Seat Preferences?

[Pollywaffle]

Hi all.

I've just booked an award flight and was looking at the booking information online.

Under my name (and greyed out) is the information "seat preference: 41C/35C". I checked out seatguru, and I'm not too happy with the seat 41C - it's a red coloured seat there.

I've never seen this information before - is it new? And does anyone know how to get it changed?

I know that this seat is not guaranteed, but on an award trip last year that I took, the seat that was allocated at the time of booking (and yes the info was there) was the one given to me for the flight.

Thanks, PW

 

[JohnK]

Under my name (and greyed out) is the information "seat preference: 41C/35C". I checked out seatguru, and I'm not too happy with the seat 41C - it's a red coloured seat there.

I've never seen this information before - is it new? And does anyone know how to get it changed?

To get your allocated seat changed you would need to call Qantas.

The allocated seat has been displaying with the booking for a while now. I think the feature was implemented by Qantas sometime last year.

 

[Harpoon]

Yeah just call up Qantas. If you're a QFF or QC member, even better.

Make sure you have seatguru or equivelant open when you ring so you can ask for one you'd prefer or check if the new one they give you is a dud.

 

[Pollywaffle]

Thanks for the info everyone.

My mind is wandering, so I might have a few more questions to satisfy my curiosity. Apologies for the ramblings, but I'm interested in your feedback.

My trip comprises SYD-LHR (QF31 via Singapore) then CDG-JFK (AA121)and BOS-SYD (AA145 to LAX then QF108).

I understand that seating arrangements are requests only, and that things may change by the time I do fly.

1. How do I know what plane seating configurations I should look at? I am leaving in November, at which time the PE seats are availble. When I looked at checkmytrip, I didn't see any seating plans showing PE seats.

2. Based on what I saw in checkmytrip, I may have done myself a disservice. On the SYD-LHR leg, I was allocated 41C. Looking at the curent checkmytrip map it's flagged red (as per my original post) BUT this was a plan showing no PE seats. I've just checked the seating plan from my booking on the Qantas site and they are showing PE seats...I just got off the phone with a lovely lady from Qantas who changed it to 47C

3. I went to the AA website and selected my seats but different seats are showing on my Qantas booking (and also on checkmytrip). Will AA give me the seats I selected, or will the Qantas ones override them?

Umm...that's it for now.

Thanks again, PW.

 

[serfty]

3. You generally get the seats as indicated by the operating carrier. In this case, as shown by AA.

2. the seating plan on checkmytrip is indicative of the configuration- if it shows no PE then the scheduled operating aircraft is not expected to have PE installed at the time of your flight.

1. 4 class Kangaroo route 744's (with PE) do not have rows 34-39 in whY.

 

[Danger]

Under my name (and greyed out) is the information "seat preference: 41C/35C".

I've found the same for an overseas booking, 25D. What confuses me is "seat preference". Am I correct in that you cannot advise Qantas of a specific seat preference (eg. 1A)? If so, is "seat preference" not a little misleading?

I've also noticed that the "seat preference: x" changes depending on the flight.

My interpretation is the seat displayed is in fact the seat you've been allocated.

Am I missing something?

 

[AnonymousCoward]

I've found the same for an overseas booking, 25D. What confuses me is "seat preference". Am I correct in that you cannot advise Qantas of a specific seat preference (eg. 1A)? If so, is "seat preference" not a little misleading?

You are free to ring QANTAS and ask to be pre-allocated a seat. I suppose that is expressing your seat preference.

Depending on what is free, and what your status is, you may be able to get what you want.

I've also noticed that the "seat preference: x" changes depending on the flight.

My interpretation is the seat displayed is in fact the seat you've been allocated.

Correct. It is your currently allocated seat, but may change. It may also, co-incidently, reflect your preference (either expressed over the phone, or filled out in your QANTAS FF preferences page - assuming you are Silver or above, or QC member).