When confirmed seat allocations go wrong

[JohnK]

I am on QF6 from SIN-SYD tonight and have had 29C pre-allocated for around a month. When I checked a few nights ago it was still listed as 29C on the Manage my bookings page on QF website.

Checked in for CX flight BKK-SIN this morning and thought I would check my booking on QF wesbite one more time. Guess what? I now have 26J!!!! What!!!! My exit row is gone and they have allocated me a middle seat. So much for great customer care from Qantas.

I called the QF international number in Melbourne and the lady put me on hold and after waiting for more than 5 minutes the credits on my phone expired so no resolution. I had a few more minutes and sent off very harsh feedback to QF about how they should be treating their Platinums and honouring confirmed seat allocations.

Arrive in Singapore an hour ago and explain the situation at the transfer desk and the lady mentions that my new seat is 58C. Someone must have read my feedback. Still exit row but it is well down the back of the aircraft. Manage my booking on QF website is still showing 26J even though I have boarding pass for 58C. Apparently 29C was allocated to someone else in Frankfurt this morning with no explanation and this passenger is a through passenger to SYD.

QF service desk confirms that I had already 29C pre-allocated and does not understand why anyone would change this allocation. This is just not good enough. I have asked for upgrade to business class as compensation for their horrible blunder. She cannot authorise this but mentioned that they will speak to passenger in 29C while they are in transit. Don't know what this will achieve but I shall wait and see.

And yes I know seats are not technically confirmed until check in but this is not the way to treat a loyal QF Platinum. Especially ones who take the time to ensure that they have seats pre-allocated.

By the way CX upgraded me to First Class again this morning for the BKK-SIN flight and the flight was not full at all. Obviously they know how to treat Oneworld Emeralds a little better than QF treats their own Platinums.

 

[straitman]

I am on QF6 from SIN-SYD tonight and have had 29C pre-allocated for around a month. When I checked a few nights ago it was still listed as 29C on the Manage my bookings page on QF website.

Checked in for CX flight BKK-SIN this morning and thought I would check my booking on QF wesbite one more time. Guess what? I now have 26J!!!! What!!!! My exit row is gone and they have allocated me a middle seat. So much for great customer care from Qantas.

I called the QF international number in Melbourne and the lady put me on hold and after waiting for more than 5 minutes the credits on my phone expired so no resolution. I had a few more minutes and sent off very harsh feedback to QF about how they should be treating their Platinums and honouring confirmed seat allocations.

Arrive in Singapore an hour ago and explain the situation at the transfer desk and the lady mentions that my new seat is 58C. Someone must have read my feedback. Still exit row but it is well down the back of the aircraft. Manage my booking on QF website is still showing 26J even though I have boarding pass for 58C. Apparently 29C was allocated to someone else in Frankfurt this morning with no explanation and this passenger is a through passenger to SYD.

QF service desk confirms that I had already 29C pre-allocated and does not understand why anyone would change this allocation. This is just not good enough. I have asked for upgrade to business class as compensation for their horrible blunder. She cannot authorise this but mentioned that they will speak to passenger in 29C while they are in transit. Don't know what this will achieve but I shall wait and see.

And yes I know seats are not techically confirmed until check in but this is not the way to treat a loyal QF Platinum. Especially ones who take the time to ensure that they have seats pre-allocated.

By the way CX upgraded me to First Class again this morning for the BKK-SIN flight and the flight was not full at all. Obviously they know how to treat Oneworld Emeralds a little better than QF treats their own Platinums.

John,

Nothing I can say to be of assistance with the QF seating issue but congratulations for the CX first upgrades. Well done :!:

 

[MelUser]

It sounds horrible. Certainly not a good way for QF to treat their best customers. Nice to see CX looking after oneworld emeralds.

I have found that one way to see when QF are changing your seat allocations is to look at manage my booking via the BA website. This seems to reflect QF initiated changes whereas checkmytrip.com does not update when seat changes are made.

