I am in the process of planning an A class Circle Pacific. One of the options I have is to fly JFK-NRT, but of course then there is the issue with no A class being available on JAL and having to book into D and taking my chances with A class coming available (there is A class available on AA).

I can understand their logic in holding back from releasing discounted fare seats when there is the possibility of selling full fare F on this flight. However on another upcoming award trip to Japan in the next few weeks it has surprised me how much JAL F award availability on the HKG-NRT sectors.

I can't help thinking that if JAL made A class available for revenue tickets then they would have fuller F cabins and would not feel compelled to make so much award space available closer to the travel date. This is counter-productive for JAL because passengers who could provide A class revenue to the airline will often book onto other carriers (instead of going with confirmed D), depriving JAL of this revenue. JAL will then release some of these seats for award travel because there is so much space available.

As much as I would like to fly JAL F on the transpacific sector, I have decided to reroute slightly to fly CX F on a JFK-HKG sector - which I am sure will also be wonderful, thereby depriving JAL of my potential JAL A class revenue.

But I am also going to try JAL's F class product, but on award travel over the next few weeks since they have so much award availability in F over the next few weeks.

IMHO, this is poor yield management by JAL.