Cathay Pacific Asia Miles - Overbooking in F Class

I just checked on itn for a particular flight (op by 333) and it shows the following:

F4A4.

I have reserved 2 CONFIRMED Z Class seats already.

How come I can still book 8 Revenue F Class tickets?

(Note that on 333 there are only 8 seats in F Class, If I took 2 already, then How come they are still offering 8?)

As I understand it some seats are available for both A and F code sale.

I just checked on itn for a particular flight (op by 333) and it shows the following:

F4A4.

I have reserved 2 CONFIRMED Z Class seats already.

How come I can still book 8 Revenue F Class tickets?

(Note that on 333 there are only 8 seats in F Class, If I took 2 already, then How come they are still offering 8?)


CX's CRS shows a maximum of 4 F seats available for sale. So in fact, there are 4 or more seats available in either F or A class codes.

Sometimes, you will see F4 A3 which means that CX is releasing 4 or more F class codes for sale but for A class codes, there are only 3 available for sale.

CX doesn't oversell F class.

I think I did not make it clear.

On that particular CX flight, I have taken 2 F Class seats already. and at the moment that still show F4A4.

Therefore if someone goes and buy 4 A Class seats, will they automatically drop F to 2 and A to 0?

I think I did not make it clear.

On that particular CX flight, I have taken 2 F Class seats already. and at the moment that still show F4A4.

Therefore if someone goes and buy 4 A Class seats, will they automatically drop F to 2 and A to 0?

As Guy Betsy already explained, F4A4 does not mean there are 4 F class seats AND 4 A class seats available.

It means that there are at least 4 seats in total available--and that these can be sold in either F class or A class.

If you go and try to book on CX's engine, and type in first class, the maximum number of seats you can buy at ANY ONE TIME is limited to 4. I guess it goes the same for travel agent, I'm kind of assuming that maximum number of pax you can book under a first-class PNR is 4.

Therefore, if that someone wants to get on your flight, they can buy at most 4 seats in a single transaction. After which, I would presume the inventory will show something like F2A0, or even F2A2 for say.

The inventory display works as this, because CX is preventing people like you trying to "guess" how many revenue seats are still available. CX would rather not share their load info with competitors and/or outsiders.

And yes, we are very happy for you to have secured 2 F-award. We understood and now, please enjoy your flight.

Actually airlines/travel agents may book in one shot, more than the 4 shown in availability... butthey'd have to do a manual transaction instead of pulling up an availability display and then booking from there.

On SABRE anyway, that transaction is :
0CX838A09OCTHKGYVRNN5

If 5 seats in A are available, the return transaction response would be:
CX838A09OCTHKGYVR SS5

If not, it would say
CX838A09OCTHKGYVR LL5

But it's easier to just request availability and then book individually...

Thanks.

Unofrtunately I might not be able to get on that flight because of work commitments. But I am WL the day before!

Also from HKG-LHR is still WL so......

If 5 seats in A are available, the return transaction response would be:
CX838A09OCTHKGYVR SS5

If not, it would say
CX838A09OCTHKGYVR LL5

But it's easier to just request availability and then book individually...

Actually the return transactions would say:

CX883A09OCTHKGYVR HK5 or
CX883A09OCTHKGYVR HL5

The SS and LL codes are still request type codes awaiting a response from the airline; the H- code is what the pax is holding, but GB I'm sure you know that and are just jet lagged. :)

Actually the return transactions would say:

CX883A09OCTHKGYVR HK5 or
CX883A09OCTHKGYVR HL5

The SS and LL codes are still request type codes awaiting a response from the airline; the H- code is what the pax is holding, but GB I'm sure you know that and are just jet lagged. :)


Actually, GB is right (in certain cases). It also depends on what point in time you're looking at.

If you literally, on a fresh PNR, typed

0CX883A9OCTHKGYVRNN5, and simply did a *R (reload PNR) without doing an EOT (End of Transaction), it would indeed show

CX883A09OCTHKGYVR SS5 or, if the link is "good",
CX883A09OCTHKGYVR HS5 (where it already indicates to you that the seats are available and being held).

