Chances of F award availability opening up when cabin is ~50% full
Oct 18, 2022, 4:56 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2012
Location: LAX
Programs: DL, UA
Posts: 421
Chances of F award availability opening up when cabin is ~50% full
Traveling from ORD-LHR next week on a date with no F availability (currently booked in J, which had plenty of availability). Curious what the odds are of seats opening up in F closer to if cabin loads are at appx. 50%? This is not only according to the seat map, but I have also played around with cash bookings and BA are selling ~50% of the seats as well. I assume it is hard to say but am curious if I should keep looking out for F upgrade availability. Booked on the new 787-10 suites now so not complaining!
Oct 18, 2022, 5:28 pm
#2
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,832
The odds are very low that F seats will open up for Avios redemptions for several reasons. With the reduced size of the F cabin, Avios seats are rare. And BA doesn’t want to fill the F cabin with Avios flyers just because there are empty seats....they would prefer that the seats fly empty than dilute the F experience....and the F revenue.
Oct 18, 2022, 5:34 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2012
Location: LAX
Programs: DL, UA
Posts: 421
The odds are very low that F seats will open up for Avios redemptions for several reasons. With the reduced size of the F cabin, Avios seats are rare. And BA doesn’t want to fill the F cabin with Avios flyers just because there are empty seats....they would prefer that the seats fly empty than dilute the F experience....and the F revenue.
Oct 18, 2022, 7:18 pm
#4
Join Date: Oct 2004
Programs: BA Gold, Hilton Diamond, AA Gold
Posts: 46
I snagged a F reward LHR to LAX at 22:30 the night before the flight in September. Earlier in the evening I had called the gold line to enquire about availability. The only option at that time was a PE seat. The agent suggested I book that and try for a cash upgrade at checkin. I declined that option (I already had a J seat booked on Aer Lingus). I tried an Hail Mary at 22:30 and low and behold a F award had opened up.
Never stop looking, you never know.
Never stop looking, you never know.
Oct 18, 2022, 7:40 pm
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Juneau, Alaska.
Programs: AS 75K;BA Silver;AA G;HH Dia;HY Glob
Posts: 15,813
I snagged a F reward LHR to LAX at 22:30 the night before the flight in September. Earlier in the evening I had called the gold line to enquire about availability. The only option at that time was a PE seat. The agent suggested I book that and try for a cash upgrade at checkin. I declined that option (I already had a J seat booked on Aer Lingus). I tried an Hail Mary at 22:30 and low and behold a F award had opened up.
Never stop looking, you never know.
Never stop looking, you never know.
Oct 19, 2022, 12:23 am
#6
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Gold, Mucci: Classe de la Luxe Eternelle
Posts: 816
This is completely right. I am on my most thorough USA F avios seat assessment ever and if there are 3 or more seats available for sale, it is likely that something will be offered at some point in the 7 days leading up to the flight.
Oct 19, 2022, 1:08 am
#7
Moderator: Qatar Airways
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: LHR/NCE/MIA
Programs: BAEC GfL & GGL, SQ Gold, Amex Centurion, Mucci des Chevaliers des Bons Mots et Qui Savent Moucher
Posts: 8,948
If A class is showing as available within 24 hours of the flight departing, you can sometimes ask if RevMan will open up the seat for Avios.
M
M
Oct 19, 2022, 2:40 am
#8
Join Date: Sep 2010
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 255
Oct 19, 2022, 5:04 am
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Barcelona, London, on a plane
Programs: BA Silver, TK E+, AA PP, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 13,043
If an F award opens up in a half-full cabin, chances are good that J and perhaps PE are getting quite full. So getting somebody to pay in advance for a likely opup is a win for BA...
Oct 19, 2022, 7:39 am
#11
Join Date: Jun 2022
Programs: BAEC Gold, Hilton Silver
Posts: 56
I think in that situation it’s more likely that cheap online upgrade offers and airport upgrade offers will appear. The Avios seat in a less than half full cabin is probably just a quiet flight in general. This is just my speculation though.
Oct 19, 2022, 8:03 am
#12
Join Date: Oct 2004
Programs: BA Gold, Hilton Diamond, AA Gold
Posts: 46
I was actually assigned 1A, but due to seat malfunction moved to 1K at boarding. First time ever (for me) the captain came to my seat and apologized for the seat move. My response was to thank him for his concern, but I am very happy to have a working seat in this cabin. The crew on this flight were superb to the point where I handed out a golden ticket.
Oct 19, 2022, 8:13 am
#13
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: London
Programs: BA Silver, ZSL Silver
Posts: 2,551
I imagine that as a GGL you would have much more success here than me, My Lord. I can see the Silver line asking what A class is.