QF OLCI Questions

[docjames]

The email repsonse you got is pretty poor. I also rang them about OLCI not working and they were pretty disinterested, besides checking there was nothing on the booking that was blocking OLCI.

Which is identical to the response i got - i was feeling good thinking - i've helped them find a problem so they can fix it. Well, i found the problem, but i dont doubt it will keep happening as care factor < 0.

 

[Anna]

I have a flight ADL - SYD tomorrow (now less than 24 hours away). I have been trying to check in online through all the various methods that people have suggested here, but none of them work. I rang Qantas to report that it was not working. Staggeringly, the woman taking the call informed me that "all flights need to be unblocked manually to allow online checkin" and that they would probably "get around to unblocking it" in the next hour or two.

She suggested I should try again in a couple of hours. She seemed a bit surprised when I told her I wouldn't be wasting my time trying again and that if Qantas is serious about getting people to check in online it needs to smarten up its act.

I really can't believe that they have to unblock flights manually.

 

[straitman]

I really can't believe that they have to unblock flights manually.

It is hard to believe BUT as QF seem to have ongoing IT issues maybe it's genuine :!:

 

[Anna]

Today I (optimistically) tried online checkin for a flight out of SYD tomorrow. Needless to say it didn't work.

I (optimistically) rang Qantas to report it. I eventually got put through to someone who seemed to know what she was talking about and did seem to care that there was a problem.

She told me that there is a known daylight saving problem which is not allowing OLCI until T-23 instead of 24.

There is also another problem which is that you can't do OLCI for a second, non-connecting, flight if you have not yet flown the first flight.

She was very apologetic and said it was not really good enough in this day and age. I could only agree with her.

 

[tuapekastar]

She told me that there is a known daylight saving problem which is not allowing OLCI until T-23 instead of 24.

I can vouch for this problem, having attempted OLCI this morning at a tick under T-24 and receiving a message telling me OLCI was not open yet for my flight. Tried again 10 (and 20) minutes later, same thing, then figured maybe daylight savings had something to so with it. So tried again at about T-22:45 and it was fine (though Seq number 23! - OLCI is sure proving popular - for those for whom it actually works)!

 

[docjames]

Yes, except I tried at T-24, then T-23, then T-16 and it still wouldnt work. At T-6 I called QF and I managed to get it to work with their "guidance".

 

[straitman]

Yes, except I tried at T-24, then T-23, then T-16 and it still wouldnt work. At T-6 I called QF and I managed to get it to work with their "guidance".

docjames,

Is there something in the process that can be shared to help others :?:

 

[docjames]

Sure.

I tried at 805pm local (for 805pm flight). No go.

Tried again 905 local - no go. Again 1005 and again 1105. Gave up and went to bed.

I had tried at this stage both in "My Bookings" in QFF and "Check in" and "Manage my bookings" links on homepage.

Checked 7am. Same again (cant recall now - may have ony looking in QFF "My bookings". I kept clicking through and the greyed out OLCI kept being greyed out (ie. couldnt click).

Eventaully c. midday i got a spare moment at work and explained to call centre operator. He said "it's all enabled at my end" so i logged out and reloaded qantas.com Note i usually use qantas.com.au as the address so this may have been a factor (but it should revert to same thing anyway i would have thought).

The operator commented that often as the flights are fully loaded they do occasionally have isses.

I then went in via homepage "check-in" and it all worked. I have no idea why it sudenly worked.

Either
- Fluke
- Call operator fixed something
- using qantas.com vs qantas.com.au (bug/problem)


So i guess the moral is try every conceivable way. Operator wasnt very interested. I did xcomment tthat it's pretty hopeless that almost every page says OLCI but I wasnt able to. He didnt really care. Hopefully it's been logged and they can look at it. Also note this was pre-daylight savings commencing, so maybe that was a factor??

Qas there anything else specific you wanted?

 

[straitman]

Qas there anything else specific you wanted?

docjames,

No thanks. Just trying to see if there was any logic pattern discernible.

