Availability vs. Seatmap
Apr 12, 2005 | 9:34 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: SEA
Programs: DL GM/MM; AS 100K
Posts: 613
Availability vs. Seatmap
This Friday the 15th is a monster travel day out of Boston. Almost every flight on every airline is showing zero availability.
I'm on the 4:10pm BOS-DTW. It's zeroed out on Carlson-Wagonlit's availability tool. However, when I look on NWA.com, the seat map shows almost 30 open seats. Other BOS-DTW that afternoon are similar. I know seats are not always assigned at booking, but 30 seats seems like a lot for a "zeroed out" flight.
Any insight?
RFD,
GA
I'm on the 4:10pm BOS-DTW. It's zeroed out on Carlson-Wagonlit's availability tool. However, when I look on NWA.com, the seat map shows almost 30 open seats. Other BOS-DTW that afternoon are similar. I know seats are not always assigned at booking, but 30 seats seems like a lot for a "zeroed out" flight.
Any insight?
RFD,
GA
Apr 12, 2005 | 9:48 pm
#2
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Detroit, MI
Programs: NW PL
Posts: 28
Saw the same situation MCO-DTW on 4/22. Everything is zeroed out (most of the day including F) on the availability tool but 3/4 of the premium seats are still available (at least on the last non-stop that day). Perhaps these are group trip bookings? Hoping for a battlefiled PL upgrade at this point 
:
:
Apr 12, 2005 | 9:49 pm
#3
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Michigan
Programs: AA ExPlat, UA 1K, DL 1MM/Silver
Posts: 1,615
Not everybody has an assigned seat. Often, available seats on the map are taken leaving exit rows and preferred seating as the only open option. Non-elites can not pre-select these seats.
Apr 12, 2005 | 9:56 pm
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Bay Area, CA
Programs: UA Plat 2MM; AS MVP Gold 75K
Posts: 35,092
Many sites/agents don't pre-assign seats by default. Consolidators, as well, often don't do this.
I've seen massively oversold (and zeroed out) flights appear empty on the seatmap. If inventory is zeroed out, that means they're not willing to sell any more seats, which is a pretty solid indication they're over, as they're turning away any potential business on this flight.
I've seen massively oversold (and zeroed out) flights appear empty on the seatmap. If inventory is zeroed out, that means they're not willing to sell any more seats, which is a pretty solid indication they're over, as they're turning away any potential business on this flight.
Apr 12, 2005 | 9:59 pm
#5
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: RST
Programs: Delta Diamond; Hilton Diamond; Accor Gold
Posts: 4,844
Almost certain the flight is gong to be full. Same situation a few days ago and they were asking for volunteers at the gate.
Seatmaps show assigned seats, not sold seats.
Seatmaps show assigned seats, not sold seats.