Zeroed out discount classes on empty planes?
Oct 14, 2006 | 8:21 am
#1
Original Poster
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Canada
Programs: UA*1K MM SK EBG LATAM BL AC*E50
Posts: 23,584
Zeroed out discount classes on empty planes?
I was looking at trip to SAN from BUF at the end of December, during the week, there was some discounted B/U/W available. Saturday morning the lowest class I can see on KVS is K. The seat maps show the planes not even a quarter full.
What is CO's reson behind this? Surely not all lower fare seats could have been bought overnight.
Should I wait a bit in hope more discounted seats will be released, or bite the bullet now?
What is CO's reson behind this? Surely not all lower fare seats could have been bought overnight.
Should I wait a bit in hope more discounted seats will be released, or bite the bullet now?
Oct 14, 2006 | 8:34 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Brooklyn, NY, USA
Programs: DL SM Plat, B6 TrueBlue, UA MP, AAdvantage
Posts: 10,008
Originally Posted by rankourabu
I was looking at trip to SAN from BUF at the end of December, during the week, there was some discounted B/U/W available. Saturday morning the lowest class I can see on KVS is K. The seat maps show the planes not even a quarter full.
What is CO's reson behind this?
What is CO's reson behind this?
The fancy term for this is "yield management." You and I might know it better by the term "squeezing blood out of a stone."
Oct 14, 2006 | 8:36 am
#3
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Texas
Posts: 640
Around New Year, some routes have very little discount inventory as well as more restrictive fares in general -- even things like steeply priced, non-refundable F.
Oct 14, 2006 | 9:37 am
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Bay Area, CA
Programs: UA Plat 2MM; AS MVP Gold 75K
Posts: 35,093
Originally Posted by rankourabu
I was looking at trip to SAN from BUF at the end of December, during the week, there was some discounted B/U/W available. Saturday morning the lowest class I can see on KVS is K. The seat maps show the planes not even a quarter full.
What is CO's reson behind this? Surely not all lower fare seats could have been bought overnight.
Should I wait a bit in hope more discounted seats will be released, or bite the bullet now?
What is CO's reson behind this? Surely not all lower fare seats could have been bought overnight.
Should I wait a bit in hope more discounted seats will be released, or bite the bullet now?
With limited capacity and high demand, discounted seats are often not released until the flight appears it won't sell at a higher rate. It's difficult to time when this will happen, as inventory is constantly being reviewed.
Oct 14, 2006 | 9:55 am
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Brooklyn, NY, USA
Programs: DL SM Plat, B6 TrueBlue, UA MP, AAdvantage
Posts: 10,008
Originally Posted by channa
You're making the assumption that there were discounted seats to begin with.
With limited capacity and high demand, discounted seats are often not released until the flight appears it won't sell at a higher rate. It's difficult to time when this will happen, as inventory is constantly being reviewed.
With limited capacity and high demand, discounted seats are often not released until the flight appears it won't sell at a higher rate. It's difficult to time when this will happen, as inventory is constantly being reviewed.
Oct 14, 2006 | 10:35 am
#6
Original Poster
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Canada
Programs: UA*1K MM SK EBG LATAM BL AC*E50
Posts: 23,584
Originally Posted by TWA Fan 1
He did write that he noticed some discounted B/U/W inventory on his first look-see. Most likely this inventory was very limited and sold out before he had a chance to research the fares the second time.
Do they sometimes block lower classes for weekends and release on weekdays? I know fare buckets are a lottery, and one never knows whether to buy or wait...
Oct 14, 2006 | 11:39 am
#7
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Southwest Desert, under a rock, watch out! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<" You can get there, but it's gonna cost you!
Programs: Previously NonePass, now UA 1K (*Enhanced*)
Posts: 4,248
It's been my observation that often the lower fare classes evaporate on weekends, when many leisure travelers have time and are looking to book their future travel.
Check back on Monday.
Check back on Monday.
Oct 15, 2006 | 8:58 pm
#8
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Frisco (Dallas area), TX
Programs: UA Lifetime 1K (MM), AA Lifetime Platinum (MM), Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Diamond,
Posts: 268
I'd give it a bit of time. Seats are not being "sold"....the yield management program is adjusting the inventory based on probability that seats will be sold in the future, as well as whether they may sell for more $$$ today if the cheap fares are yanked. Unless the seats start to sell like hotcakes, the cheaper buckets will be re-filled again.
Originally Posted by rankourabu
Yes in fact it was U9W9 yesterday evening, today its all zeroes!! and the seat maps dont look any fuller. And I m not talking one day, one flight, ALL flights on the route (EWR-SAN) in about a span of 3 days
Do they sometimes block lower classes for weekends and release on weekdays? I know fare buckets are a lottery, and one never knows whether to buy or wait...
Do they sometimes block lower classes for weekends and release on weekdays? I know fare buckets are a lottery, and one never knows whether to buy or wait...
Oct 15, 2006 | 9:24 pm
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Brooklyn, NY, USA
Programs: DL SM Plat, B6 TrueBlue, UA MP, AAdvantage
Posts: 10,008
Originally Posted by CUSTOMDIRECT
I'd give it a bit of time. Seats are not being "sold"....the yield management program is adjusting the inventory based on probability that seats will be sold in the future, as well as whether they may sell for more $$$ today if the cheap fares are yanked. Unless the seats start to sell like hotcakes, the cheaper buckets will be re-filled again.
Of course, that only works if still has a lot of unsold hotdogs.
There is a correlation, though, between the yield management software pricing the initial inventory too high and then a rapid drop in price when the alarms go off that a lot of inventory is lingering.
In my experience the best time to score seats at a better price is about 3-4 weeks before your flight, because this is when the yield management alarm sounds. Again, this only works if seats remain unsold, just like hotdogs in the ballpark...
Oct 16, 2006 | 7:58 am
#10
Original Poster
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Canada
Programs: UA*1K MM SK EBG LATAM BL AC*E50
Posts: 23,584
Like magic, U9O9 is back monday morning.
Now I dont really anticipate them selling T/X/L on these flights since its high season, but I m glad I didnt bite for the K and H fares on the weekend
Now I dont really anticipate them selling T/X/L on these flights since its high season, but I m glad I didnt bite for the K and H fares on the weekend