TG Online check in, all seats taken on flight 80% empty?

[WorriedNoodle]

Can anyone explain why all the seats in online check in would show as occupied, when after boarding the said flight it is less than 20% occupancy?

 

Did I just luck out when trying to pick a seat with the phone app, or is online seat picking a waste of time, and just go with what is already given?

[BEVUP]

The way I see it, they are trying to balance the plane 

I usually book whenever & pick a seat (some times difficult ) & even major airlines are charging for certain seats

Then do online checkin 24 hrs prior 

I have seen planes full on the sites, but see empty seats ( may be for emergencies )

Then you have the idiotic airlines that all ways over book & if you don't do on line checkin may lose your seat

I've had my seat changed once from isle to window (told me was over booked ), but not know how changing my seat fixed that

 

I look at them as a bunch of crooks frauding the public with price fluctuations & false info on their sites

[KhunBENQ]

Can tell about TG but at their spin off (WD, Thai Smile), free seat reservation is included and I do it when I book the flight and not as late as online check-in.

An example for a KKC to BKK flight, 4 June (about 2 weeks ahead):

As these flights are always quite full I don't find the result too much surprising.

In the past I was often lucky with better seats (favorite row 36).

The example is from trying "PROMO" tariff, cheapest and only via internet.

And why wouldn't they block better seats waiting for higher paying customers?

 

KKC - BKK was always well booked when I used it (75% or better).

What flight was that with only 20%?

[KhunBENQ]

Same flight, booking "FLEXI" tariff (most expensive eco):

(the site does not allow me to show the whole cabin on one screen but you see the difference)

And as usual emergency rows always blocked for pre selection.

[WorriedNoodle]

OK, so not a complete waste of time, will try again and see the results. Thanks.

[KhunBENQ]

19 hours ago, WorriedNoodle said:

OK, so not a complete waste of time, will try again and see the results. Thanks.

Today I actually booked a flight with ThaiSmile for June 14.

Again lowest price available ("Saver").

And the result was similar to the above, all rows up to 51 blocked (X).

Unlikely that this reflects real seat reservations.

AND: it's new.

I am sure that in the past I could pick seats like 36A with the cheap price.