Sep 14, 2017, 7:20 am
Last edit by: Flame3601
Information on Load requests
The number of seats for sale for a flight are available via ExpertFlyer.com, a subscription-based service with a 5-day free trial. A subscription is $9.99/month and can be enabled and disabled any time. It is encouraged to subscribe rather than post repeatedly in this thread.
NB: Op-up changes or overselling of a flight cannot be determined with certainty from this information, only inferred to be more or less probable.
For a once-off load request please follow these guidelines:
Flight loads >7 days out are not very useful, as the airline could still sell many seats, unless availability of a specific fare bucket (e.g. Business Saver upgrade) is requested. If you wish to know the general flight load please don't post >7 days before departure.
When requesting a load please provide the following information:
- Date of flight (departure date)
- Flight Number
- Origin
- Destination
These four fields are mandatory in searching on ExpertFlyer (see screenshot below) and it isn't fair to except those who pay for their subscriptions to also have to go look up which cities a specific flight number is from and to (also some flight numbers are onward flights (5th freedom routes, e.g. CMB-MLE) and loads will differ significantly depending on which sector of the flight is checked.
The number of seats for sale for a flight are available via ExpertFlyer.com, a subscription-based service with a 5-day free trial. A subscription is $9.99/month and can be enabled and disabled any time. It is encouraged to subscribe rather than post repeatedly in this thread.
NB: Op-up changes or overselling of a flight cannot be determined with certainty from this information, only inferred to be more or less probable.
For a once-off load request please follow these guidelines:
Flight loads >7 days out are not very useful, as the airline could still sell many seats, unless availability of a specific fare bucket (e.g. Business Saver upgrade) is requested. If you wish to know the general flight load please don't post >7 days before departure.
When requesting a load please provide the following information:
- Date of flight (departure date)
- Flight Number
- Origin
- Destination
These four fields are mandatory in searching on ExpertFlyer (see screenshot below) and it isn't fair to except those who pay for their subscriptions to also have to go look up which cities a specific flight number is from and to (also some flight numbers are onward flights (5th freedom routes, e.g. CMB-MLE) and loads will differ significantly depending on which sector of the flight is checked.
Flight Load Check request
Jan 4, 2017 | 2:30 pm
#76
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 14
Guaranteed Seat for Gold
hummm.....as far as I noticed, it is possible to buy a Flex+ fare for any day and then ask to change for your preferred day without price variation (flex+ = no Penalty). Nevertheless it is not guaranteed, not at all. One might end up with a ticket on EK to travel on a specific date with need to travel on another date, compatible or not with refund process time.....tricky. As the miles upgrades are tricky as almost never one can find reward seats on the routes were the miles are honestly earned. Lots of tricky things on skyward program, or at least on both major benefits of clocking miles in any airline: upgrades and guaranteed seats (lounge access and extra luggage comes with status not miles quantities). I truly believe the miles Stock was so great on client side, they invented this "spend your miles and reduce the cost of your ticket" to cover the fact that the miles have no value for a frequent traveler that find no practical use for them when really needs.
Last edited by Sdcorreia; Jan 4, 2017 at 2:42 pm
Jan 4, 2017 | 2:32 pm
#77
Join Date: Jul 2014
Programs: Skywards
Posts: 937
no change fee but a (sometimes) heavy fare difference as there are different booking classes 'within' flex plus. Nevermind if you take the seat guarantee you have to pay a Y class fare anyway so no fare difference
Jan 4, 2017 | 2:59 pm
#78
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Economy, mostly :(
Programs: Skywards Gold
Posts: 7,791
Flex Plus means you can change for free, paying the fare difference. There's no cost for the process of changing itself, unlike Flex and Saver fares where on top of the difference in fare and taxes you also have to pay a change fee.
