Unable book Swiss First April 2013
Jun 27, 2012, 12:54 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: YUL
Programs: AC*SE, SPG Platinum, HH Gold, A|Club Platinum
Posts: 14
Unable book Swiss First April 2013
I want to fly with Swiss in First class YUL-ZRH-YUL in April 2013. Last year, First class was always available. This year, it seems none is! However, on Expertflyer, there are "O class" available for April 2013 every day..
Why is Aeroplan unable to book them ?
Why is Aeroplan unable to book them ?
Jun 27, 2012, 1:12 am
#2
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 6,387
That space is for miles and more members only.
Jun 27, 2012, 1:25 am
#3
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: SFO
Programs: AA EXP,AS MVPG,MR Platinum,HH Gold
Posts: 1,343
Unfortunately the last year has seen a lot of enhancements to mileage travel, especially in premium cabins. The big changes were:
1) You can NOT book LX First Class for transatlantic travel unless you are using Lufthansa's own Mile & More points.
2) You can NOT book LH First Class until 7-14 days prior to departure. It seems flights out of MUC and DUS can be booked 14 days out, and flights to/from FRA can't be booked until 7-10 days out in most cases. Again this doesn't apply to M&M.
3) You can NOT book SQ premium cabins across either the Atlantic or the Pacific unless you are using Singapore's own points.
The availability you see on ExpertFlyer, as yerffej201 points out, is space reserved for M&M members only.
1) You can NOT book LX First Class for transatlantic travel unless you are using Lufthansa's own Mile & More points.
2) You can NOT book LH First Class until 7-14 days prior to departure. It seems flights out of MUC and DUS can be booked 14 days out, and flights to/from FRA can't be booked until 7-10 days out in most cases. Again this doesn't apply to M&M.
3) You can NOT book SQ premium cabins across either the Atlantic or the Pacific unless you are using Singapore's own points.
The availability you see on ExpertFlyer, as yerffej201 points out, is space reserved for M&M members only.
Jun 27, 2012, 1:37 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: YUL
Programs: AC*SE, SPG Platinum, HH Gold, A|Club Platinum
Posts: 14
But i did book it last year (for a trip this march 2012 that I just did) coming back from BKK-FRA-ZHR-YUL, all in First class (except FRA-ZRH since only J in these planes). So, I did fly over the Atlantic in First. Aeroplan even offered it as a YUL-ZRH-YUL in First. I had done my booking in June 2011.
Did the rules change?
Did the rules change?
Jun 27, 2012, 1:42 am
#5
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: YYC - not the centre of the universe
Programs: AC*S100K 1MM, LH FTL, Hyatt Globalist, Accor Plat
Posts: 4,769
No the rules didn't change, the availability did - there is no more "O" award space for *A released by LX. 
The LH group (including LX) simply decided to no longer release award First class space to *A members in advance.
You can thank US Airways and the outrageous sign-up bonuses south of the border for that.
The LH group (including LX) simply decided to no longer release award First class space to *A members in advance.You can thank US Airways and the outrageous sign-up bonuses south of the border for that.
Jun 27, 2012, 2:00 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: YUL
Programs: AC*SE, SPG Platinum, HH Gold, A|Club Platinum
Posts: 14
Thanx for these explanations. Too bad for us ! Wish I can fly again one day First Class with LX!
But what are the chances I get upgraded at the gate if I tell them I booked a First class ticket to Asia and if there First class is empty?
But what are the chances I get upgraded at the gate if I tell them I booked a First class ticket to Asia and if there First class is empty?
Jun 27, 2012, 2:12 am
#7
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: SFO
Programs: AA EXP,AS MVPG,MR Platinum,HH Gold
Posts: 1,343
No the rules didn't change, the availability did - there is no more "O" award space for *A released by LX. The LH group (including LX) simply decided to no longer release award First class space to *A members in advance.
You can thank US Airways and the outrageous sign-up bonuses south of the border for that.
The LH group (including LX) simply decided to no longer release award First class space to *A members in advance.You can thank US Airways and the outrageous sign-up bonuses south of the border for that.
However if I were you I'd stop blaming US and start getting some of their miles! 100% buy miles promo is on now, $1800 for J class RT from North America to Europe, $1600 to North Asia 
I'm actually taking advantage of 100K US Air I got last Grand Slam for a couple hundred $ to fly my brother to Zagreb next week with me
No fuel surcharges and LH new J and LX J for him. Total fees came to $150. Remember when that used to happen here?
Last edited by arcticbull; Jun 27, 2012 at 2:24 am
Jun 27, 2012, 2:28 am
#8
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: SFO
Programs: AA EXP,AS MVPG,MR Platinum,HH Gold
Posts: 1,343
If you really want to fly LX F again without paying outright, your only choice right now that I know of is to save up some SPG points, transfer them to M&M and then either upgrade a paid C ticket, or book one of the O awards outright, complete with fuel surcharges.
Jun 27, 2012, 2:35 am
#9
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: YUL
Posts: 2,283
No the rules didn't change, the availability did - there is no more "O" award space for *A released by LX. The LH group (including LX) simply decided to no longer release award First class space to *A members in advance.
You can thank US Airways and the outrageous sign-up bonuses south of the border for that.
The LH group (including LX) simply decided to no longer release award First class space to *A members in advance.You can thank US Airways and the outrageous sign-up bonuses south of the border for that.
Jun 27, 2012, 6:06 am
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Programs: OWEmerald; STARGold; BonvoyPlat; IHGPlat/Amb; HiltonGold; A|ClubPat; AirMilesPlat
Posts: 38,186
If you read the numerous other threads on F awards on LH and LH-owned airlines, you'd know the new policy is to only release F space a week or two prior to departure. Only M&M members can get early released award seats on these flights.
Jun 27, 2012, 6:07 am
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Programs: OWEmerald; STARGold; BonvoyPlat; IHGPlat/Amb; HiltonGold; A|ClubPat; AirMilesPlat
Posts: 38,186
Jun 27, 2012, 6:23 am
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Canada
Programs: UA*1K MM SK EBG LATAM BL
Posts: 23,335
Jun 27, 2012, 1:59 pm
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Programs: OWEmerald; STARGold; BonvoyPlat; IHGPlat/Amb; HiltonGold; A|ClubPat; AirMilesPlat
Posts: 38,186
Not quite true. Seats were limited as they always are. The only time F would go out with more than one award seat taken is when the cabin is unsold a week or so prior and LH/LX opens up to award redemptions to all comers to eek some revenue from the cabin.
Jun 27, 2012, 3:33 pm
#14
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: SFO
Programs: AA EXP,AS MVPG,MR Platinum,HH Gold
Posts: 1,343
Sorry Shareholder, that's not true for LX. LX does not release First Class award space to partners at all, ever. Of the M&M airlines, only LH releases award space a week or two prior to departure in F.