Qantas to charge passengers extra for exit row seats

[dede]

How much advantage is there in getting an exit row? I keep reading reports of them being cold because they're near a window, passengers congregating while waiting to go to the loo, people standing in front of the seats and chatting.
Is this all really worth it?

 

[Dave Noble]

How much advantage is there in getting an exit row? I keep reading reports of them being cold because they're near a window, passengers congregating while waiting to go to the loo, people standing in front of the seats and chatting.
Is this all really worth it?

Yes. They are a lot more comfortable if tall

Dave

 

[JohnK]

As a WP you have access to a range of published benefits (e.g. FC lounge access, additional baggage allowance, ability to checkin in any line, 100% bonus on miles flown, etc). I don't see how you are "not rewarded". That's plain hyperbole

Beng able to get exit row seat pre-allocated and generally seated as far forward a possible is the main benefit of Platinum status.

Silver status can get you priority check-in, the First class lounge for a couple of hours before the flight is nothing special and hardly ever use the baggage allowance.

From where I am sitting Qantas appears to have taken away my main bebenfit of Platinum status.

Who says you can't select your seat? As a WP you can select your seat online when booking according to a new proposed system (maybe it won't apply to exit row seats). There is no suggestion that a WP can't ring up and request an exit row seat.

They have reserved the first row in WHY for Platinums. Big deal.

How is QF going to handle it if an obeese, disabled, non english speaking, sick or medicated person pay's for an exit row and dosen't meet the requirements when they check in.

Go easy on the obese. Just because someone is defined as obese does not mean they cannot assist in an emergency. I would rather have an obese male passenger in an exit row than a 46kg person.

How much advantage is there in getting an exit row? I keep reading reports of them being cold because they're near a window, passengers congregating while waiting to go to the loo, people standing in front of the seats and chatting.
Is this all really worth it?

It is heavenly bliss when a chronic RECLINER cannot annoy you on a long haul flight....

 

[Dave Noble]

It was never a published benefit; the sky isn't falling in and no one has actually said that Platinum members will no longer be able to get exit seats.

If it does go and some people feel that the status is no longer worth it, then they are quite free to stop worrying about the status and credit elsewhere. I suspect that the number of people who will be bothered by this is minimal. I suspect that most Platinum members are unaware of the exit row benefit anyhoo

Also, I posit that predominantly members get status via virtue of the travel that they do rather than going about doing travel just to get the status so will still get status

Dave

 

[serfty]

The point may be somewhat moot in the short term.

I'm looking at some transpacific flights on Qantas for September and noticed all the 4 class pacific configuration seat maps I've looked at coming up as 14F, 52J, 26W & 215Y.

The first two rows of Y+ are 2x3x2, the first 4 rows of WHY are 2x4x2.

J finishes in with 26, Y+ are rows 30 to 35 and WHY starts in row 36.

Rows 36 to 52 are Q-Blocked (for elite PAX).

http://www.qantas.com.au/infodetail/flying/inTheAir/ourAircraft/744ER-14P66J40W187Y.pdf

 

[JohnK]

It was never a published benefit; the sky isn't falling in and no one has actually said that Platinum members will no longer be able to get exit seats.

As always thanks for your extremely helpful input....

 

[taswegian77]

wow i started reading this thread and cannot believe that some out there would actually leave QF because they cannot potentially pre-request an exit row in the future. I never ask for exit row seats and I am 195cm's. I actually prefer to ask for a blocked seat if available as I find that better than an exit row. Yes an exit row affords the luxury of not having someone in front of you lean back but you also get congregation there, but hey that is the life of economy. If you all do not like it buy J fares. Also those saying they would give up the F lounge, I can now imagine the out cry if that actualkly happened.

I say to Mr. Joyce do what you need to do to ensure the existence of Qantas into the future.

 

[Commuter]

Go easy on the obese. Just because someone is defined as obese does not mean they cannot assist in an emergency. I would rather have an obese male passenger in an exit row than a 46kg person.

A lot of obese people are not very agile and many have reduced mobile though, and on some aircraft types, they will actually block the exit as they cannot get through the exit. I have not come across very many obese people whose mobility and agility has not been affected.

On the other hand, many 46kg persons are fit and quite capable of lifting the exits. Look at it this way - there are many, many cabin crew members who weigh around 46kg and most of them get through the training, which involves opening the doors (including picking up and throwing the door where applicable).

Simply put, most likely you are better off with a fit 46kg person than an obese male sitting next to an emergency exit.

 

[Moody]

wow i started reading this thread and cannot believe that some out there would actually leave QF because they cannot potentially pre-request an exit row in the future. I never ask for exit row seats and I am 195cm's. I actually prefer to ask for a blocked seat if available as I find that better than an exit row. Yes an exit row affords the luxury of not having someone in front of you lean back but you also get congregation there, but hey that is the life of economy. If you all do not like it buy J fares. Also those saying they would give up the F lounge, I can now imagine the out cry if that actualkly happened.

I say to Mr. Joyce do what you need to do to ensure the existence of Qantas into the future.

Did you drop by to pick up a few dummies for the bairns?

 

[Commuter]

wow i started reading this thread and cannot believe that some out there would actually leave QF because they cannot potentially pre-request an exit row in the future.

...

If you all do not like it buy J fares.

Funnily enough, that's basically what I would do - I won't fly economy class. However, I won't be flying QF either. I do not like QF PE seat. I don't really like the QF J cabin layout or seat a lot. F is not available or will be removed from the main routes I fly, so QF F is not an option.

So, basically, if the exit row in Y becomes unlikely to be available to me on QF, I will be flying PE or J on another carrier, probably BA.

I say to Mr. Joyce do what you need to do to ensure the existence of Qantas into the future.

