thesilb

I fly this route all the time. They operate many international widebodies on this route daily, some to SHA and some to PVG (from PEK). I always fly business, sometime even first in a 3 cabin. I have been trying for months to buy a ticket for March 8. They only have one flight available for sale. The others are all limited to selling coach seats only. Then I realized - this phenomenon is true all year, only 1 or 2 flights loaded for business class or first class sale on any given day - and on some days, no flights at all. Even next week! So I thought maybe they are trying to piss off Americans in the trade war. But I had our firm's China office try to buy in China - on Chinese website, by calling - they are being told "those fares have not been loaded yet". This is dumbfounding - so they are flying empty cabins next week because no fares are loaded? Has anyone ever seen any situation like this?

moondog

I just checked ctrip for March 8, PEK-SHA on CA, and found business class availability on all flights, though some were obnoxiously expensive. What is your desired flight? Also, have you looked into MU? They fly their 77W on this route several times per day, and it is a very nice airplane.

thesilb

Thanks. My date is May 8. I will check on MU. There is only one flight on CA for sale at 7:20 a.m. that day. But there are 747's, 777's, 787's flying that route all day. Just not selling the F/C seats...

moondog

Ah, my bad; I misread May as Mar. In this case, check back at 45 days in.

travelinmanS

TPJ

Looking at the GDS'es I indeed see only Premium Economy and Economy - no Business:

CA RESPONSE ** DIRECT CONNECT PARTICIPANT **
13CA1858 G9 E0 Y9 B0 M0 U0 H0 Q0 V0 W0 SHAPEK 0755 1010 789 0
S0 T0 L0 N3 K0
14CA1590 G9 E0 Y9 B0 M0 U0 H0 Q0 V0 W0 SHAPEK 0855 1110 747 0
S0 T0 L0 N3 K0
15CA1832 Y9 B0 M0 U0 H0 Q0 V0 W0 S0 T0 SHAPEK 1055 1310 330 0
L0 N3 K0
16CA1502 G9 E0 Y9 B0 M0 U0 H0 Q0 V0 W0 SHAPEK 1155 1410 359 0
S0 T0 L0 N3 K0
17CA1520 G9 E0 Y9 B0 M0 U0 H0 Q0 V0 W0 SHAPEK 1255 1510 404 0
S0 T0 L0 N3 K0
18CA1532 G9 E0 Y9 B0 M0 U0 H0 Q0 V0 W0 SHAPEK 1355 1610 789 0
S0 T0 L0 N3 K0
19CA1558 Y9 B0 M0 U0 H0 Q0 V0 W0 S0 T0 SHAPEK 1455 1710 330 0
L0 N3 K0
20CA1884 Y9 B0 M0 U0 H0 Q0 V0 W0 S0 T0 PVGPEK 1640 1905 332 0
L0 N3 K0
21CA1518 Y9 B0 M0 U0 H0 Q0 V0 W0 S0 T0 SHAPEK 1655 1910 773 0
L0 N3 K0.

CA RESPONSE ** DIRECT CONNECT PARTICIPANT **
13CA1522 Y9 B0 M0 U0 H0 Q0 V0 W0 S0 SHAPEK 1755 2010 330 0
T0 L0 N1 K0
14CA1516 Y9 B0 M0 U0 H0 Q0 V0 W0 S0 SHAPEK 1855 2125 330 0
T0 L0 N2 K0
15CA 156 J8 C0 D0 Z0 R0 Y9 B0 M0 U0 PVGPEK 1855 2135 738 0
H0 Q0 V0 W0 S0 T0 L0 N0 K0
16CA1836 G9 E0 Y9 B0 M0 U0 H0 Q0 V0 PVGPEK 1910 2135 333 0
W0 S0 T0 L0 N2 K0
17CA1550 Y9 B0 M0 U0 H0 Q0 V0 W0 S0 SHAPEK 1955 2210 332 0
T0 L0 N3 K0
18CA1856 Y9 B9 M5 U5 H0 Q0 V0 W0 S0 SHAPEK 2055 2310 77W 0
T0 L0 N3 K0
19CA1886 G9 E0 Y9 B9 M5 U5 H0 Q0 V0 SHAPEK 2155 0015‡1 404 0
W0 S0 T0 L0 N3 K0

moondog

It is too early to book May 8. I'm honestly shocked that you guys can't grasp this.

hydrogen

I'm looking for NKG-PEK on CA in F and there is nothing as well for April onwards.
Is CA really that slow in loading availability?

YuropFlyer

You might be better searching for Business class. It seems it's now sold as C / Business on 2-class aircrafts. Which makes more sense since the product is Business class, not First.

Happy to see they're changing the products to reality. Still much better than what you get Intra-Europe as Business..

I always find it funny how US domestic flights in front are sold as "First", when they're not even including lounge access, lol..

moondog

It's been this way for 25 years with most Chinese airlines. Yes, you can probably book full fare on an OTA like Expedia, but rational consumers don't do this.

hydrogen

When does CA release availability then?
On this route, I have previously seen F bookable 2 months in advance, but it doesn't seem the case anymore.
And when I mean F, I am referring to first class (booking class F/A)

moondog

~45 days (unless you want to overpay).

hydrogen

moondog

I just searched 4/1 on ctrip. All flights have F availability, but for $1006.

hydrogen

Expertflyer doesn't see availability?