Qantas to charge passengers extra for exit row seats

[Flashback]

Or even simply just "agent" and little confusion for anyone.

Dave

Indeed, as for me CIA means something completely different

 

[NM]

Indeed, as for me CIA means something completely different

Though perhaps just as secretive and has the ability to change the outcome of your day .

 

[Commuter]

Indeed, as for me CIA means something completely different

LOL, true! To me, it means more Ciampino than the American version of CIA though

One gets a bit lazy at spelling everything. "Check-in agent" isn't too onerous though, I guess. BUT, those CIAs have quite a bit of secretive powers too, it seems.

 

[JohnK]

Received a call from Qantas this morning regarding my feedback on exit rows. I got the impression that Qantas has received a fair bit of negative feedback from premium passengers, the customer service person's words not mine. They are still going ahead with charging for exit rows but could be considering lowering the charge to premium passengers.

I appreciate Qantas taking the time to call me. Unfortunately Qantas feels the need to generate more income so I am taking the same approach. I also need to save some money where possible so I am no longer being loyal to Qantas and I will shop around for the lowest airfare possible and also consider using Amex MR points. Even if I fly another airline I still get lounge access and the only thing I am losing is priority check-in.

I am not boycotting Qantas and I will fly them if their airfares are competitive, and I don't mean 2-for-1 deals, or they restore the privileges they have been taking away. As for Platinum status I think this can be easily achieved flying other Oneworld airlines.

Gets confusing when you have multiple definitions for the same acronyms.

It makes it extremely confusing. I mentioned this in another thread with people using TT referring to Trans-Tasman.

 

[Commuter]

Received a call from Qantas this morning regarding my feedback on exit rows. I got the impression that Qantas has received a fair bit of negative feedback from premium passengers, the customer service person's words not mine. They are still going ahead with charging for exit rows but could be considering lowering the charge to premium passengers.

I really wish they considered giving PRIORITY to WPs, not discounts (or preferably BOTH of course). At least, you got a call from them, so that's one brownie points to QF.

As stated before, I don't care about the fees much. Really, $160 barely even pays for a decent dinner (let alone drinks) and for a 20-hour trip, it works out to be under $10 per hour and I don't mind it - I'd consider it worthwhile.

My gripe is purely about reduced accessibility to those seats for WPs. I think that sucks far more than being charged for the privilege. To me, this is similar to opening up F lounge to anyone who pays on first-come-first-served and WPs would have to join the same queue (the only difference between the two being that one is a written and published benefit, the other was not published but exercised - "confirmed by deed" benefit).

 

[JohnK]

I really wish they considered giving PRIORITY to WPs, not discounts (or preferably BOTH of course). At least, you got a call from them, so that's one brownie points to QF.

I was actually surprised Qantas called as I thought they would simply file the feedback and not respond. But I think this has become a sensitive issue with many premium passengers expressing disappointment and Qantas wants to try and keep them happy.

Interesting that the customer service agent used the same words I heard when I called about this last week. "Qantas wants to give all passengers the opportunity to sit in an exit row." And when she mentioned possibly giving a discount for premium passengers I assume this to mean that we are not likely to see any sort of priority for premium passengers but get in line with everyone else.

Anyway who knows what will happen in the future....

 

[medhead]

I guess it all depends on the degree of the impairment. Slight hearing impairment shouldn't really be an issue. Really, I was talking about those find it difficult to discern words at a normal volume of speech, not 'slightly' hearing impaired.

Unfortunately, the conditions say no hearing impairment, despite what that means in real life. I'd also mention the conductor of a band I was in during school. He had industrial hearing loss that meant he had trouble hearing people in a quite or normal environment, but if there was loud background noise he could hear every word perfectly. anyway....

 

[Commuter]

Interesting that the customer service agent used the same words I heard when I called about this last week. "Qantas wants to give all passengers the opportunity to sit in an exit row."

They did even before they introduced the fees, didn't they? Most of my exit row neighbours had no status. So I have no idea what they are really trying to say there.

It almost sounds like "We want to downgrade WPs to everyone else's level" when they say "Qantas wants to give all passengers the opportunity to sit in an exit row." to be honest.

And when she mentioned possibly giving a discount for premium passengers I assume this to mean that we are not likely to see any sort of priority for premium passengers but get in line with everyone else.

That is disappointing. Well, I shall be pointing out my disappointment by taking my (not even relevant for exit row fees) international business class travel to another carrier if they are not prepared to re-think and give WPs a priority access more than 7 days before departure (for the same fees as everyone else, so no skin off their nose/finance!). I see 'reduced access' as a big erosion of WP benefit and I really do not appreciate it even though I don't even intend to use it in the future.

