Seat block for golds?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: TLL
Programs: AY Gold (OWS) TK Elite (*G)
Posts: 194
Seat block for golds?
Haven´t seen any posts regarding this here so here i go: I have a flight in a couple of days and just noticed on expert flyer that the seat next to me on the ATR has been blocked. I thought the seat block thing was only for plat and lumo? Or is this something that happens regularly for golds as well? never happened to me anyways and never heard of such thing either...?
very nice surprise though!
very nice surprise though!
#3
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: HEL
Programs: AY+ Plat
Posts: 112
I saw it even on A319, 320, 321. I assume Gold will be the first one who will loose the seat blocking if the plane gets full. But as long as there is space, I guess Gold will could have the seat blocking, too. At least my experience.
#5
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: HEL
Programs: AY+Plat
Posts: 862
In 12 intra nordic legs in last two months on variety of narrowbody aircrafts, nobody was next to me or in between me and the next guy (100% success rate). In one of the flight they were even announcing we are fully booked today, put your bags in front of you or something like that. So, yes there is block ( or it is unoccupied) .
#7
Moderator, Finnair
Join Date: May 2011
Location: MMX (CPH)
Programs: Eurobonus Diamond, QR Gold, AY+ Platinum, A3*G, Nordic Choice Lifetime Platinum, SJ Prio Black
Posts: 14,172
This again...
The imaginary seat block system has a strong body of believers. I am happy all of you enjoy a seat block perk, but I as a lowly platinum do not. Maybe it is not tied into the AY+ tiers but if you were born with the moon in the seventh house.
The imaginary seat block system has a strong body of believers. I am happy all of you enjoy a seat block perk, but I as a lowly platinum do not. Maybe it is not tied into the AY+ tiers but if you were born with the moon in the seventh house.
Last edited by intuition; Nov 20, 2018 at 2:54 am
#8
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: C2
Programs: AY ex-Lumo, TK Elite, BT VIP, ITA Executive
Posts: 1,157
On other routes, I can tell I often see empty seats everywhere around the plane, but the one next to me is of course taken. It is not like that everyone could pick the seat, but I think staff allocates those and overrules the somewhat automated system of not offering the seat next to you to a lower tier passenger.
#9
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: KUO
Programs: HH Diam, AY/AX/KQ/IHG/VISA Plat, SK/Bonvoy/Melia/Strawberry Gold, Radisson Prem, PP Prest
Posts: 2,265
As OULuisian with those ample 32Xs, would you rather have seat blocking perk instead of BMW-ride? As KUOpioian, the seat block in ATRs seem never work but the few Lumos around always seem to get the BMW.
#10
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: C2
Programs: AY ex-Lumo, TK Elite, BT VIP, ITA Executive
Posts: 1,157
BMW is a nice service, but I don't think it would be a convincing factor for becoming / remaining Lumo. Seat block, availability based upgrades (at least SH), same-day standby / confirmed changes, CS agents that know what they are doing and +/- consistent quality of airport and onboard service would be in the core of success. Then can come things like BMW rides, good quality welcoming package, small gifts now and then, free snacks etc. They got right things that are nice to have, but make little-to-no difference in the end - more like those that you can come up with from an office, not even stepping on a plane. Sorry it went a bit off-topic...
#11
Join Date: May 2014
Location: HEL
Programs: AY+Plat, ALL Plat, Scandic L2
Posts: 3,620
Haven´t seen any posts regarding this here so here i go: I have a flight in a couple of days and just noticed on expert flyer that the seat next to me on the ATR has been blocked. I thought the seat block thing was only for plat and lumo? Or is this something that happens regularly for golds as well? never happened to me anyways and never heard of such thing either...?
very nice surprise though!
very nice surprise though!
#12
Ambassador: Finnair
Join Date: May 2003
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Lumo, BA Silver, HHonors Gold
Posts: 4,267
The seat block is there for sure, not always, but it definitely is there, no question about it. Often you see it even in SH J if the load is light, they do not allow anyone to select the seat "next" to you. I have a flight tomorrow, for example, where A is blocked and I'm on C seat in SH. But, totally agree with intuition, it's something you can never take for granted but it sure happens (often).
To add, I think the block, when it happens, is only activated closer to departure, maybe when OLCI opens..
To add, I think the block, when it happens, is only activated closer to departure, maybe when OLCI opens..
#13
Moderator, Finnair
Join Date: May 2011
Location: MMX (CPH)
Programs: Eurobonus Diamond, QR Gold, AY+ Platinum, A3*G, Nordic Choice Lifetime Platinum, SJ Prio Black
Posts: 14,172
If someone wants to pay to be seated next to you despite you being <fill-in-tier-of-choice>, by jove Finnair will let them pay for it.
Or think about it like this - if you experience you have this personal seat block perk it is just because you are not popular enough to sell the seat next to you!
Or think about it like this - if you experience you have this personal seat block perk it is just because you are not popular enough to sell the seat next to you!
#14
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Helsinki, Finland
Programs: Finnair (AY) Platinum, Air France Silver, Tallink Club One Silver :)
Posts: 1,655
I'm with intuition on this one... Most often than not, there IS someone sitting next to me. Granted, it may have something to do with I'm always aiming for exit row seats, but at one occasion, I was sitting on D, there was someone sitting on both E and F (they were NOT there when I booked the seat), but NOONE at A, B or C... So the seat block ended up on the other side of the aisle.
#15
Moderator, Finnair
Join Date: May 2011
Location: MMX (CPH)
Programs: Eurobonus Diamond, QR Gold, AY+ Platinum, A3*G, Nordic Choice Lifetime Platinum, SJ Prio Black
Posts: 14,172
Yup, that mimics my experience. When on popular seats there is no "block" even when other popular seats are wide open.
All these effects are consistent with a "optimal seating ancillary revenue system" and not with at "seat block perk system".
A large number of parameters are considered by an algorithm and in some cases the result is something that people interprets as a seat block. And there might even be a block when the control is handed over from "optimal seating" to "check-in". But in this case, it might look like a duck and it might sound like a duck. But it isn't.
There clearly are a lot more factors than tier level and 100% loadfactor that comes into play. A seat block is when seat next to elite is blocked for all, CS staff, IT-systems and passengers. As proven multiple times, passengers are free to purchase the seat next to elites if they wish and it seems also clear that AY staff can override any system limitation.
'
And it even seems like the system itself does actively put "valuable passengers" (definition unknown but not the same as AY+ tier) in "valuable seats" (like extra legspace) even if it means putting them next to an elite.
All these effects are consistent with a "optimal seating ancillary revenue system" and not with at "seat block perk system".
A large number of parameters are considered by an algorithm and in some cases the result is something that people interprets as a seat block. And there might even be a block when the control is handed over from "optimal seating" to "check-in". But in this case, it might look like a duck and it might sound like a duck. But it isn't.
There clearly are a lot more factors than tier level and 100% loadfactor that comes into play. A seat block is when seat next to elite is blocked for all, CS staff, IT-systems and passengers. As proven multiple times, passengers are free to purchase the seat next to elites if they wish and it seems also clear that AY staff can override any system limitation.
'
And it even seems like the system itself does actively put "valuable passengers" (definition unknown but not the same as AY+ tier) in "valuable seats" (like extra legspace) even if it means putting them next to an elite.