Upgrade availability has no link to whether you buy Flex or Flex Plus, Flex Plus just makes upgrading cheaper in terms of miles (and cash usually) cost. It is frustrating not finding availability but if one monitors closely generally something opens up at some point. So far I've always been able to spend my miles on upgrades or award tickets and usually have too few miles for an upgrade as when I have enough I use them. Just getting back into the region of having enough for another upgrade (at 35k now, will hit 42k in 2 weeks)
Upgrade availability has no link to whether you buy Flex or Flex Plus, Flex Plus just makes upgrading cheaper in terms of miles (and cash usually) cost. It is frustrating not finding availability but if one monitors closely generally something opens up at some point. So far I've always been able to spend my miles on upgrades or award tickets and usually have too few miles for an upgrade as when I have enough I use them. Just getting back into the region of having enough for another upgrade (at 35k now, will hit 42k in 2 weeks)
Jan 5, 2017 | 11:29 am
#79
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 14
Done. Booked through TA on outbound in Y and U on inbound. Checked Auto Upgrade option and no avail for now, excepting last inbound flight (dxblis) that is now upgraded.
Anyone have experience in miles upgrade at check in or onboard?
Shall I uncheck auto-upgrade and wait for op-up? Will op-up happen despite the auto check in option?
Appreciate your experienced feedback.
Anyone have experience in miles upgrade at check in or onboard?
Shall I uncheck auto-upgrade and wait for op-up? Will op-up happen despite the auto check in option?
Appreciate your experienced feedback.
Jan 5, 2017 | 11:33 am
#80
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Economy, mostly :(
Programs: Skywards Gold
Posts: 7,791
Done. Booked through TA on outbound in Y and U on inbound. Checked Auto Upgrade option and no avail for now, excepting last inbound flight (dxblis) that is now upgraded.
Anyone have experience in miles upgrade at check in or onboard?
Shall I uncheck auto-upgrade and wait for op-up? Will op-up happen despite the auto check in option?
Appreciate your experienced feedback.
Anyone have experience in miles upgrade at check in or onboard?
Shall I uncheck auto-upgrade and wait for op-up? Will op-up happen despite the auto check in option?
Appreciate your experienced feedback.
If the leg into DXB on the return becomes available you can call EK (or in this case you'd probably need to deal with the TA) do process the upgrade for the difference in miles for the entire segment upgrade vs paying the cost of two one ways (individual upgrades of AAA-DXB + DXB-BBB is higher than AAA-BBB via DXB as a single upgrade, EK call centre can reverse the earlier upgade, hold the inventory and process the entire upgrade for the lower combined cost).
Jan 8, 2017 | 7:48 am
#81
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 14
Touched base with call center half an hour before OLCI open and confirmed:
- oversold Y
- 3 seats available in J but not reward
- I'm only GOLD in Y
For now, I can't check in through App. Says I must check in at airport.
Smells like op-up. My questions are:
1 - Having I checked the auto upgrade option in "manage my booking", will they get my miles or no?
2 - Shall I get to airport as early as possible or can I relax and make it efficiently 1,5 to 1 Hr before boarding?
Thanks again...
- oversold Y
- 3 seats available in J but not reward
- I'm only GOLD in Y
For now, I can't check in through App. Says I must check in at airport.
Smells like op-up. My questions are:
1 - Having I checked the auto upgrade option in "manage my booking", will they get my miles or no?
2 - Shall I get to airport as early as possible or can I relax and make it efficiently 1,5 to 1 Hr before boarding?
Thanks again...
Jan 8, 2017 | 10:17 am
#82
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Economy, mostly :(
Programs: Skywards Gold
Posts: 7,791
Touched base with call center half an hour before OLCI open and confirmed:
- oversold Y
- 3 seats available in J but not reward
- I'm only GOLD in Y
For now, I can't check in through App. Says I must check in at airport.
Smells like op-up. My questions are:
1 - Having I checked the auto upgrade option in "manage my booking", will they get my miles or no?
2 - Shall I get to airport as early as possible or can I relax and make it efficiently 1,5 to 1 Hr before boarding?
Thanks again...
- oversold Y
- 3 seats available in J but not reward
- I'm only GOLD in Y
For now, I can't check in through App. Says I must check in at airport.
Smells like op-up. My questions are:
1 - Having I checked the auto upgrade option in "manage my booking", will they get my miles or no?