 

[Dave Noble]

As they say, seat assignments are never guaranteed. You are not entitled o any compensation for ending up with an economy seat with an economy ticket

And yes I know seats are not techically confirmed until check in but this is not the way to treat a loyal QF Platinum

so you think that it would be ok to move a silver member then? I don't see why being a Platinum mkes any difference in this case

Dave

 

[straitman]

so you think that it would be ok to move a silver member then? I don't see why being a Platinum mkes any difference in this case

Dave

Yes,

Because a silver would not have had a 29C pre allocation for the last month.

 

[JohnK]

so you think that it would be ok to move a silver member then? I don't see why being a Platinum mkes any difference in this case

Yes if they are sitting in my QF Platinum pre-allocated 29C exit row seat that I have had pre-allocated for over a month. The person that allocated the seat in Frankfurt this morning should be severely reprimanded for a monumental blunder.

Why bother going to the trouble of pre-allocating seats when some checkin flip can just do what they please without regard for consequences? Anyway I am not going to argue with you on rules and regulations and Silver members can look after their own issues. I have an issue of my own right now that I am sweating on getting fixed.

We will also see about any compensation due....

 

[oz_mark]

I have an issue of my own right now that I am sweating on getting fixed.

We will also see about any compensation due....

I guess the issue is a different one to that described here.

 

[Dave Noble]

Yes if they are sitting in my QF Platinum pre-allocated 29C exit row seat that I have had pre-allocated for over a month. The person that allocated the seat in Frankfurt this morning should be severely reprimanded for a monumental blunder.

It's a seat, that's all. "Monumental Blunder" , talk about hyperbole... You have no idea on why the person was allocated that seat and QF never guaranteed that you would get the seat. You have got an exit seat anyway, so what's the big deal. 58 is just as good as 29

We will also see about any compensation due....

if it is for this, should be around $0.00

Dave

 

[AnonymousCoward]

Yes if they are sitting in my QF Platinum pre-allocated 29C exit row seat that I have had pre-allocated for over a month. The person that allocated the seat in Frankfurt this morning should be severely reprimanded for a monumental blunder.

Agree with others here - this is pure hyperbole. You have an exit row seat that is just as comfortable as what you had preallocated. You will spend about 2 minutes of your life extra exiting the plane.

Why bother going to the trouble of pre-allocating seats when some checkin flip can just do what they please without regard for consequences?

You have no idea why 29C was allocated to someone else. Maybe they were someone more important than you? Or maybe had a CL or similar flying in J/F that wanted 29C for others in their party.

Anyway I am not going to argue with you on rules and regulations and Silver members can look after their own issues.

Because you don't have a leg to stand on...

We will also see about any compensation due....

Compensation due? For what? Giving you the economy seat you paid for?!?

I'd be disappointed if QANTAS offered you any more than an apology.

 

[JohnK]

What is that saying? Oh, whinge and win.

Went off to meet serfty and Jenny coming off QF10 and QF6 landed shortly after. The three of us went back to the QF First Class lounge and there was a boarding pass waiting for me for 29C. There was no time for the staff to speak to passenger in 29C so it looks as if someone took my issue seriously.

Am I overreacting? Possibly. Yes I did have 58C eventually but before that it was a middle seat 26J. All economy seats are not the same. Yes I pay for economy but I also have status which should bring things back in my favour. Lets not start the same old debate but I am not sitting behind any recliner for an 8+ hour flight.

I don't want to sound like I am big noting myself but I did have 29C confirmed, well as confirmed as it could be, and I am not too concerned on the reasons why they allocated 29C to someone else. Anyway I hope the person got an upgrade to business class otherwise tough luck.

Yet ANOTHER rant from BabyK.....

Thanks for your kind support Dave.

Rant over....

 

[NM]

I wonder if the person who sat in 29C from FRA to SIN was also presented a new boarding pass at the lounge - with a blue stripe on the top and for a row less than 24? Or is he now seated in 58C?

 

[straitman]

I’m saddened by the almost personal attack that is occurring here because someone (JohnK on this occasion) has expressed a strong opinion about something that has happened to him. These personal attacks are starting to become moderately common here and are way overboard. I’ve been down this road once or twice (on both sides) and have been whipped in tar several times by one or more moderators for doing so. … they were probably right.

