It's not actually a hard block, so there is no need to remove it.
Qantas uses the Theoretical Seating module of their Amadeus CM system. As the name suggests, everyone on the flight is assigned a theoretical seat, without locking you in to that seat. It calculates the best seat for every customer based on business rules (e.g. unaccompanied minors MUST sit in the back rows for supervision, children MUST NOT sit in the emergency exits, frequent flyers prefer the front, groups and families should be kept together etc).
It will then hold a courtesy seat beside high value customers. It will show as occupied (not blocked) to someone with no status. However, if a customer with higher value comes along, they can select that seat from the map.
Similarly, some employees can overwrite the theoretical seats and assign that to any other customer, as there is no block in place.
TS is constantly juggling the seat map around. As someone's seating preferences change, it will reseat all remaining customers, provided all of the 'MUST' rules are met.
WelcomeAboard has given a very comprehensive response. In my experience as a Platinum One, I usually sit in seat 1a on a domestic 737. I can see that 1c is blocked to other customers. However, I almost always find that someone is assigned seat 1c just prior to boarding and this is most often a staff member of QANTAS. On other occasions it might be someone getting an upgrade. So, I rarely get a free seat next to me.
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Platinum Seat Blocking
Vortex
Vortex
Member since 04 Oct 2017
Total posts 4
Hey Guys,
I'm aware the if you're a QFF Platinum (or above) QANTAS will regularly (try to) block the seat next to you.
Over selling aside, I'm curious to better understand, if anyone knows under what circumstances this block might be removed.
WelcomeAboard
WelcomeAboard
Member since 18 Apr 2023
Total posts 3
Hi Vortex
It's not actually a hard block, so there is no need to remove it.
Qantas uses the Theoretical Seating module of their Amadeus CM system. As the name suggests, everyone on the flight is assigned a theoretical seat, without locking you in to that seat. It calculates the best seat for every customer based on business rules (e.g. unaccompanied minors MUST sit in the back rows for supervision, children MUST NOT sit in the emergency exits, frequent flyers prefer the front, groups and families should be kept together etc).
It will then hold a courtesy seat beside high value customers. It will show as occupied (not blocked) to someone with no status. However, if a customer with higher value comes along, they can select that seat from the map.
Similarly, some employees can overwrite the theoretical seats and assign that to any other customer, as there is no block in place.
TS is constantly juggling the seat map around. As someone's seating preferences change, it will reseat all remaining customers, provided all of the 'MUST' rules are met.
mern2001
mern2001
Qantas - P1 Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 10 Apr 2013
Total posts 103
WelcomeAboard has given a very comprehensive response. In my experience as a Platinum One, I usually sit in seat 1a on a domestic 737. I can see that 1c is blocked to other customers. However, I almost always find that someone is assigned seat 1c just prior to boarding and this is most often a staff member of QANTAS. On other occasions it might be someone getting an upgrade. So, I rarely get a free seat next to me.