Hi,

I would like to go to BKK in either May or June (any date in those two months is fine). However, there doesn't appear to be any I bucket availability to go with the M fare that I would like to buy. The NW CSA keep saying to call back every day.

Experienced NW Asia travelers, do you think it is worth hoping that a RT UG opportunity will open in that timeframe or should I just forget about it?

Thank you.


Warning - my rant below against the CEO idiots destroying NW and all of the Big Six:

It doesn't surprise me that the Big Six (including NW) are getting their butts kicked by the Southwests of the world. Just look at this whole upgrade nonsense. NW should really make I buckets available on its website (as at least UA does): it would keep us from constantly bothering their CSAs who could actually be selling tickets and it would allow us to find availability. Yes, I know we can access the I buckets via smiley67's download, but how long will that access last and it is still little known and a pain to download.

Instead, NW and the other Big Six stupidly assume that I will give up and buy an actual full fare business class ticket or at least a coach ticket. Well, there completely wrong!

At least 95% of us will never pay the absurd prices that they want for WBC. My company is a Fortune 200 company and whenever I have flown for work to Asia our business class fares have always been in the $2000 - 2,500 range (even when we book at the last minute). Also, the above fares are not for NW, but are for CX, KE and SG. Despite the myth that business travelers are paying the full fare C fares, I know this is untrue. Thus, if billion dollar companies are receiving 50% discounts on C fares, how can NW or any of the other Big Six seriously expect leisure travelers to pay the full fares. Considering how poorly the Big Six have done (even well before 9-11), it proves my point that the executives (not the pilots, FAs, etc.) are complete morons.

In my one case, if I can't get the upgrade using the M fare (which is about $1,120), I will buy a $1,150 Eva evergreen deluxe ticket instead. It is not as good a deal as getting C upgrade with NW, but it is certainly better than sitting in NW's Y hell (no pitch and no PTVs). Instead, NW executives would rather have WBC go empty than accept my $1,120. Plus, I would be willing to pay up to $1,600 for a C upgrade for the May - June timeframe. End of rant.