What is a shadow ? (Qantas )

[Max Samuels]

So if all goes well, i might get all 4 seats to myself! Mini business class!

Fingers crossed....

Well I was completely devo when i checked EF this morning and saw that the entire Y cabin was full... stressed the whole way to the airport over what random I might be forced to touch arms with for 10 hours..... so you can imagine my surprise when I got my boarding pass at check in with seat 1A!

Oversold flight so I got a comp upgrade.... on a cheap Y ticket that was not even upgradeable using points.
Which makes me wonder..... why was the most "coveted" seat on the aircraft (1A) not already selected by a real passenger? Am I to believe that I am the most senior WP on the flight? Does that make me king? Am I right in thinking that technically this aircraft is now mine? And all on board subject to my every desire

I have no idea how the various systems within QF work - but for whatever reason, today, it worked in my favour!

 

[Eugah]

I have found that when i look on the qantas app or website, it will show no vacant seat beside me 6c, however my mate who usually sits in 6A & is also WP shows a vacant seat. Could this mean i have the shadow.

 

[pjm99au]

No. It’s your mates if he can select 6B and it’s showing blocked to you

 

[mflyer100]

Logical that it seems to be mostly for P1/WP. When I was SG I never had one, however, this year I slipped down to Silver but have noticed I've had it more often. Even on a recent flight to NRT the flight was full in Y (minus 3-4 seats I counted) and when I checked EF before the flight I had the seat next to me blocked and managed to stay that way. Maybe I just got a bit lucky

 

[funkyr]

I've been a P1 for 4 years and have never seen a shadow on any of my seat selections

 

[ish]

Can’t comment on the algorithm, but as another data point.... I’m lowly WP but frequently (as in almost always) get a shadow on my regular PER<>BNE flights. When ‘my spare seat’ (lol ) is taken, it is either occupied by another P1,WP or SG ....and only when the plane is extremely full.

In fact, it is remarkable how often 4B and 4F, 5B and 5F, and 6B and 6F are the only empty seats on the flight...

 

[tdimdad]

Is this a double-shadow? How do you get that one???

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Probably more so that those 2 seats have been picked by others already.
Then QF tend to put kids alone travelling Y at rows 29/30 on the 737.
Be prepared to be "shafted" or moved.