Unable to confirm seat selection

[Lu-Lu]

I am flying Qantas next week from Syd to Per with my 2 children - we are all Silver Members (big deal I know). Anyway, as we are all extremely nervous flyers I like to get seating as far forward as possible to minimise turbulence (I know - it's all in my mind). Anyway we are on an A330 and had seats in row 40. I check everyday to see if they open any more seats up so I can move further forward but notice today they have wiped that whole section out and is only showing some seats further back and nothing available further forward. I tried requesting what they had but they are simply not saving my preference any more.

I am tempted to put in for an upgrade but the J class configuration is 2-2-2 and that would mean the 3 of us not next to each other. Even though my kids are 13 and 9 - the nervous flyer factor makes this difficult.

Does anyone have any ideas as to why Qantas does this ?
Many thanks

 

[simongr]

Couple of observations. QF open up seat selection more at 80 hours before the flight - again though dependent on status. Personally I would just call QF to check the allocation.

IN terms of the 2-2-2 seating - you could opt for two together and one across the aisle - not far at all.

Are the kids nervous flyers? Or just the parent?

 

[ozmille]

I am flying Qantas next week from Syd to Per with my 2 children - we are all Silver Members (big deal I know). Anyway, as we are all extremely nervous flyers I like to get seating as far forward as possible to minimise turbulence (I know - it's all in my mind). Anyway we are on an A330 and had seats in row 40. I check everyday to see if they open any more seats up so I can move further forward but notice today they have wiped that whole section out and is only showing some seats further back and nothing available further forward. I tried requesting what they had but they are simply not saving my preference any more.

I am tempted to put in for an upgrade but the J class configuration is 2-2-2 and that would mean the 3 of us not next to each other. Even though my kids are 13 and 9 - the nervous flyer factor makes this difficult.

Does anyone have any ideas as to why Qantas does this ?
Many thanks

At 80 hours before departure more forward seats will come available. If you want the least possible movement overwing seats are the place to be.

*edit* Simongr beat me to it

 

[richie9x]

I am flying Qantas next week from Syd to Per with my 2 children - we are all Silver Members (big deal I know). Anyway, as we are all extremely nervous flyers I like to get seating as far forward as possible to minimise turbulence (I know - it's all in my mind).

To minimise turbulence you would be better of near the centre of plane near the centre of gravity of the plane.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

I am flying Qantas next week from Syd to Per with my 2 children - we are all Silver Members (big deal I know). Anyway, as we are all extremely nervous flyers I like to get seating as far forward as possible to minimise turbulence (I know - it's all in my mind). Anyway we are on an A330 and had seats in row 40. I check everyday to see if they open any more seats up so I can move further forward but notice today they have wiped that whole section out and is only showing some seats further back and nothing available further forward. I tried requesting what they had but they are simply not saving my preference any more.

I am tempted to put in for an upgrade but the J class configuration is 2-2-2 and that would mean the 3 of us not next to each other. Even though my kids are 13 and 9 - the nervous flyer factor makes this difficult.

Does anyone have any ideas as to why Qantas does this ?
Many thanks

Not sure if you did your booking over the QF website however if you did when you chose the passenger type code ie Adult or Child did you select 'child' for the 9-year old or did you booked all three of you as adults?

If there is a child or infant edit in the pnr you will receive a higher PCV (pax commercial value) which will give you a better selection of seats.

However seeing as though you're all PS which is not too shabby despite what you think, you should still be able to get a good selection of seats at T-80. If you still can't select seats then, call up reservations & ask them to do it for you.

 

[Lu-Lu]

Not sure if you did your booking over the QF website however if you did when you chose the passenger type code ie Adult or Child did you select 'child' for the 9-year old or did you booked all three of you as adults?

If there is a child or infant edit in the pnr you will receive a higher PCV (pax commercial value) which will give you a better selection of seats.

However seeing as though you're all PS which is not too shabby despite what you think, you should still be able to get a good selection of seats at T-80. If you still can't select seats then, call up reservations & ask them to do it for you.

