doubleA

It's so weird-- all of the major hurdles to using these should be related to the Y/B/M (or equivalent) fare restriction... Once I've crossed that threshold, I really don't want to have to harass them to follow their own procedures!

Then again, maybe the rare opportunity to use these is the reason why everyone is so out of practice... Maybe the PM/DM desk agents should come here and start a thread... "Someone was able to use a SWU today!"

mnredfox

Working to fix it? BS! They've been "working on it" since early 2010, as indicated here when PMU's went electronic:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...procedure.html

TrojanTraveler

I just looked on EF for O availability on AF, from 3/15 - 4/30, from JFK-CDG, and there was not a single O seat in inventory. Very surprised.

But then...is it possible that the O category has been changed? Could it have been changed to Z? I don't recall seeing that code before, and now it's on many flights...in the position about where O used to be displayed.

Of course, can't do upgrades without being able to buy W on the DL codeshare, and I've noticed that W inventory on these flights seems to have gone down.

ExpertFlyer Voice, are you aware that the O category might have been changed?

vgb2001

I have been monitoring O out of JFK for the same period as you and found the same. It's been like that for at least 3 weeks. It's "spring break" in France (school vacation) and I assume that's considered a peak travel season.
It's even difficult to find A fare, from which delta pull their W inventory. Only more expensive AF W fare are available. Delta does not have access to that and just does not sell Prem Eco fares (DL W fare) if AF A fare is not available.
I have see some O on the A430 DTW/CDG if you are interested, with A availability.so I do not think O has been changed to something else. A good and easy way to figure it out is to try to book an award affaires ticket on Airfrance.us on your date. If O or anything that would replace O is available, you would be able to book an award seat.

doubleA

I am noticing that O is gone on KL too.. Wonder what happened?

TrojanTraveler

Ah. I didn't know that DL W was pulled from AF A inventory. But it does seem odd that over a 45 day period, there isn't a single O available. And thanks for the heads up on DTW...I'll see if I can get it to work. IAD (the 380) has been fairly wide open on a number of days, but still no O that I found.

vgb2001

True. As a matter of fact, I had a O upgrade on the 380 IAD that went through. However, I discovered later that AF switched equipment to a stupid 77W

vgb2001

And btw, spring break in France is divided in 3 school zones, each having 2 weeks vacation, with one week where two zones overlap. Therefore, it lasts really 4 weeks. That could explain the lack of O.
But again, I agree with you, I had rarely seen that and I'm monitoring closely since I have already my JFK/CDG booked in W for mid-April...

TrojanTraveler

Well if they have switched it to Z, then that's good news, as I saw inventory (not necessarily plentiful, but there).

Wouldn't surprise me if they went to Z. It's the same code that DL uses for a BizElite upgrade...I vaguely remember something about synchronizing fare codes?

mtkeller

Z is a discounted business (revenue) bucket on AF/KL. O remains the award/upgrade bucket. YUL tends to be a reliable source of O seats across the pond.

TrojanTraveler

You are definitely right about YUL. But I looked there too, even with the 380s that have 9 in every bucket (except G), no O to be found.

mtkeller

What dates? YUL-CDG is O8 or O9 every day from 29MAR12 through 4APR12 on the A380 flight. It's also O9 every day for the next week.

TrojanTraveler

I think I've discovered the problem. I've been looking under Flight Availability for O, as I'm looking for W on the code share at the same time. Under that for, example AF 345 on 3/29, there is no O (but it does show C). If I look under Award and Upgrades, AF 345 does indeed show O. In the past, I've been able to see O under Flight Availability...it's not there anymore.

Also interesting is that EF is now displaying flights that have no O, where in the past they weren't shown at all.

mtkeller

Huh, it was showing O on flight availability a couple days ago, but you're right, it's not there now. I do much prefer Awards & Upgrades returning O0 rather than just not returning any flights. I'll take that over having the O inventory show on Flight Availability, I think.

TrojanTraveler

I wonder if this is a temporary EF glitch or a change. Hopefully ExpertFlyer Voice sees the thread and looks into it.