What's Up With Limited "U" Availability?
Oct 17, 2018, 3:04 pm
#76
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: BOS/ORH
Programs: AS 75K
Posts: 18,323
For Saturday, the flight on the left is OAK-SEA, no U space at all though all fare buckets are wide open (3 F seats taken for those who disabled photos).
The flight on the right is the Saturday red-eye SEA-EWR, i'm probably just going to have them take me off the list all together. I won't be staying up for the snack and this is a economy passengers dream flight.
Oct 17, 2018, 3:33 pm
#77
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Between SFO and STS
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold, United Serf, Delta Gold
Posts: 731
Both of the following flights I cleared at the 75K window on Saturday the 6th and they were fairly full flights at the time. Polar opposite this time
For Saturday, the flight on the left is OAK-SEA, no U space at all though all fare buckets are wide open (3 F seats taken for those who disabled photos).
The flight on the right is the Saturday red-eye SEA-EWR, i'm probably just going to have them take me off the list all together. I won't be staying up for the snack and this is a economy passengers dream flight.
For Saturday, the flight on the left is OAK-SEA, no U space at all though all fare buckets are wide open (3 F seats taken for those who disabled photos).
The flight on the right is the Saturday red-eye SEA-EWR, i'm probably just going to have them take me off the list all together. I won't be staying up for the snack and this is a economy passengers dream flight.
Oct 17, 2018, 3:48 pm
#78
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Seattle
Programs: AS
Posts: 2,293
Oct 17, 2018, 4:10 pm
#79
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: SEA/ORD/ADB
Programs: TK ELPL (*G), AS 100K (OWE), BA Gold (OWE), Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plat, IHG Plat
Posts: 7,763
This is because the equipment changed from A320 to 737 - AS' revenue management forecasting algorithm sees 8 extra seats available and dumps open upgrade inventory, because all the historical data is based on an 8-seat F cabin.
Oct 17, 2018, 4:15 pm
#80
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: PDX
Programs: AS 75K, BW Plat, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 10,721
Checking today on AS #751 . 3 on upgrade list. Only 1 upgraded to F. Other two no upgrades at all, not even to PC.
Oct 17, 2018, 4:37 pm
#81
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: SEA
Programs: AS 100K, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 876
Sounds like a great way to start early year mileage runs in style.
Oct 17, 2018, 4:40 pm
#82
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: SEA/ORD/ADB
Programs: TK ELPL (*G), AS 100K (OWE), BA Gold (OWE), Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plat, IHG Plat
Posts: 7,763
I've never seen a GGUable fare that's MR-worthy, apart from OAL fares which allow AS domestic components. e.g. TK allows AS K inventory to be used on some of it's cheap longhaul fares.
If the goal is to MR purely on Alaska and sit in F, there are probably some P fares that are a better deal once you account for the 75% COS bonus.
If the goal is to MR purely on Alaska and sit in F, there are probably some P fares that are a better deal once you account for the 75% COS bonus.
Oct 17, 2018, 4:51 pm
#83
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: SEA
Programs: AS 100K, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 876
I've never seen a GGUable fare that's MR-worthy, apart from OAL fares which allow AS domestic components. e.g. TK allows AS K inventory to be used on some of it's cheap longhaul fares.
If the goal is to MR purely on Alaska and sit in F, there are probably some P fares that are a better deal once you account for the 75% COS bonus.
If the goal is to MR purely on Alaska and sit in F, there are probably some P fares that are a better deal once you account for the 75% COS bonus.
Oct 18, 2018, 6:09 pm
#84
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Chapel Hill, NC
Programs: UA GS; Former Alaska MVPG75/DL Diamond/NW Platinum/BA Gold
Posts: 942
SEA-DCA is one of my regular routes. U space is never available (in my experience) on these flights, never ever ever...ever. The upgrade list is always between 30 and 70 deep. It's very popular with frequent fliers. The number cleared from the list is almost always zero or one, sometimes two on the odd day. They just have no need to ever make this a freebie upgrade. I've seen members of Congress riding middle seats on these flights. I'm not saying with certainty it'll never happen, but I've never seen it.
What has seemed to change in the last month is how Alaska approaches U availability on routes with little paid F and few elites. My last three transcons have seen F filled with paid upgrades, and zero elite upgrades, so not sure what they are thinking.
