seemingly sudden shuttering of U space
Oct 27, 2016, 10:28 am
#1
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seemingly sudden shuttering of U space
Starting to plan 2017 travel w/ companion fare and I am seeing a seeming "shuttering" of U space on a lot of leisure routes where U has been historically abundant, on dates both near and far.
SNA/SAN-Mexico
OAK/SMF/SJC-Hawaii
Very annoying as I am fairly sure they aren't going to sell out the F cabin on these flights on paid fares.
When did this advance U release pattern change for the worse?
SNA/SAN-Mexico
OAK/SMF/SJC-Hawaii
Very annoying as I am fairly sure they aren't going to sell out the F cabin on these flights on paid fares.
When did this advance U release pattern change for the worse?
Oct 27, 2016, 10:36 am
#2
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I've had a few tickets booked since the summer starting in Nov. and going all the way to May of 2017. All in K, waiting to use GGU's. Not a single U seat has shown up on any of them. And like you, these are all traditionally U-heavy routes. It is quite annoying as the cabins are wide open - in all cases, no more than 1 F seat chosen. And yeah, I know that doesn't mean anything but EF has shown (and is still showing today) F7 for every single flight.
I kind of understood it when they were doing the F reduction to 3 rows, but c'mon, these flights are wide open and I've even checked well into next August and they are all F7, U0.
I kind of understood it when they were doing the F reduction to 3 rows, but c'mon, these flights are wide open and I've even checked well into next August and they are all F7, U0.
Oct 27, 2016, 11:26 am
#3
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http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/alask...out-there.html
12 F 738 < 16 F 738...
AS is going to have a bunch of new fares that include Y+. This affects their projections of what they sell as an upgradeable fare into F and how fare classes work. They probably don't want to give away inventory they won't be able to get back later.
Keep in mind 90%+ of the universe of travelers doesn't plan their travel months in advance. Obssessive travel nerds (e.g., people who post on FT) who plan out their travel many months in advance are not the norm airlines plan for.
12 F 738 < 16 F 738...
Keep in mind 90%+ of the universe of travelers doesn't plan their travel months in advance. Obssessive travel nerds (e.g., people who post on FT) who plan out their travel many months in advance are not the norm airlines plan for.
Oct 27, 2016, 1:32 pm
#4
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I guess this will spread into 737-900s for 2017...
I hope that's it and they don't go the way United did where now in many cases they shut down upgrade space until a couple weeks before the flight in the hope they can sell it all. Upgrades are free so they didn't want to give them away at time of booking anymore, even though instruments are provided that are [only] "capable" of upgrading at time of booking.
I hope that's it and they don't go the way United did where now in many cases they shut down upgrade space until a couple weeks before the flight in the hope they can sell it all. Upgrades are free so they didn't want to give them away at time of booking anymore, even though instruments are provided that are [only] "capable" of upgrading at time of booking.
Oct 27, 2016, 1:39 pm
#5
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Perhaps more advance bookings are common on leisure routes, I don't know. In any case, I am a bit annoyed that I can't burn off these GGUs when I want to...particularly when I have to pay up to a K fare to be 'eligible to play' if and when U does open.
And to those who would say "call and fare up when U opens", indeed that is fine, however by the time U opens we may be all the way up to H fares or beyond...
Oct 27, 2016, 1:52 pm
#6
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Unless it's a specific city I NEED to go to, I've gotten to the point where if I don't find U space, I don't book it....that's essentially why I have never flown the SEA-FLL route 
Hawaii has gotten noticeably more difficult to find U space....and to a lesser extent, Mexico. The evening flights from SEA to Hawaii seem to be most likely to offer U space.
Hawaii has gotten noticeably more difficult to find U space....and to a lesser extent, Mexico. The evening flights from SEA to Hawaii seem to be most likely to offer U space.
Oct 27, 2016, 1:54 pm
#7
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About the time the changes to the 73H were imminent. August or so I sensed a change.
Oct 27, 2016, 3:16 pm
#8
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This only serves to reinforce my idea that opening of U in advance is not going to have a tremendously significant effect on available seats allocated to P and F later on.
Perhaps more advance bookings are common on leisure routes, I don't know. In any case, I am a bit annoyed that I can't burn off these GGUs when I want to...particularly when I have to pay up to a K fare to be 'eligible to play' if and when U does open.
And to those who would say "call and fare up when U opens", indeed that is fine, however by the time U opens we may be all the way up to H fares or beyond...
Perhaps more advance bookings are common on leisure routes, I don't know. In any case, I am a bit annoyed that I can't burn off these GGUs when I want to...particularly when I have to pay up to a K fare to be 'eligible to play' if and when U does open.
