QF Domestic seating allocations for non-QF status

[simongr]

OK - we're back!

I was just seeking other experiences of seating allocations for NON-QF elites on domestic Australian fares.

I have had issues with my FF number (OWE) not going into the booking untilthe last minute and teh TA not making any form of seating request (relying on the FF number that didnt put in).

Going back a little I was told that my preference for forward aisle would not come over from AA to QF for QF flights. Ok so on my last booking (SYD-MEL-SYD on K class bookings where I only paid 5000 points for the upgrade on the way home and stupidly didnt try to upgrade on the way down even though it was int'l config'd) I put my number in a few days before asnd chose aisle prefence on manage my booking on QF.

However I was unable to OLCI at T-24 so I only got 31G - and this is consistent with all my other flights with QF recently - defaulting to around 8-10 rows back from the front. i would have thoughth as OWE I would get further forward.

Any thoughts/techniques to improve this?

 

[simongr]

As an FYI I got this response from QF:

Secondly I found our frequent flyer seating policy which states that we seat Qantas Chairman's Lounge, Platinum and Gold members first and then Oneworld Emerald next. This may be why he is further down the back.

From what I can ascertain even if he did have a preference in his AA profile our seating system would not be able to see it anyway.


So I am considering switching back to QF if I can negotiate some form of status match (which they have suggested based on our company revenue with them and some issues we have had with them).

I think I get the benefit of OWE on int'l flights as someone can physically see my status whereas with domestic it is all system driven. I do wish it was like the BA process

 

[NM]

From what I can ascertain even if he did have a preference in his AA profile our seating system would not be able to see it anyway.

Correct. QF cannot see any AAdvantage profile preferences. But for each flight booking anyone can add a seating preference using the QF web site and the Amadeus booking reference. Your choice is Aisle or Window, and the system seems to assume "forward" based on OneWorld status.

As soon as my booking is made I go in and make the seating request manually. Has always been honoured for my bookings as a AA EXP.

 

[JohnK]

I have the same sort of issue on AA flights. As a Oneworld Emerald I can only selects seats 5-6 rows back from the front of WHY on MD80's and 737's.

However I was unable to OLCI at T-24 so I only got 31G - and this is consistent with all my other flights with QF recently - defaulting to around 8-10 rows back from the front. i would have thoughth as OWE I would get further forward.

As a QF Platinum on cheap airfares I do not get much better seat allocations. Allocated 27D again for yesterdays SYD-BNE flight and I used OLCI the night before to find 23DE vacant so I chose 23D.

 

[serfty]

I have the same sort of issue on AA flights. As a Oneworld Emerald I can only selects seats 5-6 rows back from the front of WHY on MD80's and 737's. ...

Not any more; with my last few bookings I have easily been able to select "preferred"

or exit row

seats in AA coach online.

http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/com...ge/aa-com-preferred-seat-selection-15809.html

 

[simongr]

As a QF Platinum on cheap airfares I do not get much better seat allocations. Allocated 27D again for yesterdays SYD-BNE flight and I used OLCI the night before to find 23DE vacant so I chose 23D.

How many rows back in whY would that be? My allocation was 14 rows back flying SYD-ADL...

 

[JohnK]

How many rows back in whY would that be? My allocation was 14 rows back flying SYD-ADL...

Yesterday was 5th row back in WHY on a very lightly loaded flight. I have been allocated seats as far as 8-9 rows back in WHY on busier flights....

 

[serfty]

Row 27 is the 5th Row of WHY on the VH-OGx 763's.

I believe there about 33 rows of WHY on these aircraft.

Checking in at AKL I was allocated 24J on a similar aircraft for my SYD-MEL flight yesterday.

 

[simongr]

As a QF Platinum on cheap airfares I do not get much better seat allocations. Allocated 27D again for yesterdays SYD-BNE flight and I used OLCI the night before to find 23DE vacant so I chose 23D.

Yesterday was 5th row back in WHY on a very lightly loaded flight. I have been allocated seats as far as 8-9 rows back in WHY on busier flights....

I would say that 4 rows back is a lot better than 14....

 

[nlagalle]

As a QF Platinum on cheap airfares I do not get much better seat allocations. Allocated 27D again for yesterdays SYD-BNE flight and I used OLCI the night before to find 23DE vacant so I chose 23D.

