sfo789

Most plausible explanation here is UA only needs one crew rest seat on this particular flight, but since they "anticipate" needing a maximum of two, they block two seats on the map in advance. Closer in, now they know they only need one seat for crew, they're willing to sell up to capacity-1 rather than capacity-2, but the seat still shows blocked on the map.

Most common place I see this is the pmUA 772s that service IAD<>SFO -- 6B autoblocks because every intl flight treats that seat as crew rest, but UA RM will sell the seat (ie with 3 seats remaining, UA shows J3 even though there are only two unassigned seats, since 6B remains blocked). Then the "unneeded" blocked seat becomes available at T-48 or 24.

As for why there were no blocks at the point you booked the flight -- common practice for UA not to sort things like seat blocks until T-330d (or often later).

Kacee

LAX-LIH on the 752 constantly generates this question. They will sell the F cabin to 16, but 4A/B are blocked until T-48.

Hipplewm

This is 767-400 HNL-IAD, so that makes sense, but holy crap is that confusing

mmthomps

We are still waitlisted for a miles + copay upgrade from LAX-LHR on August 6. Expert mode shows the same fare availability as it did several weeks ago, but the website now no longer allows waitlisting for an upgrade. For both cash and awards upgrades it says "on line upgrade not available."

Can anybody explain what that might mean -- i.e., for the chances of an upgrade (if indeed it implies anything at all)?

PsiFighter37

If I have already requested an upgrade using miles/copay, that option will no longer be available. The buy-up sometimes to continue to show up as an option; other times it does not. I think that's perhaps a function of the fare buy-up no longer showing; sometimes I think it's one of those quirky .bomb bugs.

IAH-OIL-TRASH

It means nothing other than you've already requested a mileage/instrument upgrade, so the option is not there.

With PN9, the odds of an upgrade aren't zero.

mmthomps

That's vaguely encouraging, I guess. Sure would be nice to get that email about being upgraded, though.

Wooglin

Thoughts on this one?

ORD-YVR next week, Gold member with waitlisted RPU on a T fare

Available fare classes:
F4 A3 JN4 C4 D3 Z3 ZN3 P3 PN0 R0 RN0 IN0 I0
Y9 YN9 B9 M9 E9 U9 H9 HN9 Q9 V9 W9 S9 T9 L9 K9 G5 N9 XN5 X2

WineCountryUA

4 seats available, any GS ahead of you, any 1K on Y,B,M fare, any 1K, Plat and most Golds using supported upgrades ahead of you -- hope you have good E+ seat and hope for some misconnects

Wooglin

Thanks- That's what I figured. Sulking a bit because 2hr change in client meeting time required change to this flight vs previous routing where I'd been cleared into R since 2 weeks ago

Currently have an E+ middle, but checking app every few hours just in case one of the GS/1Ks/Plats/Golds ahead of me happens to be in 7F or 2nd exit row so I can snag it instead.

solma

I think chances are high.

mmthomps

Well, today the website shows PN0 for our flight. That's not a good sign, right?

IAH-OIL-TRASH

It's not optimal, but PN could very easily go back to g.t. zero (even PN9). Unless you plan on changing flights or whatever if you don't think you're gonna get the upgrade, no use worrying about it/watching it. What you do want to do is watch for is R to open and call in immediately if you see it.

mmthomps

Thanks, that "R" is what I'm checking on. It hasn't budged (at least not when I'm looking). But I thought someone noted earlier that it's promising if we see PN9; hence, my question. Thanks.

abcx

Just cleared on UA901 SFO-LHR on Thursday on a V fare of ~$1k one way (combined with a roundtrip in D) purchased last week. Z fares last minute were $4.5k one way (when combined with a round trip). R is wide open on Tues and Thurs.