Just a quick word of warning for anyone travelling on the same booking as another with a different surname and wanting to be sat together ...

I recently travelled QF domestic with Miss Luftaom (different surname). We were booked on the same booking and were amazed to be told when we got to the checkin counter that we couldn't be seated together "because you have different surnames the computer doesn't know that you actually know each other".

Ok I appreciate that we hadnt checked in online for our flight (and most people do) but we were at the counter at 18:30 for a 20:00 departure. If there were no seats together because everyone else had already selected their seats, I can understand that, but to be told that they didn't know two people travelling on the same booking actually know each other is simply amazing.

I didn't want to press the issue with the lady so I just said "thats ok - you can only do what you can do and we will just live with the seats we have, but I find it really odd that the computer doesnt know we actually know each other when we are on the same booking". This was met with a stern "well if you read your conditions of carriage we dont guarantee that we will be able to take you on any particular flight on any given day". I'm not quite sure what that had to do with the price of eggs but I'm sure it made her feel better.

I've previously thought the QF seat allocation policy was superb. I understood that it held back seats for people travelling on the same booking as one another. So whilst you might not get your choice of window/aisle you will at least be sat next to the people you are travelling with. This was my experience until now.

Cheers,
Luftaom