QR blocking all middle J seats?

Old May 24, 2020, 3:03 am
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: DEN
Programs: DL PM, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Gold
Posts: 395
QR blocking all middle J seats?

Looking at maybe booking an optimistic trip to the Maldives for late October and wanting to fly QR J RT. For each flight I look up on expert flyer, I see all middle seats in the J cabin are blocked (or a few booked). Is this normal or is this presumably a COVID-19 current measure?
Youngtraveldude is offline  
Old May 24, 2020, 3:16 am
  #2  
Moderator: Qatar Airways
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: LHR/NCE/MIA
Programs: BAEC GfL & GGL, SQ Gold, Amex Centurion, Mucci des Chevaliers des Bons Mots et Qui Savent Moucher
Posts: 8,915
Originally Posted by Youngtraveldude
Looking at maybe booking an optimistic trip to the Maldives for late October and wanting to fly QR J RT. For each flight I look up on expert flyer, I see all middle seats in the J cabin are blocked (or a few booked). Is this normal or is this presumably a COVID-19 current measure?
If its a QSuite operated aircraft, it is normal to see the middle seats blocked.

M
Traveller999 likes this.
msm2000uk is offline  
Old May 24, 2020, 3:22 am
  #3  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: DEN
Programs: DL PM, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Gold
Posts: 395
Originally Posted by msm2000uk
If its a QSuite operated aircraft, it is normal to see the middle seats blocked.

M
Ah, interesting. Yep, all legs Im looking at are currently scheduled to be operated by Q Suites aircraft. So then how does one book the middle seats (it will be my wife and I)?
Youngtraveldude is offline  
Old May 24, 2020, 3:29 am
  #4  
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Cape Town
Programs: BA Exec Gold , Qatar Priviledge Club Plat
Posts: 1,584
You can call QR and they will releases the middle seats for couples, it is just to prevent a load of individual travellers selecting the middle seats and then people traveling in 4's/couples not being able to select the "quads" resulting in them being scattered around the cabin.
Traveller999 and ISTFlyer like this.
Flame3601 is offline  
Old May 24, 2020, 3:36 am
  #5  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: DEN
Programs: DL PM, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Gold
Posts: 395
Originally Posted by Flame3601
You can call QR and they will releases the middle seats for couples, it is just to prevent a load of individual travellers selecting the middle seats and then people traveling in 4's/couples not being able to select the "quads" resulting in them being scattered around the cabin.
Cool, that makes sense. Thanks!
Youngtraveldude is offline  
Old May 24, 2020, 3:51 pm
  #6  
 
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 427
Originally Posted by Youngtraveldude
Ah, interesting. Yep, all legs Im looking at are currently scheduled to be operated by Q Suites aircraft. So then how does one book the middle seats (it will be my wife and I)?
Contact the twitter team with your ref number and preferred seat numbers. They handle it very quickly, though they may not be able to do row 1 for yo .
Aston100 is offline  
Old May 24, 2020, 5:39 pm
  #7  
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: DCA/IAD/WAS
Programs: MAR AMB, WOH Explorist, AA EXP, UA 2P
Posts: 2,133
I noticed on a ticket I had booked with 4 segments with qsuites on the app the center seats showed blocked. Logging on to the desktop website I could select them. Try that maybe?
iadisgreat is offline  
Old Nov 3, 2021, 4:05 pm
  #8  
 
Join Date: Jul 2021
Programs: AP AS BA
Posts: 359
Would those blocked middle seats become eligible for last minute cash upgrade and/or partner (AS, AA, etc) points reward redemption?
fbrdky is offline  
Old Nov 3, 2021, 4:18 pm
  #9  
Four Seasons Contributor BadgeShangri-La Contributor Badge
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 4,200
Originally Posted by fbrdky
Would those blocked middle seats become eligible for last minute cash upgrade and/or partner (AS, AA, etc) points reward redemption?
They're still for sale, just not available for pre selection for certain bookings.
United747 is offline  
Old Nov 8, 2021, 6:33 am
  #10  
 
Join Date: Nov 2018
Programs: Skywards, BA, Virgin
Posts: 33
We booked through an agent and I couldn't access seat reservation at all until they had ticketed the trips, then after a day or so the middle seats showed as bookable. But I was advised by QR that they reserved these for couples of families, so if they're not visible then it's just a matter of them ticking a box to say you are travelling together.

Myself and my partner aren't married, so the delay can be due to having different surnames.
PROT is offline  
Old Nov 12, 2021, 10:16 am
  #11  
 
Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: TYO
Programs: AS G75k, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 63
I have a really weird DP:
I booked an award for 2 people with Qmiles last year for a particular flight in december, and I am able to select middle seats, and using that booking reference I can still change to other middle seats.
I booked a cash ticket for 4 people recently for the exact same flight, and I am not able to select middle seats.
ExpertFlyer shows those seats as blocked, and QR call center wouldn't assign middle seats for the cash booking.

Any other insight into this because this isn't related to load at all since I am able to select middle seats still on first booking
icejan is offline  
Old Feb 19, 2022, 6:36 pm
  #12  
 
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 11
DP: Had two tickets booked on QR flight via AA, different PNRs. After multiple times was able to find an agent who booked my partner and I into two middle seats. Prior agents had told me alternately that the seats were booked, that they were unable to override the restriction in the system. Seems like the best thing to do is HUCA until you find an agent who's willing to help you.
NewYork12126 is offline  
Old Jul 21, 2022, 9:15 pm
  #13  
 
Join Date: Jul 2022
Posts: 13
I booked two award J seats via Qantas FF - same deal the whole middle row was blocked. I sent them a request on Facebook messenger to get seats in rows E and F - they fulfilled the request within 5 minutes
jmendezona is offline  
Old Jul 22, 2022, 2:25 am
  #14  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Hong Kong, France
Programs: FB , BA Gold
Posts: 15,495
Originally Posted by jmendezona
I booked two award J seats via Qantas FF - same deal the whole middle row was blocked. I sent them a request on Facebook messenger to get seats in rows E and F - they fulfilled the request within 5 minutes
You mean Qatar FB?
brunos is offline  
Old Jul 22, 2022, 2:43 am
  #15  
 
Join Date: Jul 2022
Posts: 13
Originally Posted by brunos
You mean Qatar FB?
Yes, the offical Facebook account of Qatar Airways
jmendezona is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.