FlyerTalk Forums - Strategy for KE award flights using DL miles

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Quote:

Originally Posted by pete4212 (Post 18105714)

You might want to wait on that. If you do the availability search on FlightStats (where the FS method of KVS is screen scraped from), you'll see that O class isn't there:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/membe...ure3713-ke.png
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/membe...e3714-ke11.png

He's either using old data or making it up, but it clearly isn't there. Go to http://www.flightstats.com/go/Flight...vailability.do and see for yourself, O class isn't there.

Absolutely, it most definitely is not in KVS. And even when it is, like most things there, it's highly inaccurate anyhow.

Quote:

Originally Posted by RealHJ (Post 18106112)

Absolutely, it most definitely is not in KVS.

Actually, it still is (as shown below). However, as KE is currently in the process of the Booking Class conversion (as it is already 01 Mar in SEL), available Booking Classes are changing by the minute and may also vary by route during this time:

[KVS Availability Tool 6.9.5/Diamond - Sabre: Availability/FS/US]

Code:

ICN  Seoul Incheon Intl KR [RKSI]

LAX  Los Angeles Intl CA US [KLAX]

SUN  04 Mar 2012



Carrier    Flight  From  Depart    To    Arrive    A/C  St  Availability

---------  ------  ----  --------  ----  --------  ---  --  -----------------------------------------------------

KE         17      ICN   14:40     LAX   08:50     388      R9 A4 J9 D9 I8 Z3 O2 Y9 W9 B9 M9 H9 E9 K9 Q8 T8 G0

DL/KE      7859    ICN   14:40     LAX   08:50     388      F4 J9 C9 D9 I0 S0 Y9 B9 M9 H9 Q9 K3 L3 U3 T3

OZ         202     ICN   16:30     LAX   10:10     777      C0 D0 J0 Z0 Y9 B9 M9 H9 E9 Q9 L9 K9 V9 S9 W9 T0 G0

UA/OZ      7975    ICN   16:30     LAX   10:10     777      J0 C0 D0 Z0 Y4 B4 M4 U0 H4 Q4 V4 W4 S4 T0 L0 K0 G0 E0

KE         11      ICN   19:50     LAX   13:40     744      P9 A3 C9 D9 I8 Z6 O3 Y9 W9 B9 M9 H9 E9 K9 Q9 T9 G0

DL/KE      7861    ICN   19:50     LAX   13:40     744      F4 J9 C9 D6 I0 S0 Y9 B9 M9 H9 Q9 K6 L6 U6 T6

OZ         204     ICN   20:00     LAX   13:40     777      C1 D0 J0 Z0 Y9 B9 M9 H9 E9 Q9 L9 K9 V9 S9 W9 T1 G1

UA/OZ      7977    ICN   20:00     LAX   13:40     777      J0 C0 D0 Z0 Y4 B4 M4 U0 H4 Q4 V4 W4 S4 T0 L0 K0 G0 E0

Quote:

Originally Posted by KVS (Post 18106461)

Actually, it still is (as shown below).

Nope, again you are showing availability that isn't there:

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/3...scomgoflig.png

http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/3...scomgoflig.png

It looks like FlightStats is caching old data or you are showing us something that isn't there.

The respones I got from Expertflyer:

"The O class is currently not being shown by KE. It may be a glitch, it may be permanent, we'll have to monitor it over the next few days to know which one it is.

Thank you,
The ExpertFlyer.com Team"

Quote:

Originally Posted by reed2x (Post 18103693)

Just noticed today on Expert Flyer that O class is no longer being shown. Just I and Z. Tried many dates and routes to no avail.

Anyone else having a similar experience? Hopefully it's just a temporary down time issue.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtkeller (Post 18103916)

I'm seeing the same thing. Paging ExpertFlyer Voice to hopefully confirm that this is a temporary glitch and not KE discontinuing the publication of this very useful data. Anyone with a KVS subscription care to check if KE inventory still shows up there? Wandering Aramean's ability to show KE O inventory wasn't working when I tried a couple weeks back, so I would guess he's not got it now either.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bowgie (Post 18105609)

I could see KE "O" on ExpertFlyer as of midnight last night, but now seems to be completely gone from EF. Wasn't sure at first if it is a KE or EF issue. (Delta reservation claims they can see KE award inventory when I called today to ask, but I ended up booking Delta metal reasons other than KE availability.)