Thank you all for your input. To answer some questions it is Me and my oldest son who are terrified of flying. Thankfully for me it is nothing that 5mg of valium won't fix but obviously my son has to make do with sweating and curled up in the foetal position at take off and turbulence. He loves landing no matter how bumpy!

I did book my youngest as a child as he is a FF and figure they would have his info on file. I will try calling reservation to see what they can do.

Thank you for all your help

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Thank you all for your input. To answer some questions it is Me and my oldest son who are terrified of flying. Thankfully for me it is nothing that 5mg of valium won't fix but obviously my son has to make do with sweating and curled up in the foetal position at take off and turbulence. He loves landing no matter how bumpy!

I did book my youngest as a child as he is a FF and figure they would have his info on file. I will try calling reservation to see what they can do.

Thank you for all your help

I don't think by putting your 9y-o ff number in the booking will automatically make him a 'child' in the booking as you would need to select 'child' from the drop down menu.

I think what may have happened is you selected 3 seats and the passenger type code defaults to 'adult'. It can be fixed up at the airport then after that they may be able to see a better selection of seats for you.

Did your Doctor suggest another suitable alterntive to valium for your 13 year old?

 

[Justinf]

Couple of observations. QF open up seat selection more at 80 hours before the flight - again though dependent on status. Personally I would just call QF to check the allocation.

IN terms of the 2-2-2 seating - you could opt for two together and one across the aisle - not far at all.

Are the kids nervous flyers? Or just the parent?

If the kids are nervous flyers, it is usually due to the parent.
Sorry, sounds harsh, but it's true. They gather your energy, whether it be good or bad energy.
Not say the OP is at fault, but your kids will feed off your energy and it will replicate in their own actions.
Sometimes it cna't be helped. If the parent is absolutely terrified, then it is obviously going to be difficult to mask.

 

[Lu-Lu]

I don't think by putting your 9y-o ff number in the booking will automatically make him a 'child' in the booking as you would need to select 'child' from the drop down menu.

I think what may have happened is you selected 3 seats and the passenger type code defaults to 'adult'. It can be fixed up at the airport then after that they may be able to see a better selection of seats for you.

Did your Doctor suggest another suitable alterntive to valium for your 13 year old?

I definately booked my 9 yr old as a child - the booking comes in as "mstr". I will give Qantas a call to see what they can do.

Doctor did not suggest an alternative for my 13 year old. Obviously I had to say why I need the valium and mentioned my son also gets anxious - she really didn't say anything. I give him a children's dramamine (sp?) which I'm not sure if it helps - but doesn't seem to hurt!
Thanks

 

[Lu-Lu]

If the kids are nervous flyers, it is usually due to the parent.
Sorry, sounds harsh, but it's true. They gather your energy, whether it be good or bad energy.
Not say the OP is at fault, but your kids will feed off your energy and it will replicate in their own actions.
Sometimes it cna't be helped. If the parent is absolutely terrified, then it is obviously going to be difficult to mask.

Harsh - but true and guilty as charged! I am really aware of this and even though I try to act happy, positive etc I know I have brought it on him. My goal is not to transfer it to my younger son. Oh the guilt. Without going into it too much - I use to love flying until 9/11 and then I was on a 747 that had an engine explode at take-off. My mind works overtime.

Thanks

 

[ozbeachbabe]

I definately booked my 9 yr old as a child - the booking comes in as "mstr". I will give Qantas a call to see what they can do.

Doctor did not suggest an alternative for my 13 year old. Obviously I had to say why I need the valium and mentioned my son also gets anxious - she really didn't say anything. I give him a children's dramamine (sp?) which I'm not sure if it helps - but doesn't seem to hurt!
Thanks

Having the title "mstr" does not automatically mean that the pax type code will be a child so the booking in this case will not have a higher PCV. There are plenty of adults that are "Miss" so you wouldn't want the system to automatically append a child edit to every booking that had a Miss as you couldn't assume whether the Miss was 30 or 5 years old.

I still think as far as the airline is concerned your booking is a booking for 3 adults irrespective of the titles.

If you call up reservations there's a chance that they may not understand the significance of having the child passenger type code in the booking as they wouldn't see the checkin side of things.