Qantas trials preferred seating for passengers wanting a speedy exit
By David Flynn, July 10 2019
Qantas will roll out preferred seating on domestic and international flights, setting aside a row of economy class seats near the front of the cabin for passengers who want to be among the first to step off their flight and be on their way.
This will, of course, come at a cost: charges will begin at a lowly $5 for short domestic hops such as Sydney-Melbourne and Sydney-Brisbane, $15 for east-west flights, $20 for trans-Tasman services to New Zealand, and $45 for longer international flights.
Qantas will trial preferred seating across the second half of this year, joining other airlines such as Emirates, Air New Zealand, Lufthansa and Singapore Airlines which operate similar schemes.
However, the airline says that top-tier frequent flyers who can currently pre-select the front rows of economy won't find themselves booted out of those seats.
For example, on a Qantas Boeing 737 preferred seating will be found in row 9, while rows 4 though 8 remain earmarked for frequent flyers depending on their status. And yes, row 9 is the row without a window.
Row 4 remains the prized pick for Chairman's Lounge and Platinum One members due to its extra legroom.
David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
Grannular
Grannular
31 Mar 2014
Total posts 288
Also from the side of the passenger, I wouldn't be happy paying for a priority de-boarding service, then having 8 rows of other passengers in front of me.
s4172249
s4172249
Jetstar Airways - Qantas Frequent Flyer
18 Feb 2018
Total posts 7
SimonHookham
SimonHookham
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
16 May 2017
Total posts 2
TheBigM
TheBigM
07 Mar 2017
Total posts 32
"passengers who want to be among the first to step off their flight "
Interesting definition, where "among the first" means having 42 other people ahead of you, and you're 43rd...
AJW
AJW
16 Nov 2011
Total posts 507
Dredgy
Dredgy
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
02 Apr 2017
Total posts 115
Who doesn't love paying a premium for one the worst seats.
gtoh69
gtoh69
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
29 Nov 2018
Total posts 1
Johns
Johns
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
01 Apr 2017
Total posts 17
dm12
dm12
08 Feb 2018
Total posts 38
Guvner
Guvner
12 Sep 2014
Total posts 28
sanj747
sanj747
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
01 Nov 2016
Total posts 86
hakkinen5
hakkinen5
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
20 Aug 2014
Total posts 95
Grum217
Grum217
31 Jan 2017
Total posts 9
Ryan K
Ryan K
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
30 May 2013
Total posts 297
grov
grov
QFF
19 Sep 2013
Total posts 150
Jason526
Jason526
16 Nov 2018
Total posts 9
MitchSydney11
MitchSydney11
29 Mar 2019
Total posts 11
SYDINI
SYDINI
16 Jan 2018
Total posts 69
JetVortex727
JetVortex727
06 Mar 2019
Total posts 2
cqtiger
cqtiger
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
23 May 2018
Total posts 11
blaz
blaz
Jetstar Airways - Qantas Frequent Flyer
03 Jul 2018
Total posts 28
Rxm
Rxm
Jetstar Airways - Qantas Frequent Flyer
14 Jan 2017
Total posts 12
1. Pushy passengers behind you that don’t respect the deboarding pecking order.
2. You pay for a priority window seat but the person in the middle or isle seat is not in the same rush you are. They’re happy to be last off.
When you start asking people to pay for something you start creating certain expectations which then have to be managed to avoid conflict.
If qantas want to make some extra money offer people to pay to block a seat next to them when choosing their seats I’d load factor allows.
mik_64
mik_64
22 Dec 2017
Total posts 3
I suppose the burden of having to fund the overhead of executive bonuses is the mother of these pissant ideas
QFP1
QFP1
05 Mar 2015
Total posts 52
Grannular
Grannular
31 Mar 2014
Total posts 288
AT
AT
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
14 Sep 2012
Total posts 254
patrickk
patrickk
Qantas
19 Apr 2012
Total posts 395
MitchW
MitchW
Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer
13 Feb 2016
Total posts 8
Mjkcan
Mjkcan
Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer
14 Jun 2017
Total posts 31
MitchW
MitchW
Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer
13 Feb 2016
Total posts 8
pilotdude09
pilotdude09
01 Jul 2011
Total posts 10
cavemanzk
cavemanzk
NZ
13 Aug 2016
Total posts 39
Matt_01
Matt_01
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
23 Feb 2016
Total posts 44
skiman72
skiman72
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
20 Sep 2018
Total posts 1
Concorde1990
Concorde1990
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
13 Nov 2018
Total posts 65
When in Y on 737-8; If I can’t have row 4 then I’ll take a seat down the very back: it’s usually more likely to have an empty seat next to you.
AWA2602
AWA2602
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
29 Jul 2013
Total posts 209
AJW
AJW
16 Nov 2011
Total posts 507
Rotten
Rotten
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
21 Jul 2018
Total posts 3
JayHi
JayHi
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
12 Feb 2016
Total posts 3
Mjkcan
Mjkcan
Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer
14 Jun 2017
Total posts 31
I work in a trauma centre - where seconds and minutes can actually matter - and all of this just seems selfish, pointless and sneaky.