Ugh, that could lead to the whole airline turning low-cost!

 

[JohnK]

I have not come across very many obese people whose mobility and agility has not been affected.

I do quite OK.

Simply put, most likely you are better off with a fit 46kg person than an obese male sitting next to an emergency exit.

I will agree with you on that one as I am likely to have a much more comfortable flight with a fit 46kg person (preferably female) sitting next to me in an exit row.

Ugh, that could lead to the whole airline turning low-cost!

Get rid of Qantas and just go with Jetstar. It would be much easier on everyone....

 

[NM]

So, basically, if the exit row in Y becomes unlikely to be available to me on QF, I will be flying PE or J on another carrier, probably BA.

Do you really prefer BA WT+ over QF PE? I have not travelled in QF PE yet, but have samples BA WT+. I have not seen any others suggesting that BA is better than QF in PE. Or is there some other underlying issue that directs you away from QF (which may be a very valid reason for you)?

 

[Commuter]

Do you really prefer BA WT+ over QF PE? I have not travelled in QF PE yet, but have samples BA WT+. I have not seen any others suggesting that BA is better than QF in PE. Or is there some other underlying issue that directs you away from QF (which may be a very valid reason for you)?

I do indeed prefer the BA WT+ seat to QF PE, believe it or not. I was surprised myself when I tried it, after reading the reviews and people saying that QF seats were far better. I guess it's about what ergonomically suits me. I admit QF PE feels J- and BA WT+ feels, well, WT+ (not CW-), but it still does not take away the fact that I prefer the BA seat. Also on some BA 747s you can get a seat by yourself in WT+ (if you can get it), which is a big advantage.

I have absolutely no issue with Qantas - in fact it is in my interest that they do well, and besides I have a lot of friends working there so I would like it to do well. QF also treat me rather well. However, I do not give QF extra business at the cost of my comfort

If they offered the BA WT+ seat and BA CW seat, I'd go straight back to QF without any further thought.

 

[NM]

I do indeed prefer the BA WT+ seat to QF PE, believe it or not.

Fair enough and thanks for clarifying.

 

[medhead]

A lot of obese people are not very agile and many have reduced mobile though, and on some aircraft types, they will actually block the exit as they cannot get through the exit. I have not come across very many obese people whose mobility and agility has not been affected.

Well, technically I'm 3 kgs off being obese and I'm of about the statue of Barnaby Joice with maybe a sightly bigger gut, I can still ride my pushy 16 kms a day to work and back, I would be able to play touch footy again without too many problems.

I've been in a car washed away in a flash flood and was able to to drag myself and 2 others other of the vehicle, and get 12 foot up into a tree, before drowning.

Being borderline obese has don't much to impact my mobility and agility and I've been in emergency situations and have helped others. Would you like me in the exit row?

Would you still want me there knowing that I've have a condition that effects my mobility.

 

[drron]

Well, technically I'm 3 kgs off being obese and I'm of about the statue of Barnaby Joice with maybe a sightly bigger gut, I can still ride my pushy 16 kms a day to work and back, I would be able to play touch footy again without too many problems.

I've been in a car washed away in a flash flood and was able to to drag myself and 2 others other of the vehicle, and get 12 foot up into a tree, before drowning.

Being borderline obese has don't much to impact my mobility and agility and I've been in emergency situations and have helped others. Would you like me in the exit row?

Would you still want me there knowing that I've have a condition that effects my mobility.

Boy you are doing very well for someone who has drowned-care to share the secret?

 

[cove]

This is a most enjoyable read.
Being treated as special will definitely be a task for QF to work on for platinum travellers as you guys are a special category.
QF is running rough with J and F sales off the boil.Yield management can only do so much in a recession to avoid partially empty planes.
Right now quite a few emails are floating around offering points upgrades on long haul flights even to non upgradeable ticket holders.
I hope each of you can get a good share of these offers using points.

 

[Commuter]

Would you still want me there knowing that I've have a condition that effects my mobility.

From your description you sound more sturdily built than obese - a lot of rugby players would be 'obese' according to BMI but they are hardly 'obese' per se. Determining obesity through BMI is flawed as far as I'm concerned. So I would have no issue with your being seated in the exit row.

However, I have seen very, very obese people with limited mobility (it took them a very long time to sit down) in exit row seats with moveable arm rest (not in Australia). That, I have a big problem with. They was no way they could fit through the exit, so they blocked the exit. There was no way they could get up and open the exit promptly, either. The crew were in breach of their safety regulation, and if it were not for the fact that they hardly spoke English, and I did not speak their language, I would have said something.

Besides, I said 'a lot of obese people' not 'all obese people' - and the only time obesity becomes an issue when exit row is concerned is when they can't get through the exit or when they are mobility/agility-affected, not because their BMI says they are 'theoretically obese'. But we can't really deny that many of the truly obese people (and not the "so sturdily built that their BMI pushes them into the 'obese category' but they're not really obese") do have reduced agility/mobility, especially when it comes to somewhat limited space.

To me, it's imply a practical issue.

 

[medhead]

Boy you are doing very well for someone who has drowned-care to share the secret?

I'm hardly the best person to talk about english and puncutation and that type of thing, but, funny as your input is, I think you missed the bit before the comma:

was able to to drag myself and 2 others out* of the vehicle(, and get 12 foot up into a tree,) before we had the chance to** drown

*edit my spelling mistake, hence me not being the best to correct this type of thing.
** Another couple of edits that maybe aid clarity. Maybe "so we didn't drown"

Actually now you've confused me greatly, I have no idea what I was trying to say

 

[Commuter]

I took you to have meant "to prevent drowning in a sinking vehicle" and not 'before I drowned' (as in I dragged others out and then drowned but hey, I'm a ghost, I'm doing OK)