When does LX release F seats for awards ?
Mar 15, 2009, 8:21 am
#16
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Austria (Vbg)
Programs: LX SEN, BA Gfl/GGL, IC Dia, HH Dia, Hyatt LT GLOB
Posts: 1,584
Don't know what's the logic behind it because all other passengers have to choose centre seats instead. But well, I don't complain...
Mar 16, 2009, 3:31 am
#18
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Austria (Vbg)
Programs: LX SEN, BA Gfl/GGL, IC Dia, HH Dia, Hyatt LT GLOB
Posts: 1,584
The seats get either released at the 330 day window or some days before departure when the load factor (revenue seats) can be estimated with some certainty.
It seems that LX has gotten quite pro-active with award seats in First Class and they adjust the inventory on a regular (daily) basis. So their system seems quite good nowadays at forecasting the load factor. For example, I was just able to score two (!) F award-seats on the ZRH-BKK route for travel in May, the return will be from NRT, also in F. This wouldn't have been possible last year, with just two months advance notice.
It seems that LX has gotten quite pro-active with award seats in First Class and they adjust the inventory on a regular (daily) basis. So their system seems quite good nowadays at forecasting the load factor. For example, I was just able to score two (!) F award-seats on the ZRH-BKK route for travel in May, the return will be from NRT, also in F. This wouldn't have been possible last year, with just two months advance notice.
Mar 17, 2009, 2:09 pm
#19
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: North Devon, England
Programs: AY plat, EB gold, LH Sen
Posts: 408
The seats get either released at the 330 day window or some days before departure when the load factor (revenue seats) can be estimated with some certainty.
It seems that LX has gotten quite pro-active with award seats in First Class and they adjust the inventory on a regular (daily) basis. So their system seems quite good nowadays at forecasting the load factor. For example, I was just able to score two (!) F award-seats on the ZRH-BKK route for travel in May, the return will be from NRT, also in F. This wouldn't have been possible last year, with just two months advance notice.
It seems that LX has gotten quite pro-active with award seats in First Class and they adjust the inventory on a regular (daily) basis. So their system seems quite good nowadays at forecasting the load factor. For example, I was just able to score two (!) F award-seats on the ZRH-BKK route for travel in May, the return will be from NRT, also in F. This wouldn't have been possible last year, with just two months advance notice.
Yesterday I could see no availability in F on the zrh-bkk-sin sector, but today it is showing as 1 seat available.
Though there is no availability in any other class.
I am looking for 2 tickets. Should I book this one and hope another one will become available soon?
As there is no other seat in any class, I can not book the second ticket at the same time and that is what is holding me back
Mar 18, 2009, 1:20 am
#20
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Austria (Vbg)
Programs: LX SEN, BA Gfl/GGL, IC Dia, HH Dia, Hyatt LT GLOB
Posts: 1,584
Wouldn't hold my breath for it. It's not like SQ where always only one F seat is released for award purposes and after this has been taken a new one may appear. On LX it really depends on the booking situation. If the estimated load justifies it, then more than one award space will be released.
Mar 18, 2009, 3:08 am
#21
Join Date: Apr 2005
Programs: Hyatt Lifetime Globalist, SQ PPS Solitaire
Posts: 3,598
LX 182 ZRH-SIN just opened two seats in O. I got one - wasn't available the last weeks and I checked a couple of times...
LX F is a very good product - and rumour has it that the new F will be deployed to BKK/SIN by the end of the year... Keep your fingers crossed!
LX F is a very good product - and rumour has it that the new F will be deployed to BKK/SIN by the end of the year... Keep your fingers crossed!
Mar 18, 2009, 4:11 am
#22
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: North Devon, England
Programs: AY plat, EB gold, LH Sen
Posts: 408
What dates was that?
Mar 18, 2009, 4:12 am
#23
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: North Devon, England
Programs: AY plat, EB gold, LH Sen
Posts: 408
Wouldn't hold my breath for it. It's not like SQ where always only one F seat is released for award purposes and after this has been taken a new one may appear. On LX it really depends on the booking situation. If the estimated load justifies it, then more than one award space will be released.
Mar 18, 2009, 8:15 am
#24
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Calgary
Programs: A Few
Posts: 2,339
I wasn't expecting to get New F, but if that happens it will be a great bonus!
The other thread about the BKK-SIN portion of the route being canceled concerns me a bit however.
Mar 18, 2009, 10:39 am
#25
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Austria (Vbg)
Programs: LX SEN, BA Gfl/GGL, IC Dia, HH Dia, Hyatt LT GLOB
Posts: 1,584
Mar 18, 2009, 2:37 pm
#26
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: CPT
Programs: LH, SA, AA
Posts: 856
Happens all the time on the JNB route. Not a single seat sold in F but the 4 window seats are blocked. At least as a SEN I could get one of those which seems to support the theory about SEN/HON blocked seats.
