FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Frequent PEK-HKG flyers - what is chance to get off waiting list for Friday flight
Old Apr 6, 2011 | 6:39 am
  #2  
QRC3288
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: CX, UA, Shangri-La, Hyatt, Starwood
Posts: 8,201
Originally Posted by Jane's Addiction
Had to book trip to Beijing on short notice for Thurs/Friday. Ideally want to come back on Friday afternoon / evening / night, but of course J is all booked up (and J seat guarantee doesn't work on KA flights). So either Y on Fri night or come back on Sat morning in J (staying in Beijing for the night is not a hardship... can do a dinner / night out with friends there).

Curious what your experiences are getting onto a Friday evening flight in J by waitlisting.

Thanks
Low chance. Friday night J class is absolutely packed. I'd just go with Y, it's not bad at all. Friday night Y loads are strange, sometimes it's completely oversold as well, other times I've had a row to myself. I am quite used to KA Y and think it's fine, not to mention some KA crews really go above and beyond with service levels for DMs in EY class.

1.) J seat guarantee doesn't work for KA?!! I had no idea...
2.) J is almost always oversold on Friday nights. Even if you're on the three-class config, whereby F is usually undersold, J will be oversold by so much they'll flow into F and there still won't be any Y op-ups. Frequently on Friday night they're paying J pax to downgrade to Y.
3.) Often times they try to keep the bulkheads blocked, because they're bumping J pax down to Y class and keeping that open for them. You can request to sit there if you're DM and sometimes they'll be accommodating.
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