Seating Allocation??

[simongr]

Hmm - just called BA re my flights BKK-SYD on 3 Nov. ON expertflyer its showing plenty of seats available but they have run out of seats to allocate. The customer service rep said that nothing was showing as available to allocate and that would only open up at check in. I had my seats allocated under my AAdvantage number where I have no status. I have switched back to my QF SG number so that at check in we should get the better allocation of seats. Its a bit of a shame as there are two perfect seats for (19AB) and plenty of other seats not allocated.

Now I must remember to amend my FF number at check in!

 

[Dave Noble]

Hmm - just called BA re my flights BKK-SYD on 3 Nov. ON expertflyer its showing plenty of seats available but they have run out of seats to allocate. The customer service rep said that nothing was showing as available to allocate and that would only open up at check in. I had my seats allocated under my AAdvantage number where I have no status. I have switched back to my QF SG number so that at check in we should get the better allocation of seats. Its a bit of a shame as there are two perfect seats for (19AB) and plenty of other seats not allocated.

Now I must remember to amend my FF number at check in!

Switching to your SG number won't make a difference there. What you want to do is get onto Online Checkin at 24 hours before departure and nab one of the good seats. If expertflyer is showing you the seat map, then I suggest that the BA staff you spoke to was mistaken on the availability to select seats in WT+

Dave

Dave

 

[simongr]

I reckon so re the staff - I migth call again tomorrow and see if I get someone else

Just checking again if this -> 131211 <- is the platinum number and if I phone it (regarding other bookings) if I will redirected to the prole number?

 

[Dave Noble]

I reckon so re the staff - I migth call again tomorrow and see if I get someone else

Just checking again if this -> 131211 <- is the platinum number and if I phone it (regarding other bookings) if I will redirected to the prole number?

Have you tried using Manage My Booking on ba.com to do the seat selection?

131211 is indeed the platinum number but if u give a regular membershipo number it will direct you to the normal reservations

Dave

 

[simongr]

Have you tried using Manage My Booking on ba.com to do the seat selection?

131211 is indeed the platinum number but if u give a regular membershipo number it will direct you to the normal reservations

Dave

Yeah - I tried using the BA site (noting that it had my AA number) and it said that they had reached their allocation of umm allocated seats... will try again - you never know, someone could win the lottery and upgrade themselves to First

 

[Dave Noble]

Yeah - I tried using the BA site (noting that it had my AA number) and it said that they had reached their allocation of umm allocated seats... will try again - you never know, someone could win the lottery and upgrade themselves to First

You might find that having a sapphire number in it has opened up more seating to you

Dave

 

[simongr]

Darn - when the BA chick added my QF number she didnt delete my AAdvantage number - that might explain why the availabiity didnt change when she checked on line....

Man - that is so great. I just deleted my AA number on the phone to qantas and literally checked the BA site within 5 secs of hanging up and the seats are now allocated to me 19AB. Now that is a benefit of status! Finally its all beginning to fit into place

 

[NM]

Now that is a benefit of status! Finally its all beginning to fit into place

Its nice when a plan comes together .

 

[simongr]

I am guessing I can only use the BA site to change seats on BA flights? Yes I know I can just call Qantas but I am a total geek and much prefer to do something like that for myself rather than relying on someone telling me "oh you need to wait until check in...." when they were wrong. Also its less obvious in the office then about the level of business class travel I have and thus less jealousy creeps in

 

[NM]

I am guessing I can only use the BA site to change seats on BA flights? Yes I know I can just call Qantas but I am a total geek and much prefer to do something like that for myself rather than relying on someone telling me "oh you need to wait until check in...." when they were wrong. Also its less obvious in the office then about the level of business class travel I have and thus less jealousy creeps in

Yes, ba.com can only adjust seating for BA flights. QF does not offer this option on-line at the moment. AA.com does provide this option for AA flights.

 

[simongr]

Its interesting to wonder why QF dont provide these sorts of options. I can understand seat selection almost - well actually not. I can just phone and get what I want - so I dont see why they dont borrow the technology from BA and sack a few more call centre staff

I understand why they dont give other things like checkmytrip/expertflyer - why fund those sort of things when if they provided the functions on the QF site not only would the traffic increase from people switching from other sites - but also more people would identify these functions and then be inclined to use them thus leading to a greater drain.

Seating though - must be a winner for them...

 

[serfty]

I think Qantas currently choose not to have this facility ...

