Checking Flight Load?
Jul 7, 2008, 10:56 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 289
Checking Flight Load?
I will like to know is there a way I can check the flight load of a flight ahead of time. I will be flying Airtran this Friday and will like to know if the flight will be full.
Jul 7, 2008, 8:03 pm
#2
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Chicago
Posts: 104
It's practically impossible. The only two things I can think of are:
- Which fares classes are still available? However, that won't work as you get closer because only the M's, B's, and Y's will be available anyway regardless of capacity.
- See how many of the available early-assignment seats have been booked. Yet, not everyone (in fact, often very few people) pay for advance seat assignments.
Plus... if people miss connections or book last minute, that will fill up a flight as well. I've had some where it seemed that it'd be empty and it ended up being completely full.
- Which fares classes are still available? However, that won't work as you get closer because only the M's, B's, and Y's will be available anyway regardless of capacity.
- See how many of the available early-assignment seats have been booked. Yet, not everyone (in fact, often very few people) pay for advance seat assignments.
Plus... if people miss connections or book last minute, that will fill up a flight as well. I've had some where it seemed that it'd be empty and it ended up being completely full.
Jul 8, 2008, 10:39 am
#3
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: BWI (Annapolis) & PWM (Bailey Island)
Programs: AA LT Gold (MM), WN A-List, Fairmont L/T Plat, HH Diamond
Posts: 884
If you call they'll usually give you an estimate # of open seats in the cabin, but for some reason it's in multiples of 6.
Jul 8, 2008, 12:24 pm
#4
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Chicago
Posts: 104
That's because everyone books in groups of 6, obviously...
(?? - interesting)
Even still, all it takes is one cancellation or missed connection, and a previously 1/3 full flight is now 100% full.
(?? - interesting)
Even still, all it takes is one cancellation or missed connection, and a previously 1/3 full flight is now 100% full.
Jul 8, 2008, 4:54 pm
#5
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: BWI (Annapolis) & PWM (Bailey Island)
Programs: AA LT Gold (MM), WN A-List, Fairmont L/T Plat, HH Diamond
Posts: 884
I haven't called in a while to check on availability, but when I was in college & they had X-Fares (now called Airtran-U I think) I'd call ahead to see how many seats were open & what times, they said they could never give me the exact seat count but could say it was greater than 6, 12, 18, etc. They wouldn't give me exact #'s in case I was a competitor calling (I asked once why they wouldn't give me the exact #), but they could have just been BS'ing me. If you do call, let me know if they still do multples of 6 or just had my account flagged as someone to mess with.
Jul 9, 2008, 1:51 pm
#6
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: DEN
Programs: UA Gold-MM, AA Gold-MM, F9-Silver, Hyatt Something, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,392
I didn't realize that FL oversells often enough to make it worthwhile to check the loads.
Jul 9, 2008, 3:30 pm
#7
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: BWI (Annapolis) & PWM (Bailey Island)
Programs: AA LT Gold (MM), WN A-List, Fairmont L/T Plat, HH Diamond
Posts: 884
The last few times I've tried to get down to BWI out of BOS on a Sat they were looking for VDB's, week days its usually never a problem. Hopefully they'll be taking VDB's this Sat. Save on moving/relocation costs!
Jul 10, 2008, 6:29 am
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 289
Well, I called and both of my segments on the return are overbook. What is the usually compensation for a bump.
Note: This is the last flight of the day so will they put me up in a hotel as well?
Note: This is the last flight of the day so will they put me up in a hotel as well?
Jul 10, 2008, 10:13 am
#9
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Atlanta, GA
Programs: DL 1MM Diamond, UA Silver, AA Gold, Marriott Titanium, IHG Spire, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 594
In my experience, its a free roundtrip. If they really need volunteers, they'll offer two free RTs. You must make the reservation within a year (so you have almost two years to actually fly). They are NOT transferrable...you have to ticket in your name. They are actually pretty great for very last minute travel....I had success in having an agent actually open up a seat on a lightly sold flight (that for some reason showed no availability for vouchers)for a trip starting later that same day.
Jul 14, 2008, 7:54 pm
#10
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Westchester Co, NY or Rio Grande Valley, TX or ???
Programs: BAEC G, WN A-, Hyatt G, HH G, MAR T, Hz PC, was [UA2P, FL A+Elite, BD G]
Posts: 2,271
Jul 15, 2008, 9:31 pm
#11
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Macon, GA
Programs: Delta Skymiles; Airtran A+ Rewards
Posts: 39
You could "pretend" like you are going to book a full paying coach fare, and when you get to the "choose seat options," they usually display which seats are available. I guess if they know you are going to buy a full fare ticket, the least they can do is show you which seats are available to choose from. Who knows, you might get lucky and get bumped up with all the Vanderbilts and Rockefellers.
Jul 16, 2008, 3:10 pm
#12
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: BWI (Annapolis) & PWM (Bailey Island)
Programs: AA LT Gold (MM), WN A-List, Fairmont L/T Plat, HH Diamond
Posts: 884
That's funny, on my way back from BWI this afternoon I was in 2C & as zones 2/3 were boarding, one girl while walking through biz class says to her younger sister, "just keep on going, don't pay attention to them, don't look at them, just keep on going". Not sure if they knew they were plebians or jealous they didn't get any Pepperidge Farm Milano cookies.
Mar 5, 2013, 10:49 am
#13
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 1
Hello Evryone
Cna someone tell me how the flight looks for non rev PBI - SJU on Jetblue tomorrow march 6th Thxs, Great Day flight 328 on march 6th
Mar 5, 2013, 10:23 pm
#14
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: In Exile
Programs: I fly for free.
Posts: 435
This is an AirTran forum. Stop drinking. ^