FlyerTalk Forums - How do I use the availability tool to check award availability?

FlyerTalk Forums (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/index.php)

- MilesBuzz (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/milesbuzz-370/)

- - How do I use the availability tool to check award availability? (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/milesbuzz/312845-how-do-i-use-availability-tool-check-award-availability.html)

How do I use the availability tool to check award availability?

I'm sure this has been answered before, but I couldn't find it in the search. Is there a "tutorial" somewhere? I think I've got the general idea down, but I'm not sure whether I've got all of the input fields right. Also, it doesn't look like it works for all airlines - does it? Finally, once I get the information with a bunch of flights listed with stuff like "F8 Y9 B9 M9 H9 Q9 V9 W9 S9 320" behind it, how do I interpret what all those codes mean and whether the flight has awared availability?

If someone wants to really do a thourough interpretation, give these results a shot:

Quote:

MCO SGN JUN/16 0700 UA Y ->

MCO LAX 16/0800 0956 UA 273 F8 Y9 B9 M9 H9 Q9 V9 W9 S9 320
ICN 16/1330 1830 @UA4661 F2 C2 D4 Y4 B4 M4 H4 Q0 V0 74M
SGN 17/2000 2350 @UA4687 C2 D4 Y4 B4 M4 H4 Q4 V4 W4 767
MCO SFO 16/0715 1000 UA 291 F9 Y9 B9 M9 H9 Q9 V0 W0 S0 757
ICN 16/1155 1625 UA 893 F9 C9 D9 Y9 B9 M9 H9 Q9 V9 777
SGN 17/2000 2350 @UA4687 C2 D4 Y4 B4 M4 H4 Q4 V4 W4 767
-------------------- SEPARATOR ------------------------------------------------------------
MCO IAD 16/0925 1135 @US6450 Y4 B4 M4 H4 Q4 V4 L4 W0 S0 32S
NRT 16/1220 1520 @UA9681 F4 C4 D4 Y4 B4 M4 H4 Q0 V0 777
SGN 17/1755 2200 @VN 957 C2 D4 J4 Y4 W4 S4 B4 H4 L4 767
MCO IAD 16/0925 1135 @US6450 Y4 B4 M4 H4 Q4 V4 L4 W0 S0 32S
NRT 16/1220 1520 @UA9681 F4 C4 D4 Y4 B4 M4 H4 Q0 V0 777
SGN 17/1755 2200 JL 759 C4 D4 I4 Y4 B4 M0 K0 N0 Q4 767
-------------------- SEPARATOR ------------------------------------------------------------
MCO ORD 16/0817 1000 @US6409 F4 A4 Y4 B4 M4 H4 Q4 V4 L0 320
NRT 16/1210 1505 UA 881 F9 C9 D9 Y9 B9 M9 H9 Q9 V9 744
SGN 17/1755 2200 @VN 957 C2 D4 J4 Y4 W4 S4 B4 H4 L4 767
MCO ORD 16/0817 1000 @US6409 F4 A4 Y4 B4 M4 H4 Q4 V4 L0 320
NRT 16/1305 1600 UA 883 F9 C9 D9 Y9 B9 M9 H9 Q9 V9 777
SGN 17/1755 2200 @VN 957 C2 D4 J4 Y4 W4 S4 B4 H4 L4 767
-------------------- SEPARATOR ------------------------------------------------------------
MCO ORD 16/0817 1000 UA1123 F9 Y9 B9 M9 H9 Q9 V9 W9 S2 320
NRT 16/1305 1600 @US5883 F4 A4 C4 D4 Z4 Y4 B4 M4 H4 777
SGN 17/1755 2200 @VN 957 C2 D4 J4 Y4 W4 S4 B4 H4 L4 767
MCO ORD 16/0817 1000 UA1123 F9 Y9 B9 M9 H9 Q9 V9 W9 S9 320
NRT 16/1210 1505 UA 881 F9 C9 D9 Y9 B9 M9 H9 Q9 V9 744
SGN 17/1755 2200 @VN 957 C2 D4 J4 Y4 W4 S4 B4 H4 L4 767

Quote:

MCO LAX 16/0800 0956 UA 273 F8 Y9 B9 M9 H9 Q9 V9 W9 S9 320

Basically, flight leaving from MCO to LAX leaving 0800 arrivning 0956 on UA fllight 276. Then its a listing of the differnet fare classes and how many seats are available. The maximum it will show is 9 so if there are 432423 seats it will still show only 9. and the last item indicates aircraft type (in this case an airbus 320). Then it continues into its connecting flights

To check fare classes for united, you can try this thread
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=113792

Award availability is only available for certain airlines. (united doesn't show)

I don't know about other airlines.

Classes usually not shown

The classes of service required for awards is usually "hidden" and must be requested manually. If I'm not mistaken, Lufthansa / United require "Z" class for economy and "I" class for business awards.
Basically, the classes you see (letters) are more expensive to the left and cheapest to the right.

Award and upgrade availability are not usually shown and have to be requested in the fare code box. You'll need to do a search on the airline forum you're interested in to find the appropriate codes to use.
And some airlines just do not make those numbers available - I do not believe CX ever shows it.