Incidentally, lest anyone not fully believe PresRDC's description of SCL-LIM catering versus LIM-LAX, see his excellent trip report on this very routing, posted to http://www.flyertalk.com/pasttalk/ft...ML/002892.html . The SCL-LIM segment sure sounds nice -- caviar, etc., truly the works. If only I had planned this a bit better...

-

virtualtroy, I want to chime in with what Guy Betsy and PresRDC said: LA did allow waitlisting when I called their US 800 number for reservations. They wanted to make very sure I understood I wasn't guaranteed to clear the waitlist -- always good to set expectations correctly! -- but seemed to know what to do to waitlist me. Then checkmytrip.com confirmed that I was on the waitlist. All in all, it seemed like a pretty normal waitlist procedure to me. Maybe you got a bad agent. Or maybe the Easter Island segments are different somehow -- like the waitlist is closed, perhaps?

[Edited to fix URL]

[This message has been edited by bedelman (edited Jan 25, 2004).]

No. I have visual confirmation that they remove the catering trolleys at LIM and replace them with new ones.

One more problem with booking tickets via LA http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif
Some days ago, I has bought 2 tickets SCL-AKL (QF322) on may 12 in First (AONE4.) I know QF322/LA801 is codesharing flight oper. by LA A340-300 - 5 F-seats only, BUT... yesterday I have checked up Sabre (http: // www.virginflyer.com/sabre.asp) and... LA801 on may 12 - F4 J4 D4...
How is it possible?
Can LA sell still at least 4 tickets on the flight? Whether I shall have problems with this flight?

It seems there are many differences between what LA and QF list in Sabre for this flight.

If I were you, I'd call LA and confirm that they have you booked on this flight for two seats.

WEREX, using the new availability tool (the .EXE download), I see very different results when using the "Special Classes" option to request non-special classes (e.g. F) versus using the ordinary search method in the new tool. The former (the Special Classes mode) seems accurate -- consistent with what LA tells me me about my flight (F2) and the latter not (F4, which is apparently wrong). If you're able to download and run Windows apps, get the program from its Milesbuzz thread, then run it and use its Special Classes mode to see F and A inventory for your flight.

[Edited to fix UBB bold coding...]

[This message has been edited by bedelman (edited Jan 26, 2004).]

If you aren't looking at availability in the airline's "direct link" (if you are using another system) you won't get real availability - For instance, Apollo will generally show F4A4 for a non-Apollo-based airline until real availability is down to F1 or F0 (in which case both may say F0). If an Apollo agent saw F4 and went to book, say 3 F seats (when actual availability was F2), it would immediately bounce as unavailable.

The departed seatmap.com functionality used a direct link command. I do not know why, in this day and age that every A* request isn't in the OA's direct link - maybe they pay more for a GDS booking done this way, I don't know.

Anyway, that's the explanation for differences in availability. [Code share buckets are a different story - because not all seats may be allocated to OA, etc....]

Fascinating. And this perfectly fits the facts I've seen.

So, for a direct link for LA, always be sure to choose "SPECIAL CLASSES" in the new .EXE tool.

Thanks for advice about MilesBuzz - an excellent thing http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/thumbsup.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif
However, a strange situation:
1. Flight SCL-SYD on 12 may (AONE4)
2. Milesbuzz is necessary shows:
- SCL AKL 2325 0425 @QF 322 A3 343 and
- AKL SYD 0600 0725 @QF 322 A3 343, BUT
- SCL1SYD 12/2325 0725 @QF 322 A1 343
It is a problem. I called into local AA office and asked to put on Waitlist. On this flight to me confirm only D-class. Whether there is a chance to confirm A-class?

Addition - me is necessary to take two seats on the flight SCL-SYD to May, 12 in A-class.

The scoop -- I finally got confirmed into First by asking clearly and explicitly at check-in at LIM. I had somehow disappeared off the waitlist (though had definitely been there before, I had seen via checkmytrip.com). But they had one seat left in First and, after more than half an hour of work, decided they could give it to me. I dont know why this took so long, but I had budged plenty of time so it was OK by me.

Thanks to all who offered guidance!

[QUOTE]Originally posted by bedelman:
virtualtroy, I want to chime in with what Guy Betsy and PresRDC said: LA did allow waitlisting when I called their US 800 number for reservations. They wanted to make very sure I understood I wasn't guaranteed to clear the waitlist -- always good to set expectations correctly! -- but seemed to know what to do to waitlist me. Then checkmytrip.com confirmed that I was on the waitlist. All in all, it seemed like a pretty normal waitlist procedure to me. Maybe you got a bad agent. Or maybe the Easter Island segments are different somehow -- like the waitlist is closed, perhaps?

Bedeleman: appreciate you posting the advice but I've now spoken to LA three times about this and on each occasion they have stated - with no ambiguity - that they do not permit waitlisting. If you believe this to be wrong, any further suggestions would be appreciated.

My friend is currently waitlisting for an AKL-SCL LA flight in D-class in March. Actually he's waitlisted for both LA and QF D-class of the same flight (LA800). QF still has seats in J buth not D. LA's D and J are both full. His reservation was done yesterday by a TA. We're now hoping that it will clear since I'm already booked for that flight.

[This message has been edited by JuPe (edited Jan 30, 2004).]

The difference here is that you are booking under the QF codeshare number, which permits waitlisting. As I keep saying but nobody appears to believe, LA do not permit it... period.

Maybe the way to explain the differences in opinion is that LA allows waitlisting for A but not D? You said earlier that you were confirmed in Y and trying to waitlist for D (refused) while others with quite different experiences said they were confirmed in D and trying to waitlist for A(allowed). Maybe LA will allow this for confirmed premium customers and not Y passengers (even if traveling on a D ticket). I don't know how to explain the differences in opinion otherwise. FWIW, friends traveling on AONE's have also related to me their success in being waitlisted for A on LA.

If I remember correctly, when I had a look at my friends checkmytrip, both QF321 and LA800 were waitlisted.