Junior_2J&K

Just a quick question, which actually might not belong in this thread, but I could not find a similar topic and did not want to create a new one just for this. Mods please feel free to move.

Booked on AF990 in May CDG-JNB on the A380 in F and I had initially selected Seat 3L, but now the seat maps shows 1A and row 2 only. La Premiere line said that this was probably blocked for staffing reasons(??) but she did not sound so sure.

Anyone experienced the same? Is there any reconfiguration going on? Or is this just a temporary thing?

brunos

This is quite common for the A380. But it depends on destination and day.
I have checked on Expertflyer for Hong Kong and the seat map typically shows only two rows for the A380. A guess is that these are flights that are possible candidates for substitution by a 77W (with only two rows), as this happens often to HKG (on days where the A380 is scheduled).

Junior_2J&K

Thanks ! I guess I'll just have to wait and see.

delanotre

On march 29th and after, all AF990 (and return) shows only 2 rows in GDS. Probably a glitch linked to summer time, as on march 28th and before they show two flights AF 990 at same time (and 3 rows in F) but with a different arriving time (+ 1h10).

29 Mar 2015/AF 990/CDG-JNB/388/F-First][
A | E F | L
1 -
2 - + + +

[+] Available
[-] Unavailable

one day before:

CDG Paris Charles De Gaulle/Roissy FR [LFPG]
JNB Johannesburg Metro / OR Tambo Intl ZA = JNB HLA [FAJS]
SAT 28 Mar 2015 - 04 Apr 2015

Carrier Flight From Depart To Arrive A/C St Frequency | Dur'n | Dep T | Arr T | Effect | Ending | Exceptions
--------- ------ ---- -------- ---- -------- --- -- ----------------------------------------------------------------
AF 990 CDG 23:30 JNB 10:00 +1 388 0 1234567 10:30 2E A 29 Mar 24 Oct Sat 28 Mar
AF 990 CDG 23:30 JNB 11:10 +1 388 0 -----6- 10:40 2E A 14 Mar 28 Mar Sat 04 Apr

28 Mar 2015/AF 990/CDG-JNB/388/F-First][/URL][/COLOR][/B]
A | E F | L
1 +
2 + + + +
3 + + + +

[+] Available
[-] Unavailable

brunos

Interesting. But HKG A380 does have this difference before/after March 29. Also they never offer more than P5 for sale. That is another reason to suspect a 77W swap.

orbitmic

But a 77W would not have 5 seats! My guess is that this is a regular A388 but that at the time of low demand, they are proposing to limit to 5 seats per flight to save one crew member. I know it sounds odd, but I think that is quite within the AF way of thinking...

bodory

Looks like to me another IT glitch in seat maps as we (too) frequently see them.

brunos

Interesting question about AF way of thinking.
I wonder what is the number of F pax that a single FA is supposed/limited to serve.
But even it it were five, those pax could sit anywhere in the cabin. And the limitation of seats sold is done via P, F bucket availability, not by seat number assignment. However, I see on EF, that 77W to HKG also have a seat map with only 5 F seats showing. On all these flights, bucket availability is only P5, F4 while the flight is empty and there are 8 F seats on these "old" 77W. Strange.

justaskme

In order to give an end to all this speculation :

Every season AF determines the number of P seats offered to some destinations.
It has nothing to do with an eventual swap between A380 and B77W.
AF do not swap aircraft from one day to another unless for technical issues.
For winter 2014/15 the following destinations offer only 5P whether on B77W or A380 : ABJ , DXB , DKR, GRU, HKG, IAH, MIA , NRT, PEK, PVG, and SIN and has not

On all these flights only 1 flight attendant is required for 5 customers. In case there are more one flight attendant is added out of CDG.
If the flight is not full the P flight attendant normally suggests to the customer to use one seat for dinner and one for sleep.

Goldorak

Thank you for these precisions and welcome to Flyertalk
You are obviously working for AF (?) and it's good to have some insiders on this forum.
Back to topic : I was aware of this limitation to P5 for some flights in order to have only one FA. But I have to admit I have always find this practice very weird. Indeed, I can completely understand that if only 5 seats or less are sold for a particular flight and same for the return, you limit to one FA for the P cabin. But, for sales, why restricting them at 5 out of 8 (B77W) or 9 (A380) if you would be able to sell more ? And in case you sell more, you add a 2nd FA. His/her salary and travel expenses will be largely covered by the sale of a few more P seats.
I really don't understand (and I'm sure I'm not the only one here) so if you could elaborate on this topic, t would be nice

stargold

I'm guessing that they maybe "expand" the F cabin to the proper number, when the F booking level reaches near/at 5/9?

Goldorak

May be but that doesn't explain why capping at 5 on first intention. There's nothing "harmful" to AF by putting on sale their whole cabin.

bodory

Also very intrigued by this cap. Then why only in P cabin?
I am not aware of any airline doing this except when the seats are used for crew rest which does not seem to be the case here.

Junior_2J&K

Agreed. It seems a bit strange, though in line with what the 'La Première' hotline rep said about caps due to staffing levels. Seems very strange that companies would cap even though loads might change up to the last minute anyway (especially in F I suppose).

Interestingly, KVS shows P8 and F4 for the day I'm flying, though the seat map shows only the 5 seats. I would assume that if you'd do it the other way around if you wanted to cap sales at 5 pax...

bodory

Maybe they have interfaced the revenue management and the crew HR departments