Kiwi Flyer

I have a couple of upcoming flights that I booked months ago. I selected my prefered seats straight away, having full choice of seats by virtue of being one of the first to book on the particular flights.

Now I notice I've been moved to horrible seats, the flight is full and no option to move other than trying my luck at check-in.

Have I been moved because I'm travelling on an award? In the past I've not had problems getting decent seats (in my first few preferences) on longhaul, even on award bookings. I also can't remember being shifted around like this on QF longhaul (yes on BA).

Is QF changing their seating policies?

denCSA

This issue probably has to do with QF's switch to a new RES/DCS system. The new system has a functionality called 'theoretical seats' which assigns you a seat in the background before you ever even show up to the airport. You are essentially given a 'rank' amongst all the pax on the flight and depending on how high or low your ranking is, will determine which seats will be available for selection by you.

If you are on an award ticket, with little status you are probably near the bottom of the ranked order. It's a lot more complicated than this, but that's the general idea of the concept. I know QF is beginning to lay down the law with its check in agents to not allow ANY seat changes while checking in a pax, and to let the system do what its designed to do (allocating seats based on ranked order).

Kiwi Flyer

My last membership year just completed I had 7,000 SCs. Hardly little QFF status. Hence in the past I normally get one of my first few preferences for seats and surprise that I am not on these couple of flights.

kangela

Heh-heh Funniest I've seen for a while Brightened up my day
A trap for the young, eh Kiwi Flyer?

NZ_Flyer

Pretty bad service for someone who has WP PG LTG plus 7,000 SC's this year alone! Maybe this calls for an email to Customer Relations with the tiniest hint of DYKWIA?

nonce

I have had this twice and I just produced my original ITN with the seats printed and asked what the operational reason was for the seat change. I held my ground and the seats were changed back. The good news is that if they can take you out of the seat they can also put you back. :-)

I got the whole seats can be changed thing and I said "sure I understand that, just out of interest what is the operational reason for the change?" In SFO the check in agent didnt know, so I asked him to call seating and find out. When he called seating I was promptly put back in my original seat. Out of ZQN I asked to speak with the check in supervisor who told me she would restore my seat just this once but she had the right to put me into any seat she wanted.

The third option is that there was an aircraft change and this displaced everyone (i have had this before as well even though the new plane had the same seat map) a quick call to QF had an exit row opened up for me.

Have you called QF Premium in AU to ask?

LHR/MEL/Europe FF

I'm not sure if there is a problem with this whole seat allocation thingy.

Bought a ticket yesterday (B747-400 each way) and was automatically assigned row 50 something on the outbound and row 73 on the way back.

Call to QF and I was back in the front of the plane.

Is this part of the same auto check-in system? Or is the pre-allocation at time of booking separate and I have no ranking?

Regards

lme ff

og

And here was I thinking that QF had sub-contracted seat allocation out to UA.

serfty

Thanks for the input you have given previously on this in relation to domestic flights.

I believe Kiwi Flyer's issue is with preallocations on international flights, not domestics.

It would be a sad day if this switch to a new RES/DCS system overrode pre allocations in international flights, especailly for QFF Elites.

cavemanzk

lol i was more thinking along the line that seat allocation had be sub-contracted to JQ. Does QF want FF anymore?

2muchplastic

Just to give another example - was checking this morning on my MEL-HKG flight for a couple of weeks time and my preallocated seat 13J (fits in with my established Aisle->Upper Deck->Forward preferences and was pretty happy with that) has now changed to 26B. So now instead of the small, quiet upstairs area , I'm now downstairs with the galley directly behind me.

Not really what I want with the flight landing in HKG at 0550.

Still, Seatcounter shows C7, J9 so maybe I'll have a couple of seats to myself.

LHR/MEL/Europe FF

did you call QF to see if you can get the seat back?

Regards

lme ff

Kiwi Flyer

Sorry I should have made that clearer. The 2 flights in question are both longhaul.

2muchplastic

Not yet. Wouldn't trust myself holding a phone yet today, I'll save that pleasure for when my mildly hungover brain will allow me to hold a coherent conversation

NZ_Flyer

Ha! You think you're bad this morning!