Is there any rhyme or reason to the timing of airline fare sales? This year, there were fewer summer sales (I waited, and ended up paying more when discounts didn't appear), then a higher than normal number of fall sales. Soon, we should start seeing shoulder season trans-Atlantic sales. Or will we, given the fall sales?

Does anyone have any insight into "if these events happen early in the year, then later in the year certain other events should happen"?