Seat Map vs Seats Sold?
#1
Original Poster


Join Date: Jul 2004
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Posts: 235
Seat Map vs Seats Sold?
When are seats sold but not assigned? I'm just looking at 3/24 NRT-JFK UA800 which EF says is Y0..., but looking at the seatmap, it's wide open. In what cases are seats just not assigned to people who book? Seems odd that the vast majority don't have a seat?
On the note of Y0... is this flight oftentimes oversold?
On the note of Y0... is this flight oftentimes oversold?
#2
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Denver
Programs: UA 1K in training
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Originally Posted by rajvar
When are seats sold but not assigned? I'm just looking at 3/24 NRT-JFK UA800 which EF says is Y0..., but looking at the seatmap, it's wide open. In what cases are seats just not assigned to people who book? Seems odd that the vast majority don't have a seat?
On the note of Y0... is this flight oftentimes oversold?
On the note of Y0... is this flight oftentimes oversold?
), I don't know how often you can end up without seat assignments if you skip that step.As for the Y0, I believe that flight is frequently oversold, as are many transpacs. For example UA800 on 3/26 is F0 C0 Y0. However, I just checked and the 3/24 flight is showing Y5 right now, so it looks like a few seats opened up.
#3
Original Poster


Join Date: Jul 2004
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Posts: 235
Cool - do you know if they frequently sell upgrades at the gate? If so... what's the going rate?
#4
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There is almost always no correlation to seats sold vs. seats assigned. In some markets where there are large tour groups, the difference is quite significant.
I would not rely on seat maps as any indication of how full a flight is.
I would not rely on seat maps as any indication of how full a flight is.
#5
Original Poster


Join Date: Jul 2004
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Posts: 235
So is the only way to find out (how full it is) to call UA?
#6
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Originally Posted by rajvar
So is the only way to find out (how full it is) to call UA?
#7
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Originally Posted by mahasamatman
Yes. But if a flight is showing Y0, there's no need to call. It's full.
#8
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Denver
Programs: UA 1K in training
Posts: 2,107
Originally Posted by rajvar
So is the only way to find out (how full it is) to call UA?
If you take the same flight every Monday, for example, knowing the # of oversold seats may be useful, but in general, it's probably not going to tell you much.

