Award availability for PEs
May 18, 2004, 12:19 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: AMS
Posts: 368
Award availability for PEs
Today I wanted to book an upgrade for my BKK-AMS flight next friday and I got some interesting info regarding award availability that I wanted to share with you. The lady told me there was no award availability but that there were 10 empty seats. These seats were only for paying biz class passengers, she said. So I asked her if it makes any difference whether I'm PE or GE or SE or BP and she told me that since I'm PE she could also offer me seats from the "Z" bucket (which is empty for this flight). Normally D inventory is for award upgrades. This was new for me as I always thought that some C and J seats could also be "sold" to PEs for awards. I was quite disappointed about this.
May 18, 2004, 1:08 pm
#2
Suspended
Join Date: May 2001
Location: DUS
Posts: 4,004
Back in the days KLM FD agents were able to overbook award inventory for Platinum and Gold Elites.If the D bucket showed zero, they could take seats out of the regular revenue "C" class bucket.
However this is not the case anymore, ironically enough I tried to book two seats in C on a AMS-MIA flight yesterday.Flight showed Z4 C6 J6 and I was not able to get a WBC seat !!
However this is not the case anymore, ironically enough I tried to book two seats in C on a AMS-MIA flight yesterday.Flight showed Z4 C6 J6 and I was not able to get a WBC seat !!
May 18, 2004, 2:24 pm
#3
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Programs: KL Gold, SQ KF Gold, CX Green
Posts: 9,396
For what it is worth: I tried to book an upgrade for tomorrow's AMS - BKK two weeks ago and did not succeed. Tried again last Friday and got business class confirmed. For the trip back they couldn't confirm, but told me to try again some 3 or 4 days before the trip.
May 18, 2004, 3:00 pm
#4
Suspended
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Taiwan(Taichung) and UK
Programs: ANA PLAT,CI GOLD,LH SEN,Hyatt Gold.
Posts: 3,165
word of warning, I have been bumped out WBC on upgrade for fare paying passengers on this route twice.
I now use China Airline who have re-introduced full WBC service for a D class price. The beat KLM hands down. I have paid from NCL>AMS>TPE via BKK Ł890 inc tax for biz class, let me known if you need anymore info. I have flown this route 4 times this year with them at a cost of Ł3600 which is Ł4400 cheaper than KLM with service that makes you want to come back for more
I now use China Airline who have re-introduced full WBC service for a D class price. The beat KLM hands down. I have paid from NCL>AMS>TPE via BKK Ł890 inc tax for biz class, let me known if you need anymore info. I have flown this route 4 times this year with them at a cost of Ł3600 which is Ł4400 cheaper than KLM with service that makes you want to come back for more
May 19, 2004, 8:19 am
#6
Suspended
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Taiwan(Taichung) and UK
Programs: ANA PLAT,CI GOLD,LH SEN,Hyatt Gold.
Posts: 3,165
Originally Posted by erik123
It is my understanding that upgrades come out of the z bucket for plat. elites and the i bucket for all other FF. this make upgrading for plat's many times more likely to happen.
Dont forget "thats not possible sir"
May 20, 2004, 6:02 am
#9
Join Date: Jan 2000
Programs: UA 1k, AA EXPLT, NZ GE, VA PLT Hyatt Diam, Marr Plat, HH Diam
Posts: 3,445
It's my understanding that the following inventories are used by FD to find award space for travel on KL flights:
BUSINESS CLASS
Upgrades: I (but a seat from Z can be used for PEs)
Free tix: D (but a seat from C can be used for PEs)
ECONOMY CLASS
Free tix: W (but a seat from __?? can be used for PEs)
If, for example, D class isn't available, but C is, then FD will "overbook" D class to allow the PE pax to get a seat. The PE passenger isn't actually booked into C ... C availability is only used to determine whether they will overbook D.
I believe that I, D, and W are classes are used by FD to book space on most of their partners as well (e.g., MH, NW, KQ).
If someone can advise the "overbooking" inventory used by PEs for economy travel (I want to say it's S?), I'll update this post.
BTW, PE access to additional award inventory is the ONLY reason I stay with the FD program. I know that there are lots of other PEs who feel the same way. If they drop this unpublished benefit when merging with AF, I leave immediately for another alliance!
BUSINESS CLASS
Upgrades: I (but a seat from Z can be used for PEs)
Free tix: D (but a seat from C can be used for PEs)
ECONOMY CLASS
Free tix: W (but a seat from __?? can be used for PEs)
If, for example, D class isn't available, but C is, then FD will "overbook" D class to allow the PE pax to get a seat. The PE passenger isn't actually booked into C ... C availability is only used to determine whether they will overbook D.
I believe that I, D, and W are classes are used by FD to book space on most of their partners as well (e.g., MH, NW, KQ).
If someone can advise the "overbooking" inventory used by PEs for economy travel (I want to say it's S?), I'll update this post.
BTW, PE access to additional award inventory is the ONLY reason I stay with the FD program. I know that there are lots of other PEs who feel the same way. If they drop this unpublished benefit when merging with AF, I leave immediately for another alliance!
Last edited by SFO_FT; May 20, 2004 at 6:12 am
May 20, 2004, 12:56 pm
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 14,352
Originally Posted by SFO_FT
It's my understanding that the following inventories are used by FD to find award space for travel on KL flights:
BUSINESS CLASS
Upgrades: I (but a seat from Z can be used for PEs)
BUSINESS CLASS
Upgrades: I (but a seat from Z can be used for PEs)
johan
May 21, 2004, 6:59 am
#13
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: NYC
Posts: 9,114
Originally Posted by rcs85551
It is I class on NW for Worldperks members upgrading or KL members upgrading from full fare.
May 21, 2004, 4:31 pm
#14
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: SYD+TYO+GFK
Programs: UA 1K, QF Plat, VA Gold, IHG Spire Ambassador, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, Coles FlyBuys
Posts: 2,805
Originally Posted by erik123
I think for NW it is I when upgrading from a B fare (trans-atlantic) and Z when upgrading from Y.
Fully changeable and refundable B-fares usually upgrade out of the Z bucket and only require 10k miles as opposed to 20k miles each way. Example are the B2US and B5GB fares between US and UK.
May 22, 2004, 3:50 am
#15
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Netherlands
Programs: Platinum for Life - Flying Blue
Posts: 95
In dealing with the upgrade hassle now for quite some time, my conclusion is that there is no advertised or deployed policy. It is at the discretion of KL to grant upgrades, or not. It seems that it depends on the type of weather. By keeping it not transparent, they can always play seek & hide or Santa Claus.