Originally Posted by Catbert10
I've noticed a number of times this year that a flight had inventory in the R bucket but EAU was not run. I haven't been able to figure out why revenue management would release seats to R but not allow them to be given out as upgrades. The only thing I can think of is that they are holding the seats for mileage upgrades.
It is not that EUA is not run, it is that R bucket gets changed to 0 just before the EUA time. I tracked some recent flights DCA-IAH-DEN-IAH-DCA. The DEN-IAH was held back after normal 5 day EUA and released about 3 days out - even though only 2 out of 18 seats were sold. R was available during the day - for mileage upgrade - then R was not available late in the evening before EUA.
On the IAH-DCA R was available over 7 days before, then comes EUA time - it was 0, then available during the day, then off again at night. I believe CO is trying to get folks to burn miles, when there was lots of availability. On the IAH-DCA - 2 out of 12 sold 2 days before then EUA run of 2 days out and many moved up - both Gold and Plat.
I have seen EWR-DEN flights 2 out of 18 held until gate time - then say 14 people get gate upgrade as the boarding process is underway - then lots of confusion.