The same message can be delivered with a sled hammer, a feather or some where in between. Neither of the first two is appropriate which then leaves the middle ground. Unfortunately the first seems to be becoming the norm around here. It is not appropriate that a moderator leads the tar brush charge in open forum.



Here endith the rant :!:

 

[kpc]

I would like to know what the moderators are doing about posts that are pure "personal attacks"? eg the one 4 posts above this

 

[Dave Noble]

I would like to know what the moderators are doing about posts that are pure "personal attacks"? eg the one 4 posts above this

Well, if people do not make use of the "Report Post" facility, then there is a good chance that the post would not be noticed. Much more useful than just posting a comment about it in a thread since a report is emailed to the moderators rather than relying on the thread being read

Please use the report post for reporting bad posts and then they can be dealt with, if appropriate, in a timely fashion

Dave

 

[oz_mark]

What is that saying? Oh, whinge and win.

Went off to meet serfty and Jenny coming off QF10 and QF6 landed shortly after. The three of us went back to the QF First Class lounge and there was a boarding pass waiting for me for 29C. There was no time for the staff to speak to passenger in 29C so it looks as if someone took my issue seriously.

Seems that someone is paying attention, and dealt with the issue. Not sure how they worked it all out, but I hope that whoever was in 29C was appropriately looked after as well.

 

[NM]

I would like to know what the moderators are doing about posts that are pure "personal attacks"? eg the one 4 posts above this

If you feel a post is inappropriate, then please use the Report Post feature.

 

[oz_mark]

Well, if people do not make use of the "Report Post" facility, then there is a good chance that the post would not be noticed. Much more useful than just posting a comment about it in a thread since a report is emailed to the moderators rather than relying on the thread being read

Please use the report post for reporting bad posts and then they can be dealt with, if appropriate, in a timely fashion

Dave

There is evidence that at least two moderators were reading this thread.

 

[Dave Noble]

There is evidence that at least two moderators were reading this thread.

The key word being "were". Fortunately one person did use the report post facility which alerted us to there being a post which needed investigation

Please use the report post icon for reporting posts which are believed to need dealing with

Dave

 

[turtlemichael]

JohnK I sympathise with you. While you may have had no case for compensation, it is still damn annoying and frustrating to "lose" a seat you thought you had.

It has of course happened to many of us. My case was on Deathstar and I lost an exit row for a middle seat when I believed that the extra I had paid, rather than QF status, had given me the right.

I hope the flight was okay in the end and it was good to see QF quickly reacted to your comments.

 

[thadocta]

I’m saddened by the almost personal attack that is occurring here because someone (JohnK on this occasion) has expressed a strong opinion about something that has happened to him.

I agree - but you need to have an appreciation of history here.

These personal attacks are starting to become moderately common here and are way overboard. I’ve been down this road once or twice (on both sides) and have been whipped in tar several times by one or more moderators for doing so. … they were probably right.

Possibly. Not being a moderator on THIS site (but I AM on several others) I am unable to access what has happened in the past in your case.

The same message can be delivered with a sled hammer, a feather or some where in between. Neither of the first two is appropriate which then leaves the middle ground.

Sometimes a sledge hammer is appropriate - sometimes it isn't. But since discussion of moderatorial actions is normally considered a no-no (quite rightly too!), I won't go there.

Unfortunately the first seems to be becoming the norm around here. It is not appropriate that a moderator leads the tar brush charge in open forum.

On this point, I vehemently disagree - the actions of the moderator you mention have been utterly above reproach, as far as what has been posted in the public forum (including deleting a post of mine!)

Everything the moderator has posted has been factual, and has been addressing the issue wthout resorting to personal attacks, rhetoric or hyperbole. The moderator concerned has been quite restrained, and has done his job well.

Or are you suggesting that, due to their position as a moderator, that moderators should desist from disagreeing with posters when they make posts which are totally without foundation and smack with nothing more than a DYKWIA attitude?

Dave