carltoncl

My wife and I are doing LAX-MEL on 8/13 in economy. I called up to confirm our seats and was told that I could only request a location, could not get a seat like I'm accustomed to doing on Continental's web site.

So, anyway, I took my Amadeus number and went to www.checkmytrip.com and see that we have been allocated 66F and 66G on the LAX-MEL section. What are the chances that we will retain these seats?

Moomba

I assume you are the two in 66FG on QF104. It is pretty empty in the back at the moment. Did you ask for window or isle seats?
Depending on how much more it fills up (and it would have to be a lot) I would assume you would be able to pick up some better seats at check-in.

The first 5 rows (25 - 30) in Y are blocked by the airline and all the exit rows are occupied.

og

If you like the location of these seats, you have about 99.99% chance of keeping them. If you want exit row seats, you cannot pre-allocate these unless you are top status. However, at check-in, ask, as some of those WPs may have received upgrades and their seats may well be now available.

With the window / aisle Row 70-73 seats, there is slight chance of being re-allocated as that area is used for medical cases (stretchers).

carltoncl

Yes, we are the two in 66 F & G. We are also traveling with a 1.97 y.o. daughter (lap seating). We asked for window seats.

We are praying that row 66 (SeatGuru says it's ok) doesn't fill up at all - if we got 4 seats in the middle to ourselves then the kid could stretch out and sleep.

I guess I was hoping to get a feel for others who have taken QF104 on Saturday night - it's the only night of the week in which QF offers two direct flights to MEL from LAX. We're praying that it stays emptyish.

NM

Checkin early. Smile a lot. Chat with the agent. Mention you are not looking forward to the long flight with a child and feel sorry for the people seated next to you. Ask how full the flight is today. Ask for the 66F to be allocated as 66D.

If they will assign you the D and G seats, there is a very good chance you will get the whole row unless the flight is very full. If someone does end up in between you, they will gladly swap for one of the aisle seats so you can sit together. If they won't then ask them to pass the child over to your partner a few times during the flight .

Ask your physician about recommendations for medication to help your child sleep during the flight.

eamus

Good advice. If you decide (on doctor's advice) to try Benadryl you really will want to give it a test run before you leave. They say it knocks some kids out and gets some kids wound up. Our daughter had both reactions simultaneously (kicking and flailing in bed totally asleep, crying out with happy gurgles and crying tears of anger at the same time - actually very funny stuff). We finally went with a cocktail we called Motrynol, which worked pretty well one way and we didn't give her anything on the way back and she was as happy as a clam.

There was a pretty funny essay on flying with kids in the NY Times a couple of weeks ago if you would care to dig it up. A sense of humor is the most important thing to take with you.

HW

Some times kids fly well, other times they don't. Miss HW has had mostly good trans-pacific flights, occassionally she has a shocker and there's not much you can do once airborne - by then its too late to change the outcome. Mentally prepare yourself and the child and hope for the best.

Here's the link for the story (it was syndicated so while the NY Times slugs you for access to an archive it exists elsewhere on the net).

serfty

Had seat allocation closed when you rang?

It is standard to be advised when requesting seats that it is "only" a request and there is no gaurantee. Normally this still does not prevent you from requesting non-premium unallocated seats.

So, if you still are looking for your window seat, you may wish to try again. Then again your flight is showing as really empty at the moment and it is quite likely you will keep the whole row of four.