MRW

Trying to book JFK-SFO 4/17 r/t SFO-JFK 4/20. At first I noticed that the lowest fare class available on the direct outbound flights that delta.com is showing is H. I then checked Galileo-CRS, and saw:
JFK SFO 1500 1825 DL1987 J7 D7 I7 Y7 B7 M7 H7 Q7 K7 L7#763*C
JFK SFO 1800 2144 DL 107 J7 D7 I7 Y7 B7 M7 H7 Q7 K7 L7#763*C

That got me wondering why the cheaper fares weren't showing on delta.com; so, I looked up the fare rules courtesy of travel.yahoo.com and this is what I found for the U, L & K rules:
DAY/TIME
FROM NYC TO SFO, APPLIES DAILY 6:30 A.M. - 7:30 A.M. OR 4:50 P.M. - 5:50 P.M.. ------- FROM SFO TO NYC, APPLIES DAILY 6:30 A.M. - 8:30 A.M. OR 3:30 P.M. - 4:30 P.M..

Interesting... they are specifically locking out the insULT and even K fares from the direct transcon flights. Why would they be doing this so far out? Do they actually expect they'll have enough high-rev buyers that they don't need to sell the low-rev fares?

Now, I can book K going JFK-SLC-SFO and was wondering if I did so, on the day of the departure could I call within 3 hours of departure and change to the direct flight (presuming there is space available) for free (I'm GM)?

This is what the "Same Day Confirmed" rules say:
23 SAME DAY CONFIRMED -
24 PASSENGERS HOLDING CONFIRMED RESERVATIONS AND TICKETS
25 MAY CONFIRM EARLIER/LATER SAME DAY FLIGHTS BETWEEN SAME
26 ORIGIN/DESTINATION/STOPOVER POINTS FOR A NONREFUNDABLE
27 FEE OF USD25.00 NEW ITINERARY MAY NOT BE CONFIRMED
28 MORE THAN 3 HOURS PRIOR TO DEPARTURE TIME OF NEW
29 OUTBOUND FLIGHT. THE NEW ITINERARY MUST BE VALID FOR
30 THE ORIGINAL FARE PURCHASED.
31 .
32 WITHIN THREE HOURS OF FLIGHT REQUESTED:
33 - CUSTOMERS MAY REQUEST TO BE CONFIRMED ON A DIFFERENT
34 FLIGHT ON THE SAME DAY WITHIN THREE HOURS OF THE
35 NEW FLIGHT*S DEPARTURE BY PAYING $25.00 FEE IF SEATS
36 ARE AVAILABLE IN COACH CABIN. (BOOKING INVENTORY -
37 A.K.A *CLASS OF SERVICE* - DOES NOT HAVE TO BE
38 AVAILABLE IN FARE CLASS PURCHASED..ONLY IN THE COACH
39 CABIN). NOTE THAT THE THREE HOUR WINDOW IS MEASURED
40 FROM THE DEPARTURE TIME OF THE FLIGHT REQUESTED..NOT
41 BEFORE THE DEPARTURE TIME OF THE FLIGHT THE CUSTOMER
42 HAD ORIGINALLY BOOKED.
43 .
44 THIS OPTION IS PERMITTED IF THERE ARE NO CHANGES TO
45 THE ORIGIN/DESTINATION/OR STOPOVER POINTS AND THE
46 REQUESTED FLIGHT AND ROUTING IS PERMITTED BY THE
47 FARE PURCHASED. FOR EXAMPLE.. SOME FARES REQUIRE
48 A CONNECTION VIA A SPECIFIC CITY OR TRAVEL VIA A
49 SPECIFIC FLIGHT NUMBER OR TIME (TYPICALLY AN
50 OFF-PEAK TIME).
51 .
52 NOTE: THE REQUESTED FLIGHTS MUST BE AVAILABLE FROM
53 THE ORIGIN TO DESTINATION INCLUDING ANY
54 CONNECTING FLIGHTS.
55 .
56 IF THE REQUESTED CHANGE IS NOT APPLICABLE FOR THE
57 FARE PURCHASED.. THE CUSTOMER MAY UPGRADE TO A
58 FARE THAT DOES PERMIT THOSE CHANGES..USING NORMAL
59 REISSUE PROCEDURES OF PAYING ANY FARE DIFFERENCE
60 PLUS THE $25.00 SDC FEE
does this mean as long as they are selling any coach seats I could change? does changing the routing (not going via SLC) make a difference?

Other insight/interpretations welcome!


[This message has been edited by MRW (edited 03-05-2003).]

JS

You will not be able to change to the non-stop because your fare is time-restricted and does not allow for the non-stop flights.

RobertS975

It is Easter weekend and they know they will be able to sell their flights for more $$.

NYBanker

What you saw is correct - those classes are all available - but might not be offered on the routing you want.

Here's an example... This availability shows "I7" - this is the deep-discount, usually non-ref Business fare (does earn 200% MQMs, tho). I don't think DL is offering I class service on the JFK-SFO route right now. However, you might have purchased an I ticket for say BRU-JFK-SFO a while ago (last "I" promotion in December?) and now want to change your ticket to this flight. DL would see that I is available, hit you with the $150 fee, and change you on to this flight. But you couldn't call DL and purchase an I-class ticket for JFK-SFO.

Seeing all those low fares avail is a very good indication that you'll be able to get a low fare ticket, but it's never 100% certain.

Air Brian

Can someone please explain how to read this.

3 TYS ATL 1050 1155 @DL4874 Y7 B7 M7 H7 Q7 K7 L7 U7 T4 AT7*C

One would assume that "Y7" means 7 seat available in Y. If that is so, there appears to be 60 seats available on this flight - although the AT7 turbo prop only seats 50??

Obviously my assumptions are incorrect.

Also - is there ANY way to check for availiblity for free tix? I have never seen "N" or "R", listed.

CelticFlyer

The CRS system doesn't necessarily show the actual total numbers of seats available. You could buy two seats in Y and find that Y still showed Y7 afterwards. The listing shows what this CRS can obtain in inventory at this point in time - but there is an assumption that the operator is going to make a booking in only one class at a time - so the same seats *could* feature twice (i.e. they can be sold as Y or Q or U or L etc.) . After each booking the display would alter. Buying seats (inventory) in higher classes may not affect the number of seats available in those classes whereas buying seats (inventory) in lower classes will soon cause the available seats under those inventory classes to reduce as the revenue management system works it's magic.

Award ticket inventory (seats) tend not to be shown on third party CRS systems.

CelticFlyer

"THE NEW ITINERARY MUST BE VALID FOR
30 THE ORIGINAL FARE PURCHASED". ..... is the operable rule.

If the new itinerary is outside the departure times described in your fare rule you are caught by this rule.

NYBanker

It seems you can't see these classes on Galileo - but you can see capacity in the all important G/V/X/Z classes (segment/miles/pmu/namu upgrades).

Tolarian Wind

3 Line 3 from the CRS Display

TYS ATL From City To Coty

1050 1155 Depart Time Arrive Time

@DL4784 Airline Flight Number

Y7 B7 ..... Each represents class of service related to fare basis and the minimum number of seats available for sale within that class


TW