And to those who would say "call and fare up when U opens", indeed that is fine, however by the time U opens we may be all the way up to H fares or beyond...
I'm having to pay up to burn GGU's. I could understand this when they were adjusting seat maps for reconfigured aircraft (saw this in action when planning award travel). In other cases, it makes no sense and it feels like someone in rev management goes through this activity by reading Taro cards.
Have a trip to DFW coming up and Monday I checked for U space (U7), on a 739 (16F) aircraft for the return to PDX. They were all there (U7), but got dragged into a meeting and didn't get a chance to call until that evening. When I did call all of the U space had been pulled. U0. No change to F seat map.
Have an EF alert, but have also spot-checked myself. All SEA-DFW and returns have U space, both outbound and one of the return flights have U space - why this one flight on this day when there are U12 open? The aircraft has not been reconfigured -still 16F, yet still showing U0. Makes no sense.
Oct 27, 2016, 3:59 pm
#9
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Visit the FCM thread on the DL forum and the 10's of dollars upgrade thread on United.
It is what it is in 2016 and beyond.
It is what it is in 2016 and beyond.
Oct 27, 2016, 4:11 pm
#10
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I got U on SEA-FLL for a prime date (12/23) with no problem just last week. however, i did book the redeye. the day flight was booked full in F already all around Xmas.
this behavior doesn't seem to be prominent on AS the way it is on UA and DL. perhaps that might change in 2017.
this behavior doesn't seem to be prominent on AS the way it is on UA and DL. perhaps that might change in 2017.
Oct 27, 2016, 5:20 pm
#11
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I don't think we're going to be "suffering" TOD upgrades on AS - Attractive enough P fares on routes that aren't getting enough full F will fill most cabins up.
Oct 27, 2016, 7:05 pm
#12
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Smaller cabins = less space to go around and less U space.
Oct 27, 2016, 8:01 pm
#13
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apparently in AS' mind, less = 0
very few if any longer or leisure oriented 738 routes have any U space available past January of 2017, based on what i am seeing/sampling. admittedly a biased and very incomplete sample, but...
very few if any longer or leisure oriented 738 routes have any U space available past January of 2017, based on what i am seeing/sampling. admittedly a biased and very incomplete sample, but...
Oct 27, 2016, 8:47 pm
#14
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Despite this reflecting more on availability in 2017.
I'm Feeling fortunate to have burned my last two GGU's last night on December travel To / from ORD.
I cancelled the outbound (an existing res) for the trip and rebooked the exact same flight for instant UG, $40 + cert. whereas when I had chatted reservations the upfare was $89 on my Orig res. OK, have it your way
On the return, a flight change + $9 + a cert got me the instant UG.
The Outbound is on a 738 with a 12 F seat map. I bought the original Tix in April and had beven waitlisted as long but figured why take the chance and the certs expire soon anyway.
Coincidentally these will be the first flights as a 75k.
I'm Feeling fortunate to have burned my last two GGU's last night on December travel To / from ORD.
I cancelled the outbound (an existing res) for the trip and rebooked the exact same flight for instant UG, $40 + cert. whereas when I had chatted reservations the upfare was $89 on my Orig res. OK, have it your way
On the return, a flight change + $9 + a cert got me the instant UG.
The Outbound is on a 738 with a 12 F seat map. I bought the original Tix in April and had beven waitlisted as long but figured why take the chance and the certs expire soon anyway.
Coincidentally these will be the first flights as a 75k.
Last edited by flyupfrnt; Oct 27, 2016 at 8:52 pm
Oct 27, 2016, 10:05 pm
#15
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Despite this reflecting more on availability in 2017.
I'm Feeling fortunate to have burned my last two GGU's last night on December travel To / from ORD.
I cancelled the outbound (an existing res) for the trip and rebooked the exact same flight for instant UG, $40 + cert. whereas when I had chatted reservations the upfare was $89 on my Orig res. OK, have it your way
On the return, a flight change + $9 + a cert got me the instant UG.
The Outbound is on a 738 with a 12 F seat map. I bought the original Tix in April and had beven waitlisted as long but figured why take the chance and the certs expire soon anyway.
Coincidentally these will be the first flights as a 75k.
I'm Feeling fortunate to have burned my last two GGU's last night on December travel To / from ORD.
I cancelled the outbound (an existing res) for the trip and rebooked the exact same flight for instant UG, $40 + cert. whereas when I had chatted reservations the upfare was $89 on my Orig res. OK, have it your way
On the return, a flight change + $9 + a cert got me the instant UG.
The Outbound is on a 738 with a 12 F seat map. I bought the original Tix in April and had beven waitlisted as long but figured why take the chance and the certs expire soon anyway.
Coincidentally these will be the first flights as a 75k.
