Originally Posted by
RealHJ
It may be DL blocking these VN flights. I hope not (to the best of my knowledge, there are no confirmed reports of DL blocking awards, other than during KE and a few other airline blackout dates, which are at least published)...but if you see it available on AF and DL won't let you book it, it may be DL blocking (if so, that's a relatively new and further major devaluation of the SlyMiles program). Via long-sell DL could still likely get it, but agents either are not allowed to do it, or have had that functionality entirely taken away from them now.
I'm also curious if there are any confirmed firsthand reports of DL blocking/blackouts of certain VN award availability?
I'm currently looking at a VN HAN-ICN segement over the holidays that clearly has O inventory. The flight doesn't show up on DL.com and I spoke with a very proactive and helpful DL agent yesterday. She first tried to long-sell the segment (no success) and then researched it further. After putting me on hold for a while and speaking to several supervisors, she came back and read some policy they found that stated something close to the effect that "VN segments that come back unconfirmed are blocked."
The DL webpage that discusses award blackout dates makes absolutely no mention of VN (only KE, CI, and CZ blackouts are listed).
-FlyerBeek