We’ve demonstrated that none of us would ever pay for that. It’s quite literally designed to trick people who don’t know what they’re buying and frankly that leaves a very sour taste in my, and clearly others, mouth (mouths?).
JayHi
JayHi
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
12 Feb 2016
Total posts 3
Marksgreen
Marksgreen
07 Jul 2019
Total posts 2
Concorde1990
Concorde1990
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
13 Nov 2018
Total posts 65
Jade D
Jade D
Etihad - Etihad Guest
11 Jul 2019
Total posts 1
PLEASEupgrademe
PLEASEupgrademe
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
16 Nov 2017
Total posts 12
WHY ARE CHANGES ALWAYS CHARGES? (YES YOU QF)
As a newly minted Gold FF, and considering many if not most of my flights have been on 737's, I was looking forward to seeing if, on my next booking I can select my seat closer to the exit at booking. As a Silver member whilst booking 737 flights, rows 14 and below weren't even on the screen to be selected. Although my habit was to look for a seat closer to the front at or after check-in which was almost always successful. On one or two occasions I found myself in row 4 (which imo definitely does offer extra legroom, but not as much as an extra legroom seat.) It also makes no sense that QF intend on increasing the price of a hastier exit according to sector length, which makes little sense. (The only thing I can think of is that people are more eager to disembark after a long haul flight on a larger aircraft.)The MAJOR problem I have with this is the following:
Qantas has just announced fairly significant changes to their frequent flyer program, which sees Qantas points increase in value by between 7%-10% on International economy reward flights. I have searched for both domestic and international flights and can only see that International flights are cheaper to redeem. The decrease in cash payments that always follow a reward booking have decreased.
That is about the only positive for the consumer in the FF shakeup as Qantas Points become inflated by approximately 15% if booking Premium Economy, Business and First Reward Flights.
Whilst these elements of the change have been immediately evident, it remains to be seen whether or not Qantas will keep up their end of the bargain by adding 5 million more reward seats per year AND actually availing "up to" the 30% more Premium Economy, Business "and even First" reward seats. It will be a massive test for the Qantas faithful as Qantas are known to overpromise and under deliver in almost all aspects of their businesses.
The last audit I saw of the Qantas Frequent Flyer Programme, this side of the business was worth an estimated $2 Billion Dollars.
When I was made aware of the changes I thought that it is all good and well to change things around, BUT the service you get with Qantas MUST improve. I'm talking about all aspects; Interaction by phone to their call centres, standards of their lounges, standards of their staff in the lounges, at the check-in counter, the quality of in-flight catering, in-flight service AND consistency of product/seat/personal space across all their fleet*.
* Consistency of product/seat/personal space across all fleet is most important especially on longer-haul flights.
These ludicrous changes (remove the n and replace it with an r and it spells out what these latest operational change really are... CHARGES.
Again this will only be appreciated IF their service improves, quite drastically at that.
With another tasty profit forecast, these changes come across as very greedy. I just hope that there will one day be a critical mass exodus and (I know I'm dreaming) my dying wish for the deregulation of the 5th freedom of the air to be extended to airlines like SQ and Thai, so that they could operate SIN/BKK-SYD/MEL/BNE-LAX if these 5 million reward bookings with 30% more availability in premium cabins AND increasing demands for better, more consistent service from Qantas aren't met.
AJW
AJW
16 Nov 2011
Total posts 507
You the go on attack of Qantas over lounge quality and product consistency and then hoped for SQ and TG to be able to fly Aus domestic. What I find rather ironic is those two airlines have rather poor lounges, even the most run down Qantas lounges (except maybe Auckland if the pics I saw the other day are what it is really like) runs rings around the SQ sin lounges and TG BKK lounges. And their seating and product is just as variable as Qantas. SQ long haul, short haul, old new. And Thai just look what they fly to Sydney.
PLEASEupgrademe
PLEASEupgrademe
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
16 Nov 2017
Total posts 12
PLEASEupgrademe
PLEASEupgrademe
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
16 Nov 2017
Total posts 12
So, would QF charge me under this new proposal for selecting row 9? Would they prioritise making a few bucks off a Silver, Bronze or non QFF over A Gold FF who pays them more $$$ each year?
Seems Absurd, Greedy and Poorly thought out.
AJW
AJW
16 Nov 2011
Total posts 507
I think if I missed the point it was because it was hidden in a very large negative post. Though reading again I don’t think I have.
Oh and flights to America there are already 7 airlines that fly direct.
Qantas
Virgin Aus
Jetstar
American
United
Delta &
Hawaiian
Plus three that provide viable one stoppers
NZ
Canadian &
Fiji
So how much more competition do you want? And why do you think it is viable for SQ or TG to fly to the US via Australia route. Sure SQ wanted it years ago when there was far less competition and they had an interest in buying Virgin Aus but now???
Though the answer to that is getting away from the topic of this thread.
PLEASEupgrademe
PLEASEupgrademe
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
16 Nov 2017
Total posts 12
Hi Guest, join in the discussion on Qantas trials preferred seating for passengers wanting a speedy exit