Hello everyone. ExpertFlyer again shows O inventory when it is available. For example:

Results from ExpertFlyer.com

Code:

Awards & Upgrades Search

Departing FUK on 05/02/12 12:00 AM for PUS

Flying KE on booking class A O Z      





                                                                     Frequency                                                    

Flight        Stops  Depart             Arrive             Aircraft  Reliability     Class Description                      Code  Seats

0 Connections

KE 784        0      FUK                PUS                739       Unavailable     Business - Upgrade                     Z     4

                     05/02/12 11:05 AM  05/02/12 12:00 PM            100% / 2m       



0 Connections

KE 798        0      FUK                PUS                739       Daily           Business - Award                       O     4

                     05/02/12 7:45 PM   05/02/12 8:40 PM             100% / 0m       Business - Upgrade                     Z     4

and

Results from ExpertFlyer.com

Code:

Awards & Upgrades Search

Departing ICN on 03/06/12 12:00 AM ± 3 Day(s) for PVG

Flying KE on booking class A O Z      



                                                                     Frequency                                                    

Flight        Stops  Depart             Arrive             Aircraft  Reliability     Class Description                      Code  Seats

0 Connections

KE 893        0      ICN                PVG                333       Daily           First - Award                          A     2

                     03/09/12 8:40 AM   03/09/12 9:45 AM             79% / 13m       Business - Award                       O     4

                                                                                     Business - Upgrade                     Z     3





0 Connections

KE 897        0      ICN                PVG                333       Unavailable     First - Award                          A     2

                     03/09/12 11:50 AM  03/09/12 12:50 PM            98% / 6m        Business - Upgrade                     Z     7

However, we are looking for more confirmation that the flights that do not return O class at all in fact do not have any award availability, as this is different from the previous behavior of returning O0. If you encounter a case of no O inventory being shown when it is actually available, please let us know.

It appears as KE O is gone again. For example, KE902 on Dec 4 returned plenty of availability in Expertflyer the other day. It currently shows availability using KVS alternative search method (AF codeshare, I know, but indicates there should be availabiltiy). Anyone else experiencing the same?

http://tinyurl.com/7fhgj9f

It appears O inventory is only showing for KE on intra-Asia flights right now, which is a big :td:

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtkeller (Post 18137628)

It appears O inventory is only showing for KE on intra-Asia flights right now, which is a big :td:

Unfortunately that seems to be the case, we have updated the class code description accordingly.

I think it's pretty clear that KE doesn't want their award (economy or business) award visibility to be out in the wild. :(

I mean, here it was just business, not economy, and just for a while by accident during the fare class change. Now they pulled it out. Which is the way they want it (it would seem).

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtkeller (Post 18137628)

It appears O inventory is only showing for KE on intra-Asia flights right now, which is a big :td:

Yes, and it appears intra-Asia is defined quite tightly. I just successfully booked SIN-ICN in O which did not show up on EF.

Just booked HKG-PUS in Y class for $912, Business Prestige was $1,080, 4 "Z" class Skyteam upgrades were available in both directions (no "O"). Economy was half the price of Y at $460.

Success, yes, but do I feel good about using 25,000 miles for upgrades in both directions to save $170? No, not really.

For TPAC flights YVR-ICN seems easy to redeem.

So the strategy is back to call Delta and hope you get an agent who is competent enough to check KE space and then on top of that hope the KE space is open?

Quote:

Originally Posted by mabramovich (Post 18208695)

So the strategy is back to call Delta and hope you get an agent who is competent enough to check KE space and then on top of that hope the KE space is open?

Unfortunately, yes, we've regressed to that situation again. You're definitely best off if you call and say "Can you check for business class (O) inventory on flight KE123 on 8JULY12 for me, please?". I had good luck feeding agents flights and dates when booking as a GM.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmcdanie (Post 18206446)

Hi,

I am curious as to how you made it through the booking process. Did you purchase the ticket through Delta wilth DL ticket number or directly from Korean Air with a KE ticket number?

When I tried to to use Skyteam upgrade on KE, the following happened:

1) Called DL that instructed me to book with KE, then call back to DL to process the upgrade.
2) Booked a KE ticket directly with KE in Y.
3) Called back to DL to be informed that the ticket has to be purchased through and ticketed by Delta, at a higher Y fare.
4) Abandoned the idea of the Skyteam upgrade program. Refunded the KE Y ticket and redeemed an award instead.