 

[JohnK]

That is disappointing. Well, I shall be pointing out my disappointment by taking my (not even relevant for exit row fees) international business class travel to another carrier if they are not prepared to re-think and give WPs a priority access more than 7 days before departure (for the same fees as everyone else, so no skin off their nose/finance!).

Have you provided any feedback to Qantas? If you have I would have expected Qantas to call you based on your international spend alone.

 

[Commuter]

Have you provided any feedback to Qantas? If you have I would have expected Qantas to call you based on your international spend alone.

I did, but I only got a semi-automated form reply saying 'it will be passed onto the relevant department'. I found it a bit offensive considering that I took a bit of time to write to them.

However I may have sent it through an inappropriate method (web form), because emails (as opposed to web form) I sent to them about another matter were replied to by email AND phone call.

Maybe I should re-send to their email address.

 

[tuapekastar]

I'm no WP, and regardless of the commercial and practical reasons for this decision, and acknowledging all the arguments for and against, one word keeps popping into my mind; grubby

It just smacks of desperation, no matter how they spin it.

 

[JohnK]

However I may have sent it through an inappropriate method (web form), because emails (as opposed to web form) I sent to them about another matter were replied to by email AND phone call.

I submitted the feedback on the Qantas website 6 days ago and then entered all my details.

I got an email immediately "Your feedback or question has been received and assigned to a Customer Service Representative. We will investigate your enquiry as soon as possible. All feedback is recorded and used in our ongoing review of our products and services." and then 2 days later received another email "I would like to advise that a Customer Care Executive from our Premium Team will be personally contacting you to discuss your feedback.". That was Friday and this morning (Tuesday) I reveived the call.

Excellent service but disappointing result....

 

[Dave Noble]

I'm no WP, and regardless of the commercial and practical reasons for this decision, and acknowledging all the arguments for and against, one word keeps popping into my mind; grubby

It just smacks of desperation, no matter how they spin it.

How is it any different to any airline charging more for better seating. UA, for example, has a whole set of seats with additional legroom for which they charge extra. Would that make Economy Plus "grubby" too?

Dave

 

[Commuter]

I think the trouble is that this 'trend' of charging for exit row seats seem to be associated with low cost airlines. I don't have a problem with it conceptually (even though I hardly ever fly low cost), but it does have the 'cheap' feel to it somehow.

Then again, desperate times, desperate measures, and remember where Alan Joyce came from.

 

[tuapekastar]

How is it any different to any airline charging more for better seating. UA, for example, has a whole set of seats with additional legroom for which they charge extra. Would that make Economy Plus "grubby" too?

Dave

QF, for umpteen years, didn't charge for it; now, in the middle of the 'GFC', they have suddenly decided to do so. That's what is grubby.

 

[Dave Noble]

QF, for umpteen years, didn't charge for it; now, in the middle of the 'GFC', they have suddenly decided to do so. That's what is grubby.

They made a change; change happens. They have followed the lead of carriers such as SQ and decided to try and improve revenue ; trying to make money doesn't seem grubby to me any more than SQ doing it or UA having economy plus.

Being able to pre-select these seats could make QF more popular. I do know people who have booked on an airline that offers them for sale specifically to be able to obtain exit seats rather than gambling on another carrier

The international financial situation has , I would say, not been great news for QF and they do need to make a profit

Dave

 

[tuapekastar]

They made a change; change happens. They have followed the lead of carriers such as SQ and decided to try and improve revenue ; trying to make money doesn't seem grubby to me any more than SQ doing it or UA having economy plus.

Being able to pre-select these seats could make QF more popular. I do know people who have booked on an airline that offers them for sale specifically to be able to obtain exit seats rather than gambling on another carrier

The international financial situation has , I would say, not been great news for QF and they do need to make a profit

Dave

Agreed, change happens, and to quote the Doobie Brothers, "What were once vices are now habits" People become used to situations once they've been in place a while.

QF followed SQ's grubby lead.

It may indeed prove a popular move, and there's nothing to say I won't take advantage, as a non-WP, and pay for an exit row seat...but it's still grubby.

 

[Commuter]

I find it a bit weird that while some other carriers are giving extra benefits to their higher status FFers, QF takes it away in a pretty strange way (when they didn't even need to take it away entirely).

 

[NM]

It almost sounds like "We want to downgrade WPs to everyone else's level" when they say "Qantas wants to give all passengers the opportunity to sit in an exit row." to be honest.

I read it as "Qantas wants to provide al passengers, regardless of Frequent Flyer status, to choose to contribute to our financial success by electing to pay a surcharge for the more desirable seats on the aircraft". No discrimination when it comes to generating revenue.

Qantas is now in negotiations with Boeing to get them to add two more exit rows to the 787 to enable realisation of their financial goals for the next 20 years.

 

[dajop]

Qantas is now in negotiations with Boeing to get them to add two more exit rows to the 787 to enable realisation of their financial goals for the next 20 years.