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Discrepancy between QF and CX award search and AA availability

Discrepancy between QF and CX award search and AA availability

Old Feb 3, 2011, 3:58 pm
  #46  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: New York
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Originally Posted by tt7
Are you talking about award seats? If so, it would be helpful to say so.

QF uses Amadeus, in which inventory is loaded 355 days out. AA uses Sabre, in which inventory is loaded 330 days out. Thus, QF flyers always have a 25-day head start on available award seats. As you don't say what date you're looking at, it's impossible to know if that is the reason.

I'm not aware of any evidence that either AA or QF limits the number of seats available to AA flyers (compared with what is available to QF flyers). However, there have certainly been instances of AA agents being unable to 'see' available seats on QF. All you can do is tell them to keep looking or call back and try a different agent.
sorry. this is for reward in december. i am under 330 days. expertflyer shows 3 seats available, but when i call AA they tell me they dont see any award seats. i have spoken to two different agents now. should i keep calling?
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Old Feb 3, 2011, 4:10 pm
  #47  
tt7
 
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Because the flight stops in Brisbane, have them try looking for DFW-BNE and then BNE-SYD. It appears there may be more availability DFW-SYD than there is DFW-BNE so depending on what day you are looking for and how the AA agent is looking at the flights, have them look at both DFW-SYD and DFW-BNE and BNE-SYD.

What day are you looking at?
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Old Feb 3, 2011, 4:18 pm
  #48  
 
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Originally Posted by tt7
Because the flight stops in Brisbane, have them try looking for DFW-BNE and then BNE-SYD. It appears there may be more availability DFW-SYD than there is DFW-BNE so depending on what day you are looking for and how the AA agent is looking at the flights, have them look at both DFW-SYD and DFW-BNE and BNE-SYD.

What day are you looking at?
i asked to look that way and they still dont see it. looking at dec 30th
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Old Feb 3, 2011, 4:24 pm
  #49  
 
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Originally Posted by ekartash
i asked to look that way and they still dont see it. looking at dec 30th
Umm. December 30th is more than 330 days away, no?
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Old Feb 3, 2011, 4:26 pm
  #50  
 
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Originally Posted by jordyn
Umm. December 30th is more than 330 days away, no?
nope. thats 329 days.

i have spoken to 5 different reps now. no one can see availability. maybe qantas does release different availability for AA?
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Old Feb 3, 2011, 4:29 pm
  #51  
 
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Originally Posted by ekartash
nope. thats 329 days.
I think you're counting the fact that Australia's theoretically a day ahead or something in that calculation.
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Old Feb 3, 2011, 4:41 pm
  #52  
tt7
 
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QF reports 3 seats available DFW-SYD on December 30 in J but only 1 seat to Brisbane. Your date appears to be 330 days out but I'm not sure exactly when the inventory gets loaded - just have to keep having them check DFW-SYD.
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Old Feb 3, 2011, 4:44 pm
  #53  
 
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Originally Posted by tt7
QF reports 3 seats available DFW-SYD on December 30 in J but only 1 seat to Brisbane. Your date appears to be 330 days out but I'm not sure exactly when the inventory gets loaded - just have to keep having them check DFW-SYD.
thanks for your help
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Old Feb 27, 2011, 5:11 pm
  #54  
 
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Is POS variable availability a reality for award bookings?

I have been trying to change the date of an award booking LHR-SYD on QF in 1st.

The Qantas website, Expertflyer and the BA award booking engine all showed 2 dates with 1 seat available in P (1st class redemption bucket). 5 calls to the EXP line over 5 days and talking to 5 different agents and they were unable to find the availability that I could see elsewhere. 10 minutes after my last fruitless call to the EXP desk and after reading this thread and the suggestion of POS variable availability I thought I would try the local Australian reservation number. I think that the call was rerouted to an Asian Reservation Line and the agent could immediately see the availability that the EXP desk could not.

Is there any other plausible explanation beside variable availabilty depending on POS?
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Old Feb 28, 2011, 3:47 am
  #55  
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Try asking by segment, e.g.:
LHR > SIN
SIN > SYD
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Old Feb 28, 2011, 4:27 am
  #56  
 
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Originally Posted by Austinrunner
Try asking by segment, e.g.:
LHR > SIN
SIN > SYD
While that may be good advice when trying to piece together an itinerary it doesn't seem to have any relevance to the situation I'm describing which is that different AA offices seem to see different award availability.

Even if the EXP desk was able to see individual availability for LHR-SIN and SIN-SYD I wouldn't have been able to re-ticket as my Oneworld award was issued LHR-SYD
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Old Feb 28, 2011, 12:24 pm
  #57  
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If you don't ask AA for help, you surely won't get it.
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Old Feb 28, 2011, 1:02 pm
  #58  
 
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Originally Posted by Austinrunner
If you don't ask AA for help, you surely won't get it.
Equally true as you previous post but even when you ask a Flyertalker for relevance you won't necessarily get it
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Old Mar 1, 2011, 8:31 am
  #59  
 
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I have been trying to learn all the ins and outs associated with booking All Partner and to some degree One World Business/First Class saver awards.

As suggestion on flyertalk by others I registered for Qantas FF so that I could monitor seat availability. It is very clear when searching for flights at the 355 day window and the 331 (or whatever it is for American) that AA FFs are at a great disadvantage when it comes to finding Business/First Saver awards during the initial release of the seats. I notice this because when I check the Qantas site, I see almost no availability within the AA window, but many seats available outside of the AA booking window. This is because Qantas and BA FFs can find and book the seats well perfer we can. I just want to confirm that my understanding is correct. Is it?

I have to accept that fact, but please check my logic. This disadvantage exists for the initial seats released prior to the AA booking window. Once you are within the window the advantage for Qantas and BA FFs no longer exists. AA FFs will be able to book any additional seats at the same time as Qantas and BA FFs. Is my understanding correct?

The bottom line is that it will be difficult for AA FFs during the initial release, but we have equal opportunity for any new seats released. This should mean that availability closer to the flight date should be easy to get?

I think I get it, but I just want to be sure. Thank you.
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Old Mar 1, 2011, 9:38 am
  #60  
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(1) Yes.
(2) Yes.
(3) Only if QF releases more seats. There is no guarantee that will happen.
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