EY no longer releasing F space close in?
Sep 22, 2022, 8:37 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Auckland, NZ/New York, NY/ATL
Programs: DL DM MM, BIS 2.4MM, EK Gold, SQ Gold, Marriott Gold, HH Gold,
Posts: 5,222
EY no longer releasing F space close in?
Ive been keeping my eye on my upcoming IAD to AUH flight-am currently booked in J. For months, the week before departure they would release at least 1 seat for F redemption at the saver aka not 1.9 million mile level. All of a sudden a couple weeks ago it just stopped. Flights are still open. Any ideas?
I also assume that there are not paid upgrades J-F offered on mileage tickets?
I also assume that there are not paid upgrades J-F offered on mileage tickets?
Last edited by DLATL777; Sep 22, 2022 at 9:37 pm
Sep 24, 2022, 7:07 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Auckland, NZ/New York, NY/ATL
Programs: DL DM MM, BIS 2.4MM, EK Gold, SQ Gold, Marriott Gold, HH Gold,
Posts: 5,222
Oct 12, 2022, 10:09 pm
#4
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: DCA
Programs: Aeroplan Canada (25k), Hyatt (Globalist), Marriott (Platinum)
Posts: 193
Just wanted to bump this up and see if anyone has more information. I have two J seats IAD-AUH in late October. Booked through Aeroplan. 5 F seats available for sale but no saver space. Any thoughts/info? Thanks.
Oct 14, 2022, 7:47 am
#5
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: AUH
Posts: 8,267
EY only release a limited number of award seats F and J - sometimes, flights which show F8 still don’t have any award seats available.
There is no way of knowing how many or when they will release, other than checking periodically.
There is no way of knowing how many or when they will release, other than checking periodically.
Oct 16, 2022, 11:34 pm
#6
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 132
I am taking AUH-IAD today and it appears all 8 F seats were available at check-in. Now there are only a couple seats left, and I confirmed with the check-in agent that there was no option to pay to upgrade from a miles J booking.
Oct 17, 2022, 9:18 pm
#7
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: DCA
Programs: Aeroplan Canada (25k), Hyatt (Globalist), Marriott (Platinum)
Posts: 193
Oct 18, 2022, 11:40 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Auckland, NZ/New York, NY/ATL
Programs: DL DM MM, BIS 2.4MM, EK Gold, SQ Gold, Marriott Gold, HH Gold,
Posts: 5,222
I have a lot of hard data to add from my flight on 10/7. For the purposes of this experiment I booked 2 tickets, one was mileage and one was a refundable business class ticket. I cancelled one prior to departure.
1. it appears that EY no longer release F seats for redemption at ALL on this route. Even for their own FF members they are no longer being discounted prior to departure (1.8 million points+). This abruptly stopped the last week of September.
2. At check in they are preforming a large number of operational upgrades. On my flight, only 2 seats in F were sold and at take off it went out full. I watched the seat map carefully and saw the op-ups from business class. A seat would go empty in Business and that pax would simultaneously be put into F. This began about an hour before pushback.
3. I had a long talk with the station supervisor about this and she informed me business has regularly been oversold and they upgrade pax almost everyday. I then asked about mileage upgrades for cash-forbidden. I then asked about paying to upgrade from a revenue J fare and EY on this route no longer offers any discount at airport for paid J-F upgrades and it’s the same as what’s quoted to “Push” upgrade via the call center. I offered to pay $2,000 on the spot and was laughed at. Then they gave it away for free.
The hypocrisy and irony of this is that EY is now touting the exclusivity of this F cabin so won’t offer discounted paid/mileage ways to get into it, but fills it with free operational upgrades 1 hour prior to departure. 🙄
I wasn’t impressed and will continue flying EK.
1. it appears that EY no longer release F seats for redemption at ALL on this route. Even for their own FF members they are no longer being discounted prior to departure (1.8 million points+). This abruptly stopped the last week of September.
2. At check in they are preforming a large number of operational upgrades. On my flight, only 2 seats in F were sold and at take off it went out full. I watched the seat map carefully and saw the op-ups from business class. A seat would go empty in Business and that pax would simultaneously be put into F. This began about an hour before pushback.
3. I had a long talk with the station supervisor about this and she informed me business has regularly been oversold and they upgrade pax almost everyday. I then asked about mileage upgrades for cash-forbidden. I then asked about paying to upgrade from a revenue J fare and EY on this route no longer offers any discount at airport for paid J-F upgrades and it’s the same as what’s quoted to “Push” upgrade via the call center. I offered to pay $2,000 on the spot and was laughed at. Then they gave it away for free.
The hypocrisy and irony of this is that EY is now touting the exclusivity of this F cabin so won’t offer discounted paid/mileage ways to get into it, but fills it with free operational upgrades 1 hour prior to departure. 🙄
I wasn’t impressed and will continue flying EK.
Last edited by DLATL777; Oct 19, 2022 at 12:00 am
Oct 19, 2022, 1:33 am
#9
Join Date: Oct 2016
Programs: Etihad Guest Platinum
Posts: 289
I have a lot of hard data to add from my flight on 10/7. For the purposes of this experiment I booked 2 tickets, one was mileage and one was a refundable business class ticket. I cancelled one prior to departure.