2 - Shall I get to airport as early as possible or can I relax and make it efficiently 1,5 to 1 Hr before boarding?
Thanks again...
As for Gold in Y, it helps but beware that priority is first by fare type (Flex Plus before Flex etc) and within fare type by status. Personally as Gold I've found I can still get upgraded on Flex fares but it depends completely on the route, time of year and pax profile. Some routes (e.g. heavy on business travellers) are likely to have more Flex Plus pax (and more status pax in general).
Jan 8, 2017 | 10:30 am
#83
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: MAN DXB ✈️
Programs: Skywards Gold
Posts: 6,930
Once OLCI opens no need for award inventory. You can upgrade based on any seat being available. Op-up is an operational upgrade and complimentary. No miles. If you want to ensure you get an upgrade pay with cash or miles.
As for Gold in Y, it helps but beware that priority is first by fare type (Flex Plus before Flex etc) and within fare type by status. Personally as Gold I've found I can still get upgraded on Flex fares but it depends completely on the route, time of year and pax profile. Some routes (e.g. heavy on business travellers) are likely to have more Flex Plus pax (and more status pax in general).
As for Gold in Y, it helps but beware that priority is first by fare type (Flex Plus before Flex etc) and within fare type by status. Personally as Gold I've found I can still get upgraded on Flex fares but it depends completely on the route, time of year and pax profile. Some routes (e.g. heavy on business travellers) are likely to have more Flex Plus pax (and more status pax in general).
I flew back with antdentale from here, I was in F he was in J. 2 seats left in F they wouldn't release them...even in the lounge.
He got the seat at the gate and miles were deducted. Same thing for a friend travelling back from Cpt - only got the upgrade at the gate and miles deducted.
Jan 8, 2017 | 10:52 am
#84
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Economy, mostly :(
Programs: Skywards Gold
Posts: 7,791
i used to think this was the case but not if the flight is busy.
I flew back with antdentale from here, I was in F he was in J. 2 seats left in F they wouldn't release them...even in the lounge.
He got the seat at the gate and miles were deducted. Same thing for a friend travelling back from Cpt - only got the upgrade at the gate and miles deducted.
I flew back with antdentale from here, I was in F he was in J. 2 seats left in F they wouldn't release them...even in the lounge.
He got the seat at the gate and miles were deducted. Same thing for a friend travelling back from Cpt - only got the upgrade at the gate and miles deducted.
Jan 8, 2017 | 9:08 pm
#86
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: MAN DXB ✈️
Programs: Skywards Gold
Posts: 6,930
It seems space available isn't available when it suits.
Jan 12, 2017 | 11:51 pm
#88
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: Emirates Skywards Gold, Jet Airways JetPrivilege Platinum
Posts: 88
Load check request
Hey fellow FTers
wouls request if someone could give me loads for EK235 for 16JAN DXBORD (F J & Y)
would really appreciate if someone could help me with it
thanks in advance!
wouls request if someone could give me loads for EK235 for 16JAN DXBORD (F J & Y)
would really appreciate if someone could help me with it
thanks in advance!
Jan 13, 2017 | 2:01 pm
#90
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 235
Theres a new app that could help with all of these requests (also available as a website)
stafftraveler and the website of the same name
Its essentially a load sharing app, you put in your request then someone from that airline replies generally quite quickly. Its based on credits so if you respond to requests, like I do, then I get free credits to ask loads for on other airlines. You can also buy credits for, I think, 5 for EUR5,00.
Sure, you'll have to pretend you work for an airline to sign up for it, but you don't have to respond to the load requests.
Great app. I spend my nightshifts responding to requests
stafftraveler and the website of the same name
Its essentially a load sharing app, you put in your request then someone from that airline replies generally quite quickly. Its based on credits so if you respond to requests, like I do, then I get free credits to ask loads for on other airlines. You can also buy credits for, I think, 5 for EUR5,00.
Sure, you'll have to pretend you work for an airline to sign up for it, but you don't have to respond to the load requests.
Great app. I spend my nightshifts responding to requests