When I was having trouble with OLCI in AKL, for a NZ flight, a few weeks ago I got in via qantas.co.nz though I'm not sure if that was any more than a coincidence.

 

[docjames]

Yeah it seemed fairly random. There's some gremlin in there (? same one in the A330 - okay, not funny).

 

[JohnK]

Interesting that OLCI is enabled in my booking for this evenngs flight to BNE.

This is the first time in many flights that I am able to use OLCI. Nothing special though as I have been pre-allocated 6C and almost every seat behind this row is available.

 

[serfty]

Travelling tomorrow on two flights, both 73H.

Tried to OLCI at T-24 and the OLCI Button (

) is active but get message:

! Your flight is not open for check-in. Internet check-in is available from 24 hours until 1 hour before departure. [BR006]

I tried again every 5 minutes or so and at T-23 I was able to OLCI (I guess the OCLI engine does not adjust its clock for Daylight Saving).

OLCI brought up the following results for me:

• J2 D0 I0 B3 H3 K0 M0 L0 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0 X0 E0
  • OLCI shows pre allocated seat: 4D (Front row aisle seat)
  • Kept this seat (as you would)
  • Unavailable seating was the 12 exit seats, and 4A/C/F, 5F & 29B/C/D.
  • Seg #3

• J4 D4 I0 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V9 S9 N9 Q9 O0 X9 E0
  • OLCI shows pre allocated seat: 5D
  • Kept this seat (none 'better'), also as lightly loaded, unlikely to have 5E occupied.
  • Unavailable seating was the 12 exit seats, and 4B/C/D/F, 5A/B/C, 7E/F, 21B/C & 28D.
  • Seq #2

 

[Hawkeye]

I tried again every 5 minutes or so and at T-23 I was able to OLCI (I guess the OCLI engine does not adjust its clock for Daylight Saving).

I've just had the very same issue doing OLCI for SYD-PER: button available from T-24, but error returned until T-23.

I am in BNE & therefore 1 hr behind SYD time. Flight departs at 12MD tomorrow. I was attempting to OLCI from 12MD AEDT (T-24 from departure), which was 11am AEST. I thought that was confusing it.

 

[JohnK]

I am still getting strange pre-allocated seats. Looking at my BNE-SYD flight this evening I was pre-allocated 6D.

Cabin class: J4 D1 I0 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M0 L0 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0

There are many available seats including 4BC, 5BC, 6ABC, 8BC, 8DE, 9ABC plus others further back. I have chosen 4C and when I look at the seat map again a few minutes later 4A is now vacant with 4B blocked. What is going on?

 

[serfty]

I am still getting strange pre-allocated seats. ...

I am willing to guess that if you had tried to OLCI at T-24 (or T-23) last night 4C would have been occupied.

To further this conjecture, now you have moved to 4C, your WP has cast a shadow and blocked 4B for your convenience.

Perhaps 5E is now available as well as 5D.

 

[JohnK]

I am willing to guess that if you had tried to OLCI at T-24 (or T-23) last night 4C would have been occupied.

Possibly but could 5C and 6C also be occupied at that time?

To further this conjecture, now you have moved to 4C, your WP has cast a shadow and blocked 4B for your convenience.

When I checked OLCI earlier today 4A was allocated and 4BC were available whilst I was allocated 6D. A few minutes later while composing my earlier post after allocating in 4C I noticed that 4A was now available and 4B was blocked. Could someone have moved from 4A at the same time I allocated 4C? Balancing issues? Computer having a bad bit day? Many questions but very few answers.

Perhaps 5E is now available as well as 5D.

I was in 6D but to be honest do not remember if 6E was blocked. They were both available once I moved to 4C.

From experience the first couple of rows of economy the middle economy seat gets taken more often than not. I think the new strategy may be to try for rows 6-9 and hope that the blocking of seats for Platinum holds. It was like this last Sunday with 6B blocked whilst most middle seats around me were occupied.

I am really confused. Overall I would say that when the new check in system was first installed I was getting great results but it would appear that in the last month I have been moved further back in the cabin....