1. it appears that EY no longer release F seats for redemption at ALL on this route. Even for their own FF members they are no longer being discounted prior to departure (1.8 million points+). This abruptly stopped the last week of September.
2. At check in they are preforming a large number of operational upgrades. On my flight, only 2 seats in F were sold and at take off it went out full. I watched the seat map carefully and saw the op-ups from business class. A seat would go empty in Business and that pax would simultaneously be put into F. This began about an hour before pushback.
3. I had a long talk with the station supervisor about this and she informed me business has regularly been oversold and they upgrade pax almost everyday. I then asked about mileage upgrades for cash-forbidden. I then asked about paying to upgrade from a revenue J fare and EY on this route no longer offers any discount at airport for paid J-F upgrades and it’s the same as what’s quoted to “Push” upgrade via the call center. I offered to pay $2,000 on the spot and was laughed at. Then they gave it away for free.
The hypocrisy and irony of this is that EY is now touting the exclusivity of this F cabin so won’t offer discounted paid/mileage ways to get into it, but fills it with free operational upgrades 1 hour prior to departure. 🙄
I wasn’t impressed and will continue flying EK.
1. it appears that EY no longer release F seats for redemption at ALL on this route. Even for their own FF members they are no longer being discounted prior to departure (1.8 million points+). This abruptly stopped the last week of September.
2. At check in they are preforming a large number of operational upgrades. On my flight, only 2 seats in F were sold and at take off it went out full. I watched the seat map carefully and saw the op-ups from business class. A seat would go empty in Business and that pax would simultaneously be put into F. This began about an hour before pushback.
3. I had a long talk with the station supervisor about this and she informed me business has regularly been oversold and they upgrade pax almost everyday. I then asked about mileage upgrades for cash-forbidden. I then asked about paying to upgrade from a revenue J fare and EY on this route no longer offers any discount at airport for paid J-F upgrades and it’s the same as what’s quoted to “Push” upgrade via the call center. I offered to pay $2,000 on the spot and was laughed at. Then they gave it away for free.
The hypocrisy and irony of this is that EY is now touting the exclusivity of this F cabin so won’t offer discounted paid/mileage ways to get into it, but fills it with free operational upgrades 1 hour prior to departure. 🙄
I wasn’t impressed and will continue flying EK.
I have a flight AUH-IAD-AUH very soon. Paid for Economy Choice+ (Class B) then upgraded with miles to Business. I am EYG Platinum so fingers crossed for that elusive F Op-Up outbound.
Looking at ExperFlyer data todays went out with 4 empty in F and 3 so far tomorrow...
Does anyone have any further DPs about the inbound IAD-AUH leg and availability of Op-Ups? Historically of the 3 x IAD-AUH flights in J taken previously, I was lucky enough to get 1 from 3...
One time I also got that rollercoaster of emotions at the gate where you get the beep and red cross
, got excited, only to get the same seat on the fresh boarding card... they just couldn't read the barcode 
.First World Problems
Oct 23, 2022, 7:52 pm
#10
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: DCA
Programs: Aeroplan Canada (25k), Hyatt (Globalist), Marriott (Platinum)
Posts: 193
Had 2 J seats booked through aeroplan for IAD-AUH. No F open. However, I noticed that YYZ-IAD-AUH, NYC-IAD-AUH had 2 F available. So did IAD-AUH-DOH and IAD-AUH-BAH. I guess the F seats are in fact being released but only when a married segment? Didn't want to play hidden city games so I cancelled ticket and will go through FRA in F.
Apr 12, 2023, 1:45 am
#11
Join Date: Oct 2016
Programs: Etihad Guest Platinum, IHG Diamond Elite Ambassador
Posts: 50
Etihad just responded to me on this topic, this is the current policy:
GuestSeat fares is predetermined based on number of commercial seats prior flight is opened for sale.
Furthermore, kindly note that some seats may become available closer to the flight departure, however that happens only if someone holding GuestSeat fare ticket decides to cancel their ticket and the seat is released.
Furthermore, kindly note that some seats may become available closer to the flight departure, however that happens only if someone holding GuestSeat fare ticket decides to cancel their ticket and the seat is released.
Apr 12, 2023, 6:19 am
#12
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: SYD
Programs: QF WP (OWE), VA PLAT, EY GLD, SPG PLAT, Hyatt DIA, Hilton DIA, Hertz PC
Posts: 8,527
Given the mistaken release of F awards that went all over the blogs (and seem to still being honoured), I wouldn’t count on snagging a F award anytime soon.
Apr 12, 2023, 3:43 pm
#13
Join Date: Nov 2020
Location: YVR/YYZ
Programs: AC50K, *A Gold, Marriott Titanium (LGE), Hilton Diamond
Posts: 376
Apr 12, 2023, 4:30 pm
#14
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: SYD
Programs: QF WP (OWE), VA PLAT, EY GLD, SPG PLAT, Hyatt DIA, Hilton DIA, Hertz PC
Posts: 8,527