Tinpis
I don't think JQ pay the extra to have DIA (owners of DRW Airport) update arrival/departure times on the monitors which doesn't help matters.
Saw one woman lose it when she'd come to pick up her mum from BNE & was waiting upstairs for her thinking the flight hadn't arrived. She'd asked someone what time Jetstar was arriving (didn't mention the flight form Brisbane) & staff assumed she meant the Melbourne flight which was still to land but had been further delayed. Then her mum appears as she had been downstairs all the time. She exploded and launched into a tirade (in front of her two small children) about who she could complain to etc etc.
Hope the Missus packed a cut lunch to take with her as more often that not all the grub gets eaten on the way up leaving nought on the way back even if you were prepared to pay for it.
I believe when allocated seating comes in punters are allocated seats at the time of reservation and that's what they're stuck with.
If this is the case it will still cause problems for families wanting to sit together if they don't all book at the same time which happens frequently.
In the meantime to get an idea of boarding a flight with open seating just check out any sheep ship bound for Saudi Arabia you won't be too far off the mark.
