Z inventory disappears overnight?
Jun 26, 2015, 8:15 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2007
Programs: SPG Gold, AA PM
Posts: 287
Z inventory disappears overnight?
Not sure there's any way to answer this but here goes...
I've been planning a family trip for November, and have been monitoring fares hoping I can accrue a few more TrueBlue points prior to purchasing so as to limit how many AMEX points I need to transfer to make up the difference.
Just yesterday, I found out that my sister-in-law had booked two tickets on the flight I've been monitoring, so I figured I would set up an ExpertFlyer alert to let me know when Z inventory dipped below 7 (7 being the highest number visible for any JetBlue fare on EF). As of 9:30 PM last night, it was still Z7, but oddly enough, at 6:20 AM today, it's Z0 and the fare has gone up $30.
Given that I doubt 7+ people booked the same flight 5 months away over the course of a few hours at night, I'm confused as to how B6 manages their inventory. I assumed (obviously incorrectly) that even if there were only 7 Z fares left when my SIL booked her tickets, that it would go down to Z5, with that number going down as more tickets were booked until it reached 0 and the next fare would kick in. Am I totally wrong about this?
Since I'm waiting for some points to come in, I'm wondering whether it even makes sense to set up another alert, or if B6 capacity controls are volatile enough that I should just pull the trigger.
As I mentioned above, there's probably no way to really know, but curious to hear any thoughts. TIA!
I've been planning a family trip for November, and have been monitoring fares hoping I can accrue a few more TrueBlue points prior to purchasing so as to limit how many AMEX points I need to transfer to make up the difference.
Just yesterday, I found out that my sister-in-law had booked two tickets on the flight I've been monitoring, so I figured I would set up an ExpertFlyer alert to let me know when Z inventory dipped below 7 (7 being the highest number visible for any JetBlue fare on EF). As of 9:30 PM last night, it was still Z7, but oddly enough, at 6:20 AM today, it's Z0 and the fare has gone up $30.
Given that I doubt 7+ people booked the same flight 5 months away over the course of a few hours at night, I'm confused as to how B6 manages their inventory. I assumed (obviously incorrectly) that even if there were only 7 Z fares left when my SIL booked her tickets, that it would go down to Z5, with that number going down as more tickets were booked until it reached 0 and the next fare would kick in. Am I totally wrong about this?
Since I'm waiting for some points to come in, I'm wondering whether it even makes sense to set up another alert, or if B6 capacity controls are volatile enough that I should just pull the trigger.
As I mentioned above, there's probably no way to really know, but curious to hear any thoughts. TIA!
Jun 26, 2015, 8:29 am
#2
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
Available inventory changes based on purchased tickets and also on other factors, as calculated either by analysts inside the company or by automated systems which can trigger changes. It is possible that someone buying more seats on a different flight on the same route you've been watching can cause the numbers to change on your flight, for example.
The systems are far more complicated today than in prior eras.
The systems are far more complicated today than in prior eras.
Jun 30, 2015, 10:29 pm
#3
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Posts: 3,360
I'm not sure that's a correct assumption. After all, your family was looking to buy at least 3 seats on this flight. I don't think it's crazy to think that somewhere out there, another family might be doing the same think. That's particularly true when you realize that five months from now is Thanksgiving.