Oct 18, 2018, 6:23 pm
#85
Join Date: May 2009
Location: EUG
Programs: AS MVP, AA MM, HH Diamond, MR Gold
Posts: 8,216
Yeah, the DCA flights were that way a decade ago when I flew the route regularly. I don't expect U space when there is a heavy paid-F load, nor do I expect availability to last when there are lots of elites waiting to pounce on them.
What has seemed to change in the last month is how Alaska approaches U availability on routes with little paid F and few elites. My last three transcons have seen F filled with paid upgrades, and zero elite upgrades, so not sure what they are thinking.
What has seemed to change in the last month is how Alaska approaches U availability on routes with little paid F and few elites. My last three transcons have seen F filled with paid upgrades, and zero elite upgrades, so not sure what they are thinking.
Oct 18, 2018, 7:29 pm
#86
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Bay Area, CA
Programs: UA Plat 2MM; AS MVP Gold 75K
Posts: 35,067
Got hit with this on an INTL flight. Flight had about 8 open F, F7 all the way until the 2 hour mark, where they dumped it all. 2 of us, didn't get seated together, and since it was international, it wouldn't let us or the AS Lounge agent reprint a BP (needed passport verification again, even though passports were already verified at checkin, but that was lost with the upgrade).
I get trying to sell the stuff and holding some back, but they seem to have no clue about any of the demand. I've even seen them on another flight have a completely empty cabin and dump the whole thing at the 2 hour mark.
Imagine if they metered it a bit more evenly. AS a 75K, I'm blocking Premium Class seats I will ultimately not sit in. Those are seats that they could have upgraded up into or sold into had they metered out the upgrades a bit more evenly.
I get trying to sell the stuff and holding some back, but they seem to have no clue about any of the demand. I've even seen them on another flight have a completely empty cabin and dump the whole thing at the 2 hour mark.
Imagine if they metered it a bit more evenly. AS a 75K, I'm blocking Premium Class seats I will ultimately not sit in. Those are seats that they could have upgraded up into or sold into had they metered out the upgrades a bit more evenly.
Oct 18, 2018, 8:27 pm
#87
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: Alaska 100K - MM, defender of shoes on the carpeted bulkhead 4ever, AA LT PLT, Hyatt Glob, HH Dia
Posts: 7,441
looking to book to MSY on 9/13 - Y fare 633 F fare - closer to 800. Nothing else available and not on GGU fare either.
Something smells fishy.
Something smells fishy.
Oct 18, 2018, 8:36 pm
#88
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: AS, SQ, SPG, IHG
Posts: 319
Oct 18, 2018, 10:04 pm
#89
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: SEA/ORD/ADB
Programs: TK ELPL (*G), AS 100K (OWE), BA Gold (OWE), Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plat, IHG Plat
Posts: 7,763
Got hit with this on an INTL flight. Flight had about 8 open F, F7 all the way until the 2 hour mark, where they dumped it all. 2 of us, didn't get seated together, and since it was international, it wouldn't let us or the AS Lounge agent reprint a BP (needed passport verification again, even though passports were already verified at checkin, but that was lost with the upgrade).
I get trying to sell the stuff and holding some back, but they seem to have no clue about any of the demand. I've even seen them on another flight have a completely empty cabin and dump the whole thing at the 2 hour mark.
Imagine if they metered it a bit more evenly. AS a 75K, I'm blocking Premium Class seats I will ultimately not sit in. Those are seats that they could have upgraded up into or sold into had they metered out the upgrades a bit more evenly.
I get trying to sell the stuff and holding some back, but they seem to have no clue about any of the demand. I've even seen them on another flight have a completely empty cabin and dump the whole thing at the 2 hour mark.
Imagine if they metered it a bit more evenly. AS a 75K, I'm blocking Premium Class seats I will ultimately not sit in. Those are seats that they could have upgraded up into or sold into had they metered out the upgrades a bit more evenly.
They clearly have no clue how to manage the inventory.
Oct 18, 2018, 10:35 pm
#90
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Pacific Wonderland
Programs: ʙᴏɴᴠo̱ʏ Au, IHG Au, HH Dia, Nexus, Pilot FlyingJ Preferred
Posts: 5,336
Hopefully once the Airbus fleet goes to 12F, this will normalize. Wasn't U tightened up when the 738/9 F cabins were being reconfigured, or am I misremembering?
