Seat assignment discrepancy and check-in
 

Travelling from CDG to CBR on Emirates, I had carefully selected my seats (and paid for extra legroom) on the long haul sectors. Today, I went to EK's website for OLCI on my return journey CBR-BNE-DXB-CDG which departs in 42 hours. However, because the first segment is a Qantas operated code share, it seems to be not possible and I was referred to the Qantas web site with a new record locator.

Indeed, Qantas finds the travel info but check-in is only available 24 hours before departure. Fine, but very worrysome is the fact that the seat assignments Qantas shows on the EK flights are not those I had selected, and much less convenient (middle seats). A seat change is possible but there are no decent seats available through QF's interface.

Going back to the Emirates web page to cross-check the trip with the EK record locator, the seat assignments are indeed those that I had paid for. Besides, the seats marked as available are very different from those that are open on Qantas's website. So it seems that this is not an aircraft change (or what else) issue, but just that the seat info has not been transmitted to QF with the new record locator.

How should I handle the situation at check-in (which can only done online through QF's interface) in order to seat where I want ? Should I postpone check-in until I meet a human at the airport ?

So you're flying QF-EK X EK-EK? Did you pay for a better seat on the QF flight?

Is there any benefit to checking in online with QF? If not, then don't. If yes then do, but see which seat you get on the EK flight, if they issue the BP.

Codeshare partners usually have specific subsets of seats they can assign and given the extra legroom seats being paid for it might be bugging out on their site. I wouldn't worry too much right now.

Yes, Qantas metal to Brisbane and Emirates metal afterwards, on an Emirates ticket.

No I did not pay for a better seat (nor did I do a preassignment, which is not possible for the codeshare) on the QF operated segment.

Emirates does not let me check in online from their site because the first flight is operated by Qantas. Unless better advised I think I will indeed follow the strategy of checking in at the airport. Though I am still worried that the EK seat assignments might also be lost then as the check-in will be done by QF (EK does not have a representation in Canberra).

In the past I've found when an assignment isn't visible on the booking it still shows up correctly on the BP, presumably different systems. But worst case you then have to sort it out at the gate in BNE. Another option is to pre-emptively tweet to @EmiratesSupport that you have a concern that you'd like to share via DM and once they follow you then send a DM with your EK booking reference and name and that you'd like to confirm your paid seat assignments remain in tact as QF doesn't show them when you check your booking with them etc.

In the past I've found when an assignment isn't visible on the booking it still shows up correctly on the BP, presumably different systems. But worst case you then have to sort it out at the gate in BNE. Another option is to pre-emptively tweet to @EmiratesSupport that you have a concern that you'd like to share via DM and once they follow you then send a DM with your EK booking reference and name and that you'd like to confirm your paid seat assignments remain in tact as QF doesn't show them when you check your booking with them etc.

Good idea. However, I do not have a Twitter account (nor do I want to create one). What are the other options for efficiently communicating with EK support ?

Facebook I believe. But I find calling the most efficient, generally never have to wait to get an agent and they're quite helpful

There is also a live chat facility on the website somewhere.

Do you have an alternative booking reference for the QF flight? I would recommend calling QF and asking them.

it used to be that you had to check in on QF website if your first flight was on their metal. It’s been about 6 months though.

OP is seeing their flight on QF website which is where the entire issue arises, so presumably they have a QF reference