Mar 22, 2009, 2:48 am
#27
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Approachpath to ZRH
Programs: IC Plat Amb, AC, M&M
Posts: 29
I am looking for 2 seats in F:
ZRK-BKK_SIN on LX182 between 20/12 and 22/12 but can not find any.
When I try and search for ZRH-SIN, it only comes up with ZRH-HKG on LX138 as available and then on HKG-SIN on SQ as not available.
I can see some availability (2 seats) till September and 1 seat till end October.
Does LX release seats very late?
ZRK-BKK_SIN on LX182 between 20/12 and 22/12 but can not find any.
When I try and search for ZRH-SIN, it only comes up with ZRH-HKG on LX138 as available and then on HKG-SIN on SQ as not available.
I can see some availability (2 seats) till September and 1 seat till end October.
Does LX release seats very late?
LH/LX (Post #4) is right. Currently there is an avalability for F-Fullfare only (no A-Class either), O (upgrades / award) is closed (I checked for 20/12, 21/12, no LX182 on 22/12).
tcqm
Mar 27, 2009, 10:49 am
#28
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: BHX
Programs: LH Sen for life; QR Plat; FB Gold; Bonvoy Gold for life
Posts: 370
I have just booked upgrade awards in F on ZRH/BKK/ZRH in August. The seatmap in Expertflyer shows 1A, 1K and 2A as blocked and 2K open on all flights within a few days of my flight. However, the M&M Senator helpline were unable to allocate me any seat, even the ones showing as open on Expertflyer.
As an aside, after I had booked one upgrade online using e-vouchers, I tried to book the return upgrade using miles but the system refused to allow it. I got an error message saying that I didn't have enough e-vouchers, even though I had specified "miles" in the payment box. In the end I phoned the helpline and they booked it without a problem. Have any others had the same problem?
As an aside, after I had booked one upgrade online using e-vouchers, I tried to book the return upgrade using miles but the system refused to allow it. I got an error message saying that I didn't have enough e-vouchers, even though I had specified "miles" in the payment box. In the end I phoned the helpline and they booked it without a problem. Have any others had the same problem?
Jul 31, 2009, 4:35 pm
#29
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: SFO
Programs: VS Gold
Posts: 1,176
For a single F award booking, I am pretty successfull for several years now in a row already,
330 days in advance for ZRH-LAX-ZRH
I was also surprised last year (2008), when most (all other?) Star carriers did not open any early award booking options in any class on flights to/from China during the Olympics I did, exactly 330 days in advance, book with LX an F award flight ZRH-PVG (Shanghai)-ZRH to visit the Olympics (adding inner China flights later PVG-PEK-PVG with Air China). While that PVG routing did only start in late march 2008, it was open for award booking already 330 days in advance (in late september 2007).
I never managed to book early (> 300 days in advance) and F award flights to/from BKK, but never had a problem with TG (ZRH-BKK-ZRH, of even ZRH-BKK-MEL-BKK-ZRH with the pacific legs being in business only as TH doesn't offer first to/from Australia).
Very successfull in booking LX award first-class for one or two persons for New York (JFK) - Switzerland, but had often to choose the via GVA flights.
330 days in advance for ZRH-LAX-ZRH
I was also surprised last year (2008), when most (all other?) Star carriers did not open any early award booking options in any class on flights to/from China during the Olympics I did, exactly 330 days in advance, book with LX an F award flight ZRH-PVG (Shanghai)-ZRH to visit the Olympics (adding inner China flights later PVG-PEK-PVG with Air China). While that PVG routing did only start in late march 2008, it was open for award booking already 330 days in advance (in late september 2007).
I never managed to book early (> 300 days in advance) and F award flights to/from BKK, but never had a problem with TG (ZRH-BKK-ZRH, of even ZRH-BKK-MEL-BKK-ZRH with the pacific legs being in business only as TH doesn't offer first to/from Australia).
Very successfull in booking LX award first-class for one or two persons for New York (JFK) - Switzerland, but had often to choose the via GVA flights.
How do you book 330 days ahead in both directions?
Do you mean that you book 330 days before your return segment, so that your outbound segment might be, say , 320 days ahead?
Thanks,
mm
Aug 2, 2009, 1:04 pm
#30
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: U.S.A.
Programs: AA Lifetime Platinum, UA Million-Miler Lifetime Premier Executive, Hilton HHonors Diamond
Posts: 190
My experience is that certain agents will in fact pre-assign 1A, 1K, and 2K if you're very nice and professional. If at first you don't succeed, then keep on trying. I believe 2A is held for HON.