WheelsUpGal

Just wondering, with that many empty business class seats, will they offer a 'deal' to people in the back (also many E+ seats open, economy looks full) or will they just let it go practically empty? It's international EWR - DUB red eye. I'd be happy if it wasn't too full - maybe a quick meal service and a quiet cabin. And yes, perhaps there a lot of business people who at the last minute decide they want to spend New Year's Eve in Dublin . . .

Madone59

How are you acquiring this information (the number of empty seats)?

if you are counting seats on the seat map you are not getting an accurate snapshot of the load. Sure if UA has more empty seats than they expected they will offer more or cheaper TOD UG's but they'd rather it go empty.

SLC-YYZ

There won't be any deals right now. There are probably folks waiting on upgrades to clear and such. They may offer buy-ups when you check-in (not sure if UA still does this).

WineCountryUA

Will UA offer discounted cash upgrades, yes.
Will UA bump folks for free, no.

DetroitFlyer

Well if Economy ends up being oversold (oftentimes the case during the holidays where business travel is lighter), some customers will get operational upgrades to business rather than being denied boarding. But it's hard to tell whether (or by how much) Economy is oversold by, even if it says Y0 in availability.

Duke787

No chance of a Y to J Op-Up here. EF is showing the following for the flight (assuming 12/30 since you say 18 days)

J9 C9 D9 Z9 P9 Y9 B9 M9 E9 U9 H9 Q9 V9 W9 S9 T9 L9 K9 G0 N0

The fact that they are still showing P9 and K9 18 days out means they don't expect the flight to fill up completely in Y or J.

E+ will likely fill up a bit at check-in with Silver's (who are currently in E- and looking at the seatmap and seeing no need to buy E+ when they have a good chance of getting it for free at check-in). That will open up E- seats for anyone who buys Y now and doesn't have a seat assignment.

Don't see any Y to J op-ups happening on this flight though perhaps a couple E- to E+ (which isn't really an op-up) and maybe some TOD offers at check-in around $850 for Y to J upgrade. If you had a waitlisted GPU or miles + cash on this flight, I'd say there's a good chance it would clear unless TODs bought it out from underneath you.

cesco.g

EWR-DUB is operated by the 767-400, totaling 39 business class seats.
OP states 43 ....... maybe it is a different route?

wanderingkev

^ I have had two true complimentary upgrades in my flying about 2.5m of which were INTL. Many of said flights had spare seats in the cabin in front of the one I was in.

bkjohnso

I've had only one true international complementary upgrade. The flight somehow got overbooked in coach & I was the lucky soul who got moved to business class. This was Chengdu to SFO. So, unless something operational occurs, I think a complementary upgrade is very unlikely.

Vulcan

I'm holding a fare locked BC seat EWR>DUB ($ + points) for the end of March, when this flight is a (CO Style) 777. As of now, there are 4 seats 'selected' out of 48 and only 2 E+ seats selected. I was hoping UA would run a BC special (~1500 RT ) to sell some of those, but it looks like I will have to pick the seat up as the fare has gone up >200 since I fare locked it.

Artpen100

Also, I have seen IRROPS on other flights fill up an otherwise empty flight at the last minute.

findark

They won't publish a cheap fare just to move inventory on one flight. The best they'll do is open I to 9.

escapefromphl

For the few days before NYE its either its R8 or R9, so all upgrades should have already cleared. If you have any friends who fly a lot you may want to check if they have any GPU's they aren't going to use. You would need to upfare to a W fare but that shouldn't be that much.

WheelsUpGal

Sorry, I couldn't find this thread again. Newbie.

J9 C9 D9 Z9 P9 Y9 B9 M9 E9 U9 H9 Q9 V9 W9 S9 T9 L9 K9 G0 N0

Dear Duke,

I understand that these are fare classes (the letters). Do the numbers mean seats left in that fareclass? I'm sorry I don't know the lingo.

The flight I mentioned was actually the return from DUB on the 7th, I misspoke. It's a 777-200 with 43 "empty" biz class seats. And we're 23 days out. So sorry! And THANKS! I will study up on the 'lingo' when I am stuck in EWR for hours . . . .

findark

The letters are the fare (inventory) classes and the numbers are the number of seats available. That number caps at 9, so if an inventory is at 9 all it really means is "at least 9". Multiple classes are not cumulative; for example it might be common for a flight to be F9 A9 JN9 C9 D9 Z9 P9 PN9 R0 RN0 IN0 I0 Y7 YN7 B7 M7 E0 etc, and have a total of 9 seats for sale combined between First and Economy.