CX availability display on Sabre misleading!
 

The message is basically meant for Guy Betsey or other Sabre experts to answer.

I was trying to book CX 734 SIN-HKG on 22DEC in "A" class and my travel agent kept getting "UC1" after typing "01A1" in Sabre.

Then she tried "01F1" and book F class instead, but it still came back as "UC1"

"UC1" means the system is unable to confirm the segment.

When she checked the availability for the flight, it clearly showed "CX 734 F4 A4 J9 D9 I4 ... etc." and the flight was operated by a 744.

Since I was unable to get confirmed in First Class, I tried business class (01D1) and it worked "SS1" (which is then HK1 after the PNR is ended). But after pulling up the seat-map, it showed the Business Class cabin on a A330 instead of a 744!!!!!

So then out of curiousity, the agent found out that CX does not operate the 744 HKG-SIN on CX 735 that day and uses the A330 (business/economy only). However, on the return flight (CX 734 SIN-HKG), the flight showed up as a 744 with F, A, J, D, I class etc. (but in reality the flight is also operated by an A330 with only J C D I).

Why dosen't CX update their stuff on Sabre?

[This message has been edited by daniellam (edited 02-11-2002).]

For a flight that departs that late in the year, CX cannot ascertain what aircraft it will allocate for CX 734. If your ageent could do a direct access on CX fo availability, she would see that the flight on CX's direct access that F and A would show ZERO. Which would mean that CX is blocking off the First Class seats because although it normally would sell a 3 class aircraft for that flight on that day, it COULD very well assign a 2 class aircraft that day at the last minute. Hence rather than put out a seat map for a 747, it would rather give out a seat map for an A330. As the day gets closer to the date of travel, CX might operate the 747-400 as a 3 class service after all.

The loading of flights has nothing to do with SABRE but rather what information CX gives its CRS hosts. SABRE can only update with whatever information CX gives. Hence it's better sometimes to check direct access because it gives a better availability that Direct Connect access.

Does this mean I can still ask the agent to "waitlist" me in "A" class and confirm me in "D" class?

So if a 3-class aircraft instead of a 2-class is used that day, I would get first class? (buying AONEW3)

Never mind. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/redface.gif

[This message has been edited by TerryK (edited 02-12-2002).]

Daneillam

Please don't ask stupid questions. I believe your true motive in FT is to irritate us with your inane questions when you already know what the answer is and what you already plan to do.

But since you asked.... "UC" means Unable to CONFIRM. Which means just that. No waitlist either as the aircraft being operated that day is a 330 if your agent is to look into DIRECT ACCESS (into CX's res system). You'll just have to take your chances and check periodically instead of whining now.



[This message has been edited by Guy Betsy (edited 02-12-2002).]

That is a good question, yet you seem to have an inexpert travel agent.

The availability display obtained by your travel agent shows that CX is connected as "DC", i.e. there is direct connection booking but not availability. This means that the data display is from the Sabre database, not CX. However, because CX is "direct access" (see F*TTL/CX), you can pull availability directly from CX's system using a format like 122DECSINHKG@CX (where @ is change key -- for direct acccess -- refer to F*FOX/CPA/DIRECT/ACCESS). That would have pulled the following: and as you can see there's no F nor A on that flight, which is operated, as you can see, on a 330. There is no F nor A for that flight, so there's no way you can get it on that flight as of today. Period.

Time for the agent do do his/her job and learn how to use Sabre.

Well said, Hillrider!