Possible Mistake: Delta Sometimes Showing Near Unlimited Partner Availability
Jan 7, 2015, 8:13 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2010
Programs: Enough
Posts: 961
Possible Mistake: Delta Sometimes Showing Near Unlimited Partner Availability
I posted this on my blog, Don't Call the Airline!
Update I: The incognito searching (with Chrome) was just my computer acting up. It looks like you do NOT need to do any special searching tricks to find this availability.
Update II: There's also plenty of availability from the USA to Europe, Asia, and some to Australia on DELTA in low economy class for many passengers.
One of my part-time jobs is as an award booker. I was recently working on a file using Delta Skymiles, and was facing a number of oddities on the Delta.com website. For example, there was a Virgin Atlantic flight that I wanted. It wasn’t appearing on a normal Delta search, nor was it showing as available to the Delta phone agents. However, if I put my browser into incognito mode, logged out of my Skymiles account, and searched initially using the “flexible” search option, that flight showed up, and showed up as bookable (and booked!)
Here’s an example: if you search for LHR-JFK on July 2nd for FOUR passengers normally, VS 3 will not show up as available in business. However, if you restart the search in incognito mode and using the flexible search option, not only will 4 seats show as available, but 9 will as well! It’s also interesting to note that there are 9 seats available in business on Virgin Atlantic LHR-JFK almost every day in the calendar!
OK, now here’s another interesting one. I’m seeing the same 9 seat business availability on Air France, for example, CDG-JNB.
That’s 9 seats! Now, let’s look at the ExpertFlyer availability, which shows only 4 business seats available for that flight.
What’s really amazing – these flights aren’t just phantom, THEY’RE TICKETING
Here’s another one with Korean Air (which seems less available with this mistake, but still there for 9 people sometimes!):
This flight shows as NO AVAILABILITY (even for 1) on KVS!
Update I: The incognito searching (with Chrome) was just my computer acting up. It looks like you do NOT need to do any special searching tricks to find this availability.
Update II: There's also plenty of availability from the USA to Europe, Asia, and some to Australia on DELTA in low economy class for many passengers.
One of my part-time jobs is as an award booker. I was recently working on a file using Delta Skymiles, and was facing a number of oddities on the Delta.com website. For example, there was a Virgin Atlantic flight that I wanted. It wasn’t appearing on a normal Delta search, nor was it showing as available to the Delta phone agents. However, if I put my browser into incognito mode, logged out of my Skymiles account, and searched initially using the “flexible” search option, that flight showed up, and showed up as bookable (and booked!)
Here’s an example: if you search for LHR-JFK on July 2nd for FOUR passengers normally, VS 3 will not show up as available in business. However, if you restart the search in incognito mode and using the flexible search option, not only will 4 seats show as available, but 9 will as well! It’s also interesting to note that there are 9 seats available in business on Virgin Atlantic LHR-JFK almost every day in the calendar!
OK, now here’s another interesting one. I’m seeing the same 9 seat business availability on Air France, for example, CDG-JNB.
That’s 9 seats! Now, let’s look at the ExpertFlyer availability, which shows only 4 business seats available for that flight.
What’s really amazing – these flights aren’t just phantom, THEY’RE TICKETING
Here’s another one with Korean Air (which seems less available with this mistake, but still there for 9 people sometimes!):
This flight shows as NO AVAILABILITY (even for 1) on KVS!
Last edited by durberville; Jan 7, 2015 at 10:12 pm
Jan 7, 2015, 8:31 pm
#2
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Note that for some carriers and some fare classes, the maximum number of seats that EF shows is 4, not 9.
Jan 7, 2015, 8:35 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2010
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Posts: 961
Jan 7, 2015, 8:43 pm
#6
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: ATL
Programs: Delta PlM, 1M
Posts: 6,363
I looked at a TPAC BE 2 days ago and there was some availability on KE showing, but the return was off by one day so I did not grab it. Yesterday every flight was open so I grabbed the exact days I wanted.
Do not yet see my ticket on KE (though that website is a bit screwy, time will tell).
Do not yet see my ticket on KE (though that website is a bit screwy, time will tell).
Jan 7, 2015, 9:23 pm
#7
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Manhattan Beach, California
Programs: BMI Diamond Club Gold forever
Posts: 6,367
I saw this too on TPAC routes. Absolutely crazy good availability for multiple seats in J on partners for next year. I had just booked 5 CX awards for next Fall and so was doing the search on DL as I do every year usually to remind myself why I shouldn't accrue too many Skymiles ;-) If this isnt a glitch then maybe its time to rethink that!
Jan 12, 2015, 8:56 pm
#13
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: IAH
Programs: Delta Platinum & 2MM, Marriott Lifetime TIT, Hertz Pres Club, IHG Gold, *A Gold
Posts: 1,253
Thanks to this thread, I went online and booked my vacation this year.
Nov.
PDX-SEA-ICN-BKK
Dec.
HKG-ICN-LAX-PDX
2 J/F tix (except PDX-SEA) at level 1 award level. Asian flights on KE.
CZ was bookable too a couple days ago, but not now.
Nov.
PDX-SEA-ICN-BKK
Dec.
HKG-ICN-LAX-PDX
2 J/F tix (except PDX-SEA) at level 1 award level. Asian flights on KE.
CZ was bookable too a couple days ago, but not now.
Feb 16, 2015, 5:51 am
#15
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: San Diego
Programs: IHG Spire Amb, HH Diamond, DL Diamond and 1MM
Posts: 3,610
Thank Partners, Not Delta
Delta just shows the availability that its partners make available. Also, Delta's online booking calendar is doing a much better job of showing the ACTUAL availability.
I've been looking at Australia and South Africa awards on both KVS and Delta for January 2016.
1. I have noticed among VA/VS/KL/KE some crazy good availability like four (or more) in biz and seven (or more) in coach (+CS4, +YS7)
2. What KVS shows is actually bookable on Delta (Delta's website is fixed?!)
3. Availability on Delta's own metal is the usual rare and scattered +1 or +2.
I've been looking at Australia and South Africa awards on both KVS and Delta for January 2016.
1. I have noticed among VA/VS/KL/KE some crazy good availability like four (or more) in biz and seven (or more) in coach (+CS4, +YS7)
2. What KVS shows is actually bookable on Delta (Delta's website is fixed?!)
3. Availability on Delta's own metal is the usual rare and scattered +1 or +2.