Last week I took an ATR from SYD > CBR and was surprised to have been bumped out of my exit row seat somewhere between 'upgrading' into that seat in the lounge and arriving at the gate. I was instead left to fend for myself further down the back (where on the ATRs I like to be forward of the props and engines).
I was curious to understand the grounds on which VA would do this, but after a Tweet and several conversations with staff, no-one wanted to go anywhere near it.
The plane wasn't full, but row 1 certainly was when we took off - so that means it wasn't to redistribute the pax for loading reasons.
If i'd been in any seat OTHER than Row 1 I'd accept an argument that a well-intentioned staff-member thought I might like to be closer to the door, but as per the above, I don't.
Does anyone else have experience of this one, and is there any alternative conclusion to draw other than that someone higher up the Velocity totem-pole pulled rank?
Who knows. While it is very unusual for you to get bumped in those circumstances, all airlines are clear you can never be guaranteed a specific seat for any reason.
Most likely a mix-up or screw-up by a VA staffer is my view.
Why do people feel the need to vent on public forums like twitter and facebook potentially damaging businesses reputations over small insignificant issues, beggars belief! Quite sad actually that people need to do this to make themselves feel better.
Last week I took an ATR from SYD > CBR and was surprised to have been bumped out of my exit row seat somewhere between 'upgrading' into that seat in the lounge and arriving at the gate. I was instead left to fend for myself further down the back (where on the ATRs I like to be forward of the props and engines).
They might have been doing you a favour. I'm old enough to remember travelling on Lockheed Electra L-188 and even DC6-B. The first class lounge on those aircraft was in the rear, thought be the quietest place. Generally, the noisiest place on a turboprop is level with the props (noise from the tips). The high wing of the ATR and Q400 may make a difference between aft/forward, I'm not sure - I've been on F-27 Friendship (high wing) and aft still seemed like the place to be (although nowhere in an F-27 is less than noisy!). Aft won't be first class these days, but it's probably still the place to be on your ATR.
As far as I've experienced before, VA use the back doors on the ATR, so moving you to the back was putting you closer to the door
Yeah, that was my most logical conclusion - and they've done that before - but I would still have thought you don't 'accidentally' get put into an exit row, and you might prefer to remain there.
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Bounced out of exit row on the ATR to CBR
gps
gps
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
Member since 22 Apr 2018
Total posts 2
Last week I took an ATR from SYD > CBR and was surprised to have been bumped out of my exit row seat somewhere between 'upgrading' into that seat in the lounge and arriving at the gate. I was instead left to fend for myself further down the back (where on the ATRs I like to be forward of the props and engines).
I was curious to understand the grounds on which VA would do this, but after a Tweet and several conversations with staff, no-one wanted to go anywhere near it.
The plane wasn't full, but row 1 certainly was when we took off - so that means it wasn't to redistribute the pax for loading reasons.
If i'd been in any seat OTHER than Row 1 I'd accept an argument that a well-intentioned staff-member thought I might like to be closer to the door, but as per the above, I don't.
Does anyone else have experience of this one, and is there any alternative conclusion to draw other than that someone higher up the Velocity totem-pole pulled rank?
Puzzled.
- G.
MarkJohnSon Banned
MarkJohnSon Banned
Member since 19 Jan 2018
Total posts 41
Who knows. While it is very unusual for you to get bumped in those circumstances, all airlines are clear you can never be guaranteed a specific seat for any reason.
Doubleplatinum Banned
Doubleplatinum Banned
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer Platinum
Member since 07 Feb 2013
Total posts 431
Why do people feel the need to vent on public forums like twitter and facebook potentially damaging businesses reputations over small insignificant issues, beggars belief! Quite sad actually that people need to do this to make themselves feel better.
Mjkcan
Mjkcan
Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer
Member since 14 Jun 2017
Total posts 65
Agree. Who cares? It’s like a half hour flight. I’ve sat on a toilet for longer.
tommygun
tommygun
Delta Air Lines - SkyMiles
Member since 16 Oct 2017
Total posts 291
Last week I took an ATR from SYD > CBR and was surprised to have been bumped out of my exit row seat somewhere between 'upgrading' into that seat in the lounge and arriving at the gate. I was instead left to fend for myself further down the back (where on the ATRs I like to be forward of the props and engines).
They might have been doing you a favour. I'm old enough to remember travelling on Lockheed Electra L-188 and even DC6-B. The first class lounge on those aircraft was in the rear, thought be the quietest place. Generally, the noisiest place on a turboprop is level with the props (noise from the tips). The high wing of the ATR and Q400 may make a difference between aft/forward, I'm not sure - I've been on F-27 Friendship (high wing) and aft still seemed like the place to be (although nowhere in an F-27 is less than noisy!). Aft won't be first class these days, but it's probably still the place to be on your ATR.
ausJCP
ausJCP
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 28 Aug 2014
Total posts 132
Another conclusion would be that you appeared to have some attribute or impairment that disqualified you from being seated in the exit row...
e.g. Perhaps you'd been bending your elbow in the lounge a little too much, and VA staff didn't think you fit to operate the emergency exit.
JBL
JBL
Member since 01 Jun 2016
Total posts 27
As far as I've experienced before, VA use the back doors on the ATR, so moving you to the back was putting you closer to the door
gps
gps
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
Member since 22 Apr 2018
Total posts 2
Yeah, that was my most logical conclusion - and they've done that before - but I would still have thought you don't 'accidentally' get put into an exit row, and you might prefer to remain there.