It's only after you do the EOT that the SS (or HS) is turned into HK or HL. (or the dreaded UC, UU or UN). So both of you are right, just looking at before and after the EOT respectively.

PS. On a weak link between the CRS and the carrier, it actually takes a while from the EOT for the response from the carrier... an added element of suspense :o

Actually, GB is right (in certain cases). It also depends on what point in time you're looking at.

If you literally, on a fresh PNR, typed

0CX883A9OCTHKGYVRNN5, and simply did a *R (reload PNR) without doing an EOT (End of Transaction), it would indeed show

CX883A09OCTHKGYVR SS5 or, if the link is "good",
CX883A09OCTHKGYVR HS5 (where it already indicates to you that the seats are available and being held).

It's only after you do the EOT that the SS (or HS) is turned into HK or HL. (or the dreaded UC, UU or UN). So both of you are right, just looking at before and after the EOT respectively.

PS. On a weak link between the CRS and the carrier, it actually takes a while from the EOT for the response from the carrier... an added element of suspense :o

Here is what you may see with a weak link after EOT:

CX883A09OCTHKGYVR PN5

The dreaded pending need. You then have to IR (ignore and reretrieve) until one of the above responses is received - usually within seconds; although CX is usually fairly quick. Some carriers takes hours to respond, and techincally they have 24 hours.

I hope everybody is enjoying their SABRE lesson for the day. ;)

Here is what you may see with a weak link after EOT:

CX883A09OCTHKGYVR PN5

The dreaded pending need. You then have to IR (ignore and reretrieve) until one of the above responses is received - usually within seconds; although CX is usually fairly quick. Some carriers takes hours to respond, and techincally they have 24 hours.

I hope everybody is enjoying their SABRE lesson for the day. ;)

OT: Luckily, as most of my CRS experience was working in the airlines themselves, I didn't have to wait too many times for the PN. But I do agree, it can be nerve wracking (especially when reserving reward flights on other airlines - you have no choice but to put about 10 different dates simply because it's still yet likely that all of them will come back with UC).

I actually kinda miss poking around CRSs (esp. those of airlines) - the CICs are always a goldmine of various tidbits of information :cool:

Once you receive a return reply SS2 without ending the entry, it means that you have taken 2 seats off the airline's availability in real time.

You can do other things and after a certain time lapse, the SS2 will return to NN2 which means that the 2 seat allotment you initially took has been returned to the airline's inventory. It is only when you ET the reservation, would the response be HK2.

With CX anyway, even when you cancel a booking res with HK status, the inventory does NOT necessarily go to someone who is waitlisted. For some strange reason, inventory on CX goes back to general availability first and then 'eventually' it makes its way to waitlists. One has to continually check availability on peak travel days just in case this happens.. ie Christmas, CNY.

Once you receive a return reply SS2 without ending the entry, it means that you have taken 2 seats off the airline's availability in real time.

You can do other things and after a certain time lapse, the SS2 will return to NN2 which means that the 2 seat allotment you initially took has been returned to the airline's inventory. It is only when you ET the reservation, would the response be HK2.

With CX anyway, even when you cancel a booking res with HK status, the inventory does NOT necessarily go to someone who is waitlisted. For some strange reason, inventory on CX goes back to general availability first and then 'eventually' it makes its way to waitlists. One has to continually check availability on peak travel days just in case this happens.. ie Christmas, CNY.

What CX used to do quite frequently was send back a confirmation with a TK (time correction - usually for minor time changes that aren't shown in availability) even if the times were exactly the same. Are they still doing that?

What CX used to do quite frequently was send back a confirmation with a TK (time correction - usually for minor time changes that aren't shown in availability) even if the times were exactly the same. Are they still doing that?

Not lately. Usually happens when there is a time change after a few weeks/months. Same goes with all other airline bookings.