NW Inventory Management
 

Hello all...

I'm trying to book some tickets to head out to the west coast for a long weekend. When I went to book the tickets this morning, all of the K inventory had been zeroed out for my returning Monday morning red eye SFO-MSP segment (SFO-MSP, 11/3, dep 12:25am). According to seatcounter there were 9 K buckets left when I went to bed last night around 1 AM. This morning, all the K and L inventory had been zeroed out according to seatcounter.

Does NW "remove" this inventory as a matter of inventory management practice? Alternatively, did I fall victim to someone just coming in and buying a bunch of seats while I slept? Anyone have any experience with this? Will this inventory "reappear"?

I've had the same problems before. Go to sleep w/ K9 and wake up to T9K0. I find it unlikely that they sold 9 K seats in the time you were asleep for a flight that will not take place for a while, so it must have been the revenue management programming. You're definitely gambling by waiting for the K to reappear, especially since T is usually not that much more expensive. Let us know what happens.

All the inventory is back tonight. So, go figure. I'm canceling the ticket I booked this morning and grab the red eye.

24 X 7 Pricing
 

I thought it was common practice for all airlines to be adjusting their inventories 24 X 7, based on the ever changing "tide" of marketing needs. :confused:

-A

NW (and others) adjust fare buckets all the time. Last night, at the 6-day window, an upcoming flight of mine showed P2 F0. When I checked this morning to see if I got the upgrade (even though I thought the chances were nil), I got it. So, NW must have opened up an F seat (because R<F) to accommodate my upgrade.

NW has always appeared to me to be among the most 'active' carriers in adjusting inventory. I've been watching the Friday before Christmas for a few weeks; I need one particular flight, which can shift multiple times daily. Generally stays at Y9B9, then zeroed out; right now we've got M9H9 as well.

Pretty clever strategy in that they'll get some holiday travelers who will shell out for the higher fare. I can't justify a $900/1000 domestic trip, so I'm patiently waiting for some V-or better availability to appear, which I hope will happen with patience.

>>>>>>Last night, at the 6-day window, an upcoming flight of mine showed P2 F0. When I checked this morning to see if I got the upgrade...

I am seeing this a lot - - when the P/F buckets are very low (and there has been no R space showing in Expertflyer) AND the seatmap in F is showing several available spaces - - or even a totally empty F cabin! In these cases I don't get the upgrade at the same time as other segments that are P9F9, but instead tend to get them overnight or a day later. I do think that this is a conscious effort to shift inventory to make appropriate space open for elite upgrades once the EUA timeframe open ups.