 

[NM]

Its interesting to wonder why QF dont provide these sorts of options. I can understand seat selection almost - well actually not. I can just phone and get what I want - so I dont see why they dont borrow the technology from BA and sack a few more call centre staff

Qantas seems to like to keep as much seating flecibility as possible at the time of check-in. Unlike some US-based airlines that permit all passengers to pre-allocate their seat as soon as they make their reservation, the Qantas systsem (when its working properly ) should mean that an elite FF member will at least get a reasonable seat allocation even if they book the day before the flight and the flight is full. This is certainly not the case in the USA. Airlines like AA do keep a number of the good seats for their elite FFs, but once all of them are gone and if the flight is quite full, its quite likely that even an EXP member will end up with a middle seat allocated.

So Qantas seem to have taken the view that to avoid problems at check-in with seating families/groups together etc, they will not permit just anyone to pre-allocate their seats. They reserve this benefit only for elite FF members once their minimum cabin allocations have been reached.

Now of course it would be possible for then to permit on-line seat selection based on FF status. But for now they have decided its not something needed, so its a matter of making the phone call to have it done.

 

[chevalier]

Hi to all,

First time poster but a long time lurker! The amount of knowledge available on this site is incredible..

Just a quick question in regards to seating allocation. My wife & I are flying from PER to HK with QF, HK to LHR with BA. Return with BA from LHR to HK and CX from HK to PER. All flights in J class (travel in Dec/Jan). Any seating preferences? I understand with BA you could request your preferences. At present, we're allocated 18D & 18E on BA HK to LHR & 13D & 13E on the return BA flight. Is the upper deck preferable?

Thanks in advance for any helpful info!

Chevalier

 

[simongr]

Personally the upper desck feels more special to me. I havent flown much busness class historically so that exclusivity by being your own special cabin is an intangible benefit. However tgtwwm (the guy that works with me) prefers downstairs as his limited experience had him in a seat where there was no-one else around and he ahd easy access to make himself a sandwich on a QF flight.

If i was flying with mrs sim- I would definitely go upstairs as again its a bit more special

 

[garyjohn951]

I tend to agree with your "tgtwwm", that if the plane isn't full in J, the majority are up stairs and less down stairs and easier to get service.

 

[NM]

Just a quick question in regards to seating allocation. My wife & I are flying from PER to HK with QF, HK to LHR with BA. Return with BA from LHR to HK and CX from HK to PER. All flights in J class (travel in Dec/Jan). Any seating preferences? I understand with BA you could request your preferences. At present, we're allocated 18D & 18E on BA HK to LHR & 13D & 13E on the return BA flight. Is the upper deck preferable?

Welcome to AFF.

BA Club World seats a quite different to other airlines. They are arranged in pairs that face each other, with one rearward facing and one forward facing. The window seats face backwards and the aisle seats face forwards. On the lower deck, the arrangement is 2 x 4 x 2, where the middle two of the centre 4 face backwards.

So you need to decide if you want to sit next to each other facing the same direction, in which case you want the lower deck with E and F seats; or if you want to face each other (with a small divider between you), in which case you can chose upper or lower deck and want AB, DE, FG or JK seats.

DE seating is unusal for a couple travelling together. If wanting to sit facing each other, you are more private to get AB or JK seats.

My prefernce is to get a window seat just forward of an exit or bulkhead. These seats have clear access and by taking the AB or JK combination both passengers get easy access. Such seats include 14AB, 14JK, 20AB, 20JK, 62AB, 62JK, 64AB, 64JK.

 

[chevalier]

Thanks for the very useful info about the seating preferances!

Cheers

 

[Yada Yada]

So Qantas seem to have taken the view that to avoid problems at check-in with seating families/groups together etc, they will not permit just anyone to pre-allocate their seats. They reserve this benefit only for elite FF members once their minimum cabin allocations have been reached.

Please excuse this side-bar question but it is something that is not clear to me.

Who do QF regard as their "elite" FF members? Is it only CL and WP? Or does it include SG? What about PS?

And is a QF "elite" regarded as an elite on other OW airlines?

 

[NM]

Please excuse this side-bar question but it is something that is not clear to me.

Who do QF regard as their "elite" FF members? Is it only CL and WP? Or does it include SG? What about PS?

And is a QF "elite" regarded as an elite on other OW airlines?

As far as I know, QF permits pre-allocation of seating for international flights after the pre-allocation limit has been reached only for CL, Platinum and Gold FF members and their OneWorld equivalents. However, they may also extend that benefit to Silver and Qantas Club members but I have no experience with that so will leave for others to clarify.