No more soft block for OWE AND soft block for cash coming very soon? (perhaps?)
Mar 18, 2018, 11:58 pm
#61
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Vantaa, Finland
Programs: AY Lumo, FB Gold
Posts: 1,667
Again I am sure that NoRRA ATRs don't have any seatblock pattern. Lately had few trips again, not a single time seatblock while I could see several others having free seats around but not me as AY plat. And to annoy me even more, I put my IB (pleb) ffp on the last trip (for opitmization purposes) and surpise I got a free seat next to me even if it showed taken at OLCI and there were only 2 seats in total free left when boarding was complete.
) I picked 1D (on the newer, high density ATRs 1CD face backwards - this is a it of a gamble as if they change the equipment to one of the four oldest ATRs you're stuck with the worst seat in the house). Well, imagine my surprise that after boarding one other guy shows up and had 1C, this despite the whole first 4-5 rows of being completely empty. The guy was GOLD and said he had personally selected that seat at check in. So much for seat blocking...At least he had the common sense to move to 2B without any pushing from me (something that seems to be quite uncommon with many people who seem to regard their seat assignments as set to stone...).
Mar 19, 2018, 1:31 am
#62
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: HEL
Programs: AY, SK, TK
Posts: 7,602
Most often row 15-16 too, since the last 17-19 rows are always subject gamble aircraft change and consequently bumping your seat assignment.
Mar 19, 2018, 2:46 pm
#63
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: TMP
Programs: AY+ Plat, SK Gold, BT VIP, Radisson Premium, Accor Platinum
Posts: 794
For a few weeks now there hasn't been seat blocks visible next to my seat on the ATR flights, but the seat has still been empty on all except one flight that was full.
Mar 19, 2018, 9:53 pm
#64
Join Date: May 2016
Location: BLL
Programs: AY+ Platinum, SK Gold, HHonors Silver
Posts: 405
Mar 19, 2018, 10:41 pm
#65
Ambassador: Finnair
Join Date: May 2003
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Lumo, BA Silver, HHonors Gold
Posts: 4,270
I had an AT7 flight yesterday and had a chat with the plat check in desk at HEL, they said that "they cannot block seats anymore", cannot remember if this has been discussed before or not but don't remember hearing that before. Flight left with 4 empty seats and luckily one of those was next to mine. Also, EF showed no blocks at all..something seems to have changed how they manage the seating.
Mar 20, 2018, 12:40 am
#66
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: HEL
Programs: AY, SK, TK
Posts: 7,602
While agreeing with you about these, I don't agree with "less noise" in the front. IMO it is the other way around on ATR
Mar 20, 2018, 2:05 am
#67
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Platinum (OWE), SK G(*G), BW Diamond
Posts: 810
Thenagain on small airports, back-end rows provide way faster exit, from landing to taxi in less than 5 minutes in many places. From noise point of view (or sound) I haven’t really felt big difference between rows 1-5 or 15-20. This based on, hmmm, 20+ segments with ATR this year, mostly on 15-20.
Apr 3, 2018, 5:54 am
#69
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Helsinki
Programs: AY Platinum
Posts: 303
Just noticed that Expert Flyer and online check-in are not aligned in the way I'm used to: I have an exit row seat for myself for tomorrow's SH flight. If I look up the flight on EF, the seat next to me appears free, and like usual the last rows on the right-hand side of the plane appear blocked. However, on the OLCI, the middle seat next to me appears as taken and all the seats in the back of the plane can be selected.
So looks like the seat next to me is blocked, either because of me, because of the person sitting on the other side of the blocked seat - or for some other reason.
So looks like the seat next to me is blocked, either because of me, because of the person sitting on the other side of the blocked seat - or for some other reason.
Apr 3, 2018, 7:26 am
#70
Ambassador: Finnair
Join Date: May 2003
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Lumo, BA Silver, HHonors Gold
Posts: 4,270
Yes, this has been the case for a while already. Not sure if this is a question of EF / Amadeus / AY OLCI alignment as such, what I have noticed is that the not all free seats are available to be chosen at OLCI. EF and actual empty seats on any given flight seem still to match, with what I have seen. Not sure what is going on but something has changed with AY OLCI tool, I agree.
Apr 12, 2018, 2:26 am
#71
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: HEL
Programs: AY+ Platinum
Posts: 103
Some weeks back I had a flight from CDG-HEL with an exit row (aisle) seat. Seat block seemed to work and there was an empty seat between myself and my colleague who was on window seat. After the take-off some other passenger from the back made a move and conquered the middle seat with a help of flight assistant. Not really complaining (as I did not pay for the middle seat), but of course felt a bit frustrated as after the boarding completed expected to enjoy “this space”.
Apr 14, 2018, 11:14 am
#72
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: HEL
Programs: AY+ Plat and several other cards
Posts: 645
On my 3 last flights there has been no seat block even though there has been quite a few empty seats. On my two recent flights this week there has been 20-30 seats empty, but nevertheless I've got someone sitting next to me 
C'mon Finnair, this is NOT the way to work with your premium customers!
C'mon Finnair, this is NOT the way to work with your premium customers!
