less seats to choose from.

One BIG advantage Qantas OCLI has over Virgin Blue's is that with Qantas you can go back and look for a better/preferred seat should one become available. Once OLCI'd with DJ, that's it until you reach the airport.

 

[Tooner]

I can shut-up about where OLCI allocates my seat. Went in at t - 22.5 hours last night for my flight today and was allocated 4F on a 737, Seq # 2.

Now all I hope is its a 737-800

 

[serfty]

... Now all I hope is its a 737-800

Go back in and look where the exit rows are.

73H's have them in rows 13 & 14; 734's are rows 11 & 12.

 

[Tooner]

Go back in and look where the exit rows are.

73H's have them in rows 13 & 14; 734's are rows 11 & 12.

Exit Rows show as 13 & 14, so that's alright! Although with the murk outside here in Melbourne......

 

[96julians]

This is quite curious, after looking at my sequence number on the online check-in (thanx wanala dreaming :mrgreen, i found out that i was # 7 yet when looking at the seat map, the plane was virtually full with about 15 seat free (on a 743), scattered randomly through out the plane (mostly middle seats up the front and a few aisle and window seats down the back), very odd indeed.
Any one have any similar experiences?

also, if you dont like that a4 paper print out just go to the customer service desk, (tried in syd and per) and they will give you a proper boarding pass! Seems like they have been having a bit of trouble with the a4 ones- i asked about the reason for a change in plane, and the lady just printed one out for me!
Lucky she did too, because the A330-200 was changed to a 767, some peoples seat rows didn't exist as they had probably checked in before the change , there were alot of beeps that check-in!!!

 

[oz_mark]

This is quite curious, after looking at my sequence number on the online check-in (thanx wanala dreaming :mrgreen, i found out that i was # 7 yet when looking at the seat map, the plane was virtually full with about 15 seat free (on a 743), scattered randomly through out the plane (mostly middle seats up the front and a few aisle and window seats down the back), very odd indeed.
Any one have any similar experiences?

Yes, but presumably the seat allocation is done and the seats being offered have no-one in them, are not blocked and so on.

 

[96julians]

Yes, but presumably the seat allocation is done and the seats being offered have no-one in them, are not blocked and so on.

So they allocate seats before check-in?, whats the point of having online check-in if its a full flight?

:?:

 

[serfty]

So they allocate seats before check-in?, whats the point of having online check-in if its a full flight?

:?:

For full flights you can only hope your status is enough to get you a reasonable seat.

In reality it's no different to what's offered by the Quick-Check Consoles.

Do a search in this forum; there's quite a few threads about it, but seats are preallocated according to one's status (in line with lodged seating preferences). This used to be done in the early hours on the day of the flight but is now probably being performed at some time over 24 hours before the scheduled departure.

Ignoring any load balancing issue; the seats you see are what have not yet been allocated/blocked.