cmiller2600

I am looking to book LH in first class from YYZ - FRA --- have been very lucky for the past few years and have gotten tons of them!!! Now I am trying to book for next June and I cannot find ANY seats in First for any month in 2013!!!

Has LH tightened its grip on the inventory? These are not even the new aircraft or any that have the sleeper seat.

Anyone have any idea of what is going on?

Thanks

Cindi

ADZ1616

Usually seats go on sale between 355 days and 10 months out. I'm sure they will appear!

yycworldtraveler

LH is no longer releasing F seats for *A partner redemption until about 14 days before departure.

Clipper801

Unable to comment on F reward on LH, but it appears that AE/AC is curtailing the booking of J reward on other *A "generically". On an intra European LH flight, I saw "C+" on KVS but cannot find the flight on Aeroplan.com. Ready to pay the $30 booking fee when I called in, the agent told me that nothing was available although it's "C+" on KVS. This is not any fancy A380 or 747-8 flights, just a simple intra-European LHR to FRA flight. The same thing with NH on one of its intra Asia regional flights. KVS "C+" but nothing available to book through Aeroplan.

yycworldtraveler

AE.com will usually only display 6 Business and 3 First Class options per segment. On high frequency routes that means that AE is blocking access to many available flights. Intra Euro C class is a great example where this blocking shows up all the time.

SFO777

While this is definitely the case for US gateways, yesterday on UA.com I saw F avails on YUL-MUC as far out as late August... unless they are phantom avails.

yycworldtraveler

All reports I've read recently suggest anything showing up more the 14 days prior to departure turns out to be phantom.

seegs

I read that LH and LX are holding availability for Mile&More members until 14 days before when they release to *A partners.

Clipper801

I called in but agent was unable to book it for me. It's "unavailable" even though KVS was indicating "C+".

So Aeroplan is implementing some form of blocking on some *A reward availability unless KVS is inaccurate.

yycworldtraveler

Correct...it's certainly a form of blocking IMO.

If you get an agent willing to direct book or use the old reservation system he/she will see the flight you want, and be able to book it. Finding an agent willing to do this is getting harder and harder.

Far Siren

Definitely phantom. If you click through it to payment page you will get an error msg.

bcnfish

LH is not releasing any F seats to Starnet more than 14 days out.

LX is not releasing any F seats period.

Away from YYZ

Really... wow, I guess I was lucky to fly LX & LH F not too long ago. (booking was made last year)

That's really sucks. Thinking of doing another mini-RTW.

arcticbull

This 14 day booking window shouldn't stop you at all... Just book J on your ideal route, and leave a 5-6h layover. Then within 2 weeks of departure pay the $90 chane fee to switch to F when possible. Repeat for the way back if it's more tha. 2 weeks from when you made your change. It's still totally doable. I just snagged round trip LH F (YUL-MUC in new F, MUC-JFK) for next week. Easy [edit] if you've already paid F miles for the trip and your flight in J shows some new F space the fee should even be waived!

As for some flights not showing up with AC but showing with ANA, all you have to do is call in and ask an agent to direct-sell the space. I've never been denied and it's always worked for me. I even had to direct-sell an AC flight one time

These are just a few new twists in our game nothing major. The LX F is a sad loss though.

SFO777

Nice find, but how do you know today that next week's YUL-MUC metal will be feature the new F?