oneworld Explorer with JAL - A Class Zeroed-out
 

I have spent the last couple of weeks working with my TA to get A availability on JAL (e.g. JFK-NRT or GRU-NRT ... ) on various date (ranging from Aug 2007 to Apr. 2008), but it seemed to be that all A class are zeroed out.

Anyone has similar experience? Or any idea how I can go about getting A booking class?

Thanks

You might try calling the airline yourself and perhaps asking for a supervisor if the agent says no. And if it's worth the trouble, you can also try calling a globally-remote JAL office (e.g. Tokyo) - no one has mentioned that JAL is heavy into point-of-sale availability, but that may be the case.

It would be disappointing to learn that JAL controls its capacity so tightly that A seats are never available. Please update your thread with any progress or lack thereof.

Yeah, I've not seen any A availability on JAL for any route or any date. Even JFK-GRU, which I think would be fairly easy, is zeroed out.

Perhaps JL is copying a common practice at SQ. On more than one occasion on a Star Alliance RTW, SQ inventury for A or D was listed as 0; when my TA or issuing airline requested an A/D seat for a specific flight, the seat came through the following day.

Unfortunately not working that way for the OP on JAL. I hope this thread brings out some good news stories from FTers who've succeeded - otherwise for some of us JAL might just as well not have joined ManyWorlds.

JL used A for awards prior to joining OW (not a revenue fare code), and has not yet finished many of their OW integration changes (July 1 looks to be the current target). So the lack of A is one of the in-process but unfinished changes. You have to phone and request A to be released, it is never available automatically at this point.

There was a thread a few months back speculating about how JL would handle the (many) incompatibilities with OW fare codes, and now we know the answer: badly.

Not exactly. Actually, JL used A, and still does (until June 30), for Discounted Economy Class (Domestic Japan).

Which has no impact on A inventory on NRT-JFK flights. Obviously part of the problem, but not really salient to the OP's question. What causes his lack of A is not the domestic Japan A availability, but rather the lack of A because it isn't set up in the system for the Oneworld purpose. I am really surprised at how many things JL had failed to complete by April 1 as part of joining OW, they really should not have joined until 6 months later when the work was completed. Just goes to show how desperate both OW and JL were in getting the alliance going.

My one F award on JAL was booked into A class, FWTW.

JAL uses completely seperate reservation systems for international and domesitc. Inventories are controlled seperately.

I did not feel like spending time and money on phone call for this "mess" so I asked my TA to call JAL ... and ... no luck (they can confirm D, but not A booking class). We've re-worked the trip to cut out all the JAL segments but 1 left for open for next year e.g. May/Jun 2008 ... will see, I may just cut that one out also.

Jal
 

I just booked a AONE4 and have 2 JAL segiments. PVG-NRT D class no problem, but the NRT-SIN is A0.

This flight isn't until 26 June, so there is plenty of time for me. Will report here if any news.

F class fully open....cannot get JAL "A" seat either!!!
 

Geese! I have a huge RTW trip planned leaving on 5/19....JAL first flight of trip has first class fully open....no seats sold.....and I am still on a waitlist? Crazy. I have asked the US RTW desk and they have been of no help. Suggestions?

Thanks and happy travels.

I assume you're booking ur RTW from another airline (eg AA)? Try calling JL directly and have them confirm the seat for you. You will need ur JL reloc. Worked for me with BA. Inventory fully open (SIN-LHR) but appeared as D0 on AA's computer. A call to BA in the UK got me the seat right away.

Best I can tell JL is simply not selling A as a discounted F code at the moment; presumably this is fixed July 1, 2007 when they complete the OW integration; but at the moment you will have to take a downgrade to D even if there are plenty of empty seats in F on your flight (and no, they won't upgrade at the airport).