No longer free seat selection for (non SAS) *G
#46
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: CPH
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Maybe you are lucky with QR, I tried that with OWS status and the perk was that we were able to pick seats during reservation, no empty seat next to us - However CX did treat us well (but that was 2013) they gave us 7 seats for 4 people in Y.
That's definitely a weakness of *G - even the extra bag perk is taken away when a *G book basic economy (obviously 0 bag +1 bag= 0 bag).
#47
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Of course not, on the contrary, why should airlines give you free seats while others are willing to pay for it?
Maybe you are lucky with QR, I tried that with OWS status and the perk was that we were able to pick seats during reservation, no empty seat next to us - However CX did treat us well (but that was 2013) they gave us 7 seats for 4 people in Y.
That's definitely a weakness of *G - even the extra bag perk is taken away when a *G book basic economy (obviously 0 bag +1 bag= 0 bag).
Maybe you are lucky with QR, I tried that with OWS status and the perk was that we were able to pick seats during reservation, no empty seat next to us - However CX did treat us well (but that was 2013) they gave us 7 seats for 4 people in Y.
That's definitely a weakness of *G - even the extra bag perk is taken away when a *G book basic economy (obviously 0 bag +1 bag= 0 bag).
But airlines in the aggregate have an increasingly "you are your fare/business this time" approach, so what SAS is doing to make the flying experience worse for customers in the main -- including *Gs in economy class -- isn't surprising. Rather it's expected.
#48
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: A3*G,BA Silver
Posts: 397
For whatever reason when in economy, QR, for example, almost always gives me -- a partner program elite status customer -- an empty seat next to me in economy class and makes sure to put me at the front of the cabin. It makes me partial to using them more than I otherwise would. SK seems to be on a path to do the opposite of that when it comes to partner program *Gs.
#49
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#50
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That can't explain it, as my experiences this year with having empty seats/seat block next to me on QR flights includes QR flights this year when the cabin was full for all but 1-2 seats (or even 100% full
) and yet the seat next to me was empty or blocked (sometime even to the complete shock of the flight attendants and even ground-handling agents for QR at ARN and CPH).

I have seen a seat block of sorts in QR J on the an empty A320. My travel partner without oneworld status and on a separate booking could pick the seat next to me, but within 24 hours he was always moved to another seat.
#51
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QR has no such thing as seat block in Y. Nor do they keep the exit and bulkhead rows back for OWE or OWS, the exit and bulkhead rows are kept for airport control, whoever ask for them at the airport desk will get them.
I have seen a seat block of sorts in QR J on the an empty A320. My travel partner without oneworld status and on a separate booking could pick the seat next to me, but within 24 hours he was always moved to another seat.
I have seen a seat block of sorts in QR J on the an empty A320. My travel partner without oneworld status and on a separate booking could pick the seat next to me, but within 24 hours he was always moved to another seat.
If I’m merely getting lucky with QR even on very full QR flights, I must be the luckiest person on the planet and you should give me all your savings to play high-stakes poker for your retirement plan. — says the very unlucky IFE blackjack player

I dislike bulkhead seats in economy, and I am more than happy to never get them on some planes. And as I don’t like emergency exit row seats when the arm-rests are of the immovable sort, I am not the biggest fan of emergency row seat assignments unless I’m certain not to get those hip-huggers.
Last edited by GUWonder; Nov 15, 19 at 6:31 pm
#52
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Call what I’m getting a seat block or not, QR has been giving me way better seat arrangements in my cabins on their flights than SK has; and QR has been keeping me with a string of empty seats next to me even on my extremely full flights with them this year while SK doesn’t come close to it for me. And I’m only using partner airline programs when flying SK, and I am only using partner airline programs when flying QR.
If I’m merely getting lucky with QR even on very full QR flights, I must be the luckiest person on the planet and you should give me all your savings to play high-stakes poker for your retirement plan. — says the very unlucky IFE blackjack player
I dislike bulkhead seats in economy, and I am more than happy to never get them on some planes. And as I don’t like emergency exit row seats when the arm-rests are of the immovable sort, I am not the biggest fan of emergency row seat assignments unless I’m certain not to get those hip-huggers.
If I’m merely getting lucky with QR even on very full QR flights, I must be the luckiest person on the planet and you should give me all your savings to play high-stakes poker for your retirement plan. — says the very unlucky IFE blackjack player

I dislike bulkhead seats in economy, and I am more than happy to never get them on some planes. And as I don’t like emergency exit row seats when the arm-rests are of the immovable sort, I am not the biggest fan of emergency row seat assignments unless I’m certain not to get those hip-huggers.
Emergency exit rows on a 10 across 777 or 9 across 787 does get quite narrow, so they are indeed not as attractive as all that. Which might be why I tend to forget to ask on QR.
Maybe all your luck is deployed for the seating, and IFE blackjack has none left

#53
Join Date: Mar 2016
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Regarding seat assignment. As I wrote before. The automatic seat assignment on *G flights always assign me a window seat close to the front, but I prefer a seat in the back, both for the view and as my experience is that *G seat blocking in Y doesn't exist and I have a higher chance of empty seat next to me if I pick a seat at the back. The time difference out of the airport or through passport check is often less than 5 min. This is all regarding short haul. Long haul can be a different story, but the real difference in getting through immigration or transfer is whether you land as the first or last of 5 long haul birds.
#54
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Kuala Lumpur
Programs: SK EBD (*G)
Posts: 2,075

That can't explain it, as my experiences this year with having empty seats/seat block next to me on QR flights includes QR flights this year when the cabin was full for all but 1-2 seats (or even 100% full
) and yet the seat next to me was empty or blocked (sometime even to the complete shock of the flight attendants and even ground-handling agents for QR at ARN and CPH).


#55
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#56
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#57
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Considering that AY does not have premium economy, that's a bit of an overstatement. AY does have comfort seats, which is just standard Y with more leg room. Similar to United Economy Plus, or AA Main Cabin Extra. OWE can indeed pick them for free, but it is not an upgrade as such.
#58
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There used to be a time when AY would rather frequently “upgrade” OWEs into long-haul business class seats that had economy class service on some routes. But nowadays it’s more about getting into Economy Comfort on AY, extra legroom seats in economy which AY does seem to be somewhat better about when it comes to seat assignments for alliance partner elites than SAS.
Last edited by GUWonder; Nov 18, 19 at 12:06 am