MGR

Just tried to book an award from BOS to CDG or MXP...Delta has NO availability for the ENTIRE month of January on AZ or AF in Business!! Come on! Either AZ or AF hasn't released seats yet (doubt it) or the game is even less appealing than ever! Any insights here?

RobertS975

Is the inventory different for SM as opposed to awards if you were a member of the AF or AZ programs? In other words, is it a decision by DL that they not going to "pay" (however partner awards are paid for) for award seats on other partner carriers?

rcs85551

That decision led to a complete blackout from 01 JUN - 31 AUG for travel on AF/KL. If there is no blackout, the inventory is the same for everyone - regardless where the miles are coming from.

rcs85551

BOS-CDG has less flights during the winter, so that is most likely the reason for the allocation of less award seats in the premium cabin. AF even does not offer discounted biz seats (Z class) for purchase on many flights.

From 01JAN-10JAN, there is no Y+J award inventory on all non-stop AF flights to CDG. From 10JAN on, you can easily find Y award seats every day on the non-stop AF flights to CDG.

If you want biz on the non-stop to CDG, the first day with seats left is February 3rd, 2006.

If you want biz on an earlier date, fly down to JFK - DL has award seats in Biz on their metal to CDG. That's how to play the game.

jimrpa

Um, I know you're usually "in the know" about these types of things, but why would DL decide to not pay for awards on AF/KL during that period, yet continue to pay for awards on all other carriers, both SkyTeam and non-SkyTeam. I mean, AF is a nice airline, but if I had wanted to redeem back during that time period, I wouldn't have been too upset if I had to travel on Delta, Alitalia, or someone else.

rcs85551

That's what the WECC in London claimed - that AF/KL wanted too much money for award travel on their metal during the peak season...

Regardless, the seats were there - Delta just did not allow Skymiles members to book them...

Dovster

Have you checked out other routes? You might want to fly out JFK, EWR, or PHL or fly into FCO.

nd_eric_77

Ummmm, this appears to be heading in the heads-customer-loses, tails-customer-loses direction.

Summer = many flights => No AF/KL availability due to "peak season"...
Winter = less flights => No AF/KL availability due to "less allocation of award seats in premium cabin"

So do they open up seat buckets in shoulder seasons, or do they come up with yet another excuse for those times?!?!?!

rcs85551

Actually, AF/KL had seats allocated on those flights you are referring to. They are just all gone by now in Biz.

Feel free to fly in coach if you want the non-stop on exactly the date you are wishing for.

nd_eric_77

do you seriously consider a one-month window (4 months out) to be "exactly the date you are wishing for"???

MrAOK

Not much is going to happen unless people start complaining to the Department of Transportation which oversees consumer issues on airlines. It's last report says the number of complaints abount frequent flyer stuff was DOWN!!

The place to complain is here http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/problems.htm

and the report on consumer complaints and frequent flyer is one line on page 43 of here http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/repor...t/0508atcr.pdf

jimrpa

Thanks! What is the WECC?

jimrpa

Um, exactly WHAT are you going to complain to the government about? That AF/KL's allotment of award seats was used up by the time you decided to book? That you're too inflexible on dates, carriers, or routes to be accomodated?

What action are you looking for the government to take? Allocate a C-38A for your award tickets?

ecaarch

rcs85551 seems to be the voice of reason here. All carriers have a limited number of award seats on their own metal as well as on partners. When they are used up, they are used up. I think DL shot itself in the foot by using the term "blackout" this summer instead of just saying that it's allocation of award seats was exhausted. But it is absurd to expect DL or any carrier to have an unlimited supply of award seats.


Smart pax would be looking at the periods when loads are low between peaks but the carriers can't immediately rotate a/c. Think about the first 2 weeks in December for example. That is a VERY slow period to Europe, yet the a/c will stay in rotation because the weeks before and the weeks following are some of the heaviest travel times.

Award seats DO exist. They ARE obtainable, even at peak travel times. I have a dozen (yes, 12) upper class award flights thru the holiday season this winter on some peak travel days on DL and partners, including five (yes, 5) on AF/KL. I have a buddy that manages to score the supposedly illusive SQ upper class awards. You can spend your energy b**ching about the lack of award seats or you can spend your energy learning from the posts on FT (as I have tried to do) and actually get the awards.

DCFFlyer

You hit the nail on the head! ^