Hi swear you are jinxed JohnK. I flew last week and as a Gold was offered an exit row on a MEL-SYD flight. and then i checked in yesterday for my morning flight to Canberra and wham got the exit row along with the guy i am travelling with (who has no status). And that was a S bucket too..

 

[JohnK]

I would say that 4 rows back is a lot better than 14....

Yes it is and I should be grateful that I am closer to the front of WHY than the back like that time I was pre-allocated 45D. :shock:

Hi swear you are jinxed JohnK.

I have been tryng to convince people of that all of my life but most of them just ignore me.

 

[medhead]

I have been tryng to convince people of that all of my life but most of them just ignore me.

I'm convinced.

I've done a couple of ADL-BNE rtns recently, mostly via Mel but also once through SYD. As NB QC I seem to get about the same seating pre allocated as you do. In 8 flights I was preallocated rows 8 to maybe 20 on 737s including 2 exits rows, and about the third row on a 767 (but that was a special case).

Weird occurence was getting 11F at sequence about 4 and having NO aisle seats available on a 738. I cannot believe that the person in 29 C or D was higher in the pecking order that me, especially, as I moved to 28D after asking of an aisle in the lounge. (yes, that was only aisle available)

Seat on the 763 SYD-BNE was about the third row in the mini cabin bit. BUt the plane was very lightly loaded - no one in the middle 4 seats and 2 people per row (1 pax on each side of the aircraft). However, OLCI, had just about all seats blocked out when I looked! Somehow no one had the option to sit in the middle.

Also on a BNE-MEL I had an entire row to myself - row 8 allocated 8D, but no option to move anywhere else in 8 via OLCI. THe aircraft was also light load with max of 4 people per row, but plenty with 2 or 3. Despite open aisle seats, I had no option to move forward.

A couple of situations where there can't have been a higher statused person blocking seats for a lowly NB. But empty seats were still blocked. And I don't even want to mention the Olympic Dam flights with the first 3 rows being unavailable via OLCI and also total empty on the flight.

 

[JohnK]

Seat on the 763 SYD-BNE was about the third row in the mini cabin bit. BUt the plane was very lightly loaded - no one in the middle 4 seats and 2 people per row on opposite sides of the aircraft. However, OLCI, had just about all seats blocked out when I looked! Somehow no one had the option to sit in the middle.

I think my luck is changing. On Friday I had 24F (first time ever) pre-allocated to me on an international configuration 767 (onlly 23DE in front) and I had a spare seat next to me on what appeared to be a relatively full flight.

Mum also got a $50 dollar prize on a scratch lottely ticket I gave her for Mother's Day. First time ever....

 

[Evan]

I was allocated 4D on a 738 this morning (silly me thought there was 4 rows of J and i also got Op-Up'ed), row 29 on a 744, and on the way back 41H so i am not complaining at all

 

[simongr]

What a difference status makes. FOr my SYD-BNE-SYD flights tomorrow on SEQ2 I have been allocated 5A on both flights. Now that is a window seat but for this flight, I will live with that and try and sort our my Aisle preference for future flights... I wonder if 5BC have been blocked for me

Just rechecked my seating preferences and sadly I had it set to forward/aisle rather than aisle/forward...

 

[JohnK]

What a difference status makes.

I am glad status is helping someone as it certainly is not doing very much for me. From many reports on AFF Golds and Silvers are getting better seat allocations than me. Or perhaps my miserable luck just follows me around everywhere I go. :-|

 

[serfty]

I think my luck is changing. On Friday I had 24F (first time ever) pre-allocated to me on an international configuration 767 (onlly 23DE in front) and I had a spare seat next to me on what appeared to be a relatively full flight.

Mum also got a $50 dollar prize on a scratch lottely ticket I gave her for Mother's Day. First time ever....

I am glad status is helping someone as it certainly is not doing very much for me. From many reports on AFF Golds and Silvers are getting better seat allocations than me. Or perhaps my miserable luck just follows me around everywhere I go. :-|

????

 

[JohnK]

????

Yes and one swallow does not make a summer....

 

[oz_mark]

I am glad status is helping someone as it certainly is not doing very much for me. From many reports on AFF Golds and Silvers are getting better seat allocations than me. Or perhaps my miserable luck just follows me around everywhere I go. :-|

I've scored row 17 tomorrow