Not sure what's going on here, but I just keep getting ghost space.
KVS shows it available
UA website shows it available
ANA tool shows it available
AC shows it available.

Call to book and the O space just isn't there according to UA res. These are for flights 4 and 5 days from today.
What's going on?

Since KVS is showing the space, I assume it really is there-- and as I religiously check every day it was just released.
Just can't figure this out. This just seems so much harder than even 3-4 months ago...

KVS award space is reflecting ANA's data

So the bottom line is that there is no reliable online too readily available to check LH F availability? ....

Ghost strikes again. UA.com shows LH F award ORD-DUS-CDG available in November. Try to book online and get to submit payment and then it says it cannot process. I call to book and told it was not available in F. I say the website says it is. Agent sees the same thing. Says the website has not been updated. Offer to book me in Y and I decline. UGH!

If ghost availability shows up on the website, does that mean it will ultimately become real? Or is that just wishful thinking on my part?

FWIW, this LH F flight from FRA-IAD just showed up today, and it is for a flight 3 weeks away. It's getting close to the time when LH SHOULD be releasing awards anyway.

Just got all excited when LH F appeared to be open on an upcoming award I have booked to Europe in November so I called UA to have them change and they said the flight was zero'd out in all three classes for award availability. Guess I'll just have to keep obsessively checking until I find real availability.

I saw F availability for IAH-FRA on a A380. Check award nexus, and it confirmed the availability on all AC, NH and UA. But when I called UA to move me into First, they said they could not see any availability on any bucket. Called again, same answer. On their website, I could select it, and reserve it (but I didn't do it, because it's only 1 leg of my 6 legs itinerary). ... argh, I want the A380 first and FCT access so bad. what to do ??

United Award Phantom Availability
 

Hi I am new to United but their award availability was great for flights to Europe and even better it was on LH steel. I was looking for First Saver and lo and behold there were multiple choices all going from NYC to different locations in Germany. I finally get everything all set to book and I pull the trigger. On the final step where you click confirm to pay it took me to a screen where it says one or more of the flights is not available. I called United and they said there is no availability. Well come to find out there are many days and many flights listed like this. The united call center reps could care less about the issue and especially after yesterday.

So my question is, is it common for First Saver availability on LH? And has any one else had issues? I started searching the forum for a similar topic. If there is one please point me that way.


Thanks

There is nothing wrong with you, but the website. There are lots of threads on this. Any F on LH on UA outside of about 1 or 2 weeks is phantom.

Just yesterday I had a call from Customer Service because I continue to complain about this for over one year. The CS agent basically told me that there was not a problem, but that others were just happening to grab the availabe seat basically in the same "mil a second" as when I hit the button. Contradicting herself she also told me that they were aware of this problem and working on it (for over 1 year?)

Basically she ended by giving me the propaganda about how great Smeisk was and how we needed to respect "Mr" Smeisk.

It is just the new UA.

Yes, phantom inventory has been an issue, from time to time, and to varying degrees.
Currently, LH is not releasing award inventory to *A partners until T-14. LX is even stingier with shorter windows.
There are a number of threads about this including this one...
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...ecently-8.html

I'm having the same problem with Swiss flights showing as available, but then gone on the final page with the "rapidly changing partner availability" message. But the flights have been showing as available for over a week. Truly frustrating. There are other problems as well, like standard award availability in businessfirst, yet the flights showing as only having availability in coach. Why would I give 150k miles for a seat in coach? CSR reps - on the 1k line - are clueless as well. Crazy.

So whats the best option. Book a business class award and then if the first comes available cancel and switch? I am so glad I transferred points from chase to UA. 14 day window doesn't give many options when your trying to plan a trip to Europe.

I book the best available at the time so at least we have flights. Then switch when F seats open at T-14. I start monitoring EF around T-30 and look for LH flights from multiple gateways, especially those that are easy/cheap to get to from your city.

Another related thread.

That's my strategy as well, except I use ANA tool (I don't think EF shows LH award availability?). However if the OP is not Plat/1K/GS, s/he has to pay the change fee because it's most likely within the 21-day window.

You are correct. I use EF just to monitor avails prior to T-14, so I know potential options. Based on experience, anything F6 or more will generally have O (First) avails at T-14. ANA tool will then confirm the avails at T-14.