Nazdoom

Hi all, first time posting here so apologies if there's an existing thread I couldn't find.

I'm searching for F availability on Aeroplan and ExpertFlyer and I'm noticing that FRA-ICN in July are operated by a mix of 777s and A380s, but seemingly all FRA-ICN flights in November are 777s. The only posted route schedules I have been able to find suggest the A380 is the main plane for this route effective February 2017 but this isn't matching up with Aeroplan and EF results.

Does the A380 only operate in the summer? Is there any pattern to whether a flight is scheduled as a 777 or A380? And is the F product significantly different between the 777 and A380?

Secondly, I've noticed that Aeroplan availability for OZ F is very good out of FRA, but seemingly non-existant out of CDG, LHR, and FCO (even when both FRA and CDG/LHR/FCO are scheduled as a 777 presumably with the same number of F seats). Is this normal? Does OZ typically release seats to *A partners out of those other airports close-in or should I assume the availability I see now at T-100 and T-200 days is it?

Appreciate any help. Thanks!

Kacee

Most of OZ's 772s do not have F, which explains why you are seeing no F availability on flights operated by that aircraft.

truncated

This thread: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/asian...frankfurt.html should give you some background — the A380 was only put on FRA this year, so it's probably too early to tell if it'll come back next year or not / to discern a pattern. There is some speculation that it's going to SYD (it was on ICN-SYD from 12/26/16 – 1/21/17), but the current SYD schedule still shows 77L, so maybe it hasn't been loaded yet. Also I did some digging through their online timetable and can't find any other A380 routes apart from JFK/LAX in November/December FWIW.

Also OZ is getting rid of F on their 772s (see e.g. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/asian...structure.html and http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/asian...y-f-class.html), so no guarantee it'll be around by whenever you're flying.

jon503

To add to the above, the current status I heard from Asiana directly is that the A380 is the main plane serving FRA now, but that it is switched for a 777 towards the later part of the year through winter (no futher details confirmed, but it seems something like Nov-Feb). As truncated notes, this is of course subject to change next year depending on how the passenger yield factor develops across routes

Nazdoom

I appreciate the help Kacee, truncated, and jon503.

I now see the 388 scheduled for November out of FRA. This is nice, though I really hoped I could fly F out of a different Euro airport. Oh well.

What still baffles me is ExpertFlyer (and Aeroplan) show no award flights/availability in any class for FRA-ICN from July 15-Aug 20, but they show availability both before and well after this period. Googleing around, I found this https://us.flyasiana.com/C/popup/en/Season.html which happens to mention this period as "peak" and thus require more points when booked through Asiana points. Does Asiana not offer any seats in "peak" periods to partner awards programs (namely Aeroplan) or should I expect seats to be released closer in?

Thanks guys!

Kacee

Blackout period.