Availability/VDB Question
Aug 21, 2006 | 4:52 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: TPA
Programs: Mileage Plus 1P SPG Gold
Posts: 336
Availability/VDB Question
if i check a flight and it doesn't come up as an option when i'm searching the standard award travel, does this mean that this flight is full in every booking class?
i'm booked on the den-iad flight UA 540 on sunday august the 27th and i was checking to see the availability and it's not coming up at all, does this mean zeroed out in every class?
does KVS or ExperFlyer give better information than just doing the expert mode multicity search or standard award search to check availability in each booking class?
would anyone check this flight for me if they have access?
i would subscribe if i find that they're useful
i'm booked on the den-iad flight UA 540 on sunday august the 27th and i was checking to see the availability and it's not coming up at all, does this mean zeroed out in every class?
does KVS or ExperFlyer give better information than just doing the expert mode multicity search or standard award search to check availability in each booking class?
would anyone check this flight for me if they have access?
i would subscribe if i find that they're useful
Aug 21, 2006 | 5:01 pm
#2
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Dusseldorf
Programs: LH Senator, Hertz Presidents Circle, IHG Plat. Previous: UA 1K, AAdvantage Platinum;
Posts: 638
Here is what KVS is showing
F5 C4 Y0 B0 M0 E0 U0 H0 Q0 V0 W0 S0 T0 K0
F5 C4 Y0 B0 M0 E0 U0 H0 Q0 V0 W0 S0 T0 K0
Aug 21, 2006 | 5:04 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: TPA
Programs: Mileage Plus 1P SPG Gold
Posts: 336
thank you
i guess vdb is not likely but an op-up is, right?
i guess vdb is not likely but an op-up is, right?
Aug 21, 2006 | 5:14 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: TPA
Programs: Mileage Plus 1P SPG Gold
Posts: 336
when i set the search to first class using award booking i got the same result
F5 C4 Y0 B0 M0 E0 U0 H0 Q0 V0 W0 S0 T0 K0 L0 G0 P3 A3 D4 Z3
anything KVS does better?
also, this is a huge plane, 777, i'm guessing if the Y passenger showed up there will be a lot more than the C4 and the F5 to be taken care of, i'm keeping my fingers crossed there won't be a lot of misconnects
also a good thing is that the flight before it is full as well
F5 C4 Y0 B0 M0 E0 U0 H0 Q0 V0 W0 S0 T0 K0 L0 G0 P3 A3 D4 Z3
anything KVS does better?
also, this is a huge plane, 777, i'm guessing if the Y passenger showed up there will be a lot more than the C4 and the F5 to be taken care of, i'm keeping my fingers crossed there won't be a lot of misconnects
also a good thing is that the flight before it is full as well
Aug 21, 2006 | 5:30 pm
#5
Senior Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: UA Plat/2MM [23-yr. 1K, now emeritus] clawing way back to WN-A List; MR LT Titanium; HY Whateverist.
Posts: 12,458
Just remember that VDB is an art more than a science and is dependent on so many factors day-of-flight: weather, misconnects, whether a sudden influx or outgo of pax not figured in UA's historical data, etc., etc. We've all seen flights zeroed out that took no vol'rs and we've seen the opposite as well. While being cautiously optimistic, expect the unexpected; and also plan out your fallback position if VDBs are taken as sometimes, UA needs VDBs yet doesn't have quick and easy protection for volunteers.
Aug 21, 2006 | 5:36 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: TPA
Programs: Mileage Plus 1P SPG Gold
Posts: 336
there are 3 flights or so later in the day and the wide open one is at 730pm, i wouldn't mind if i get a nice TC say $600 or so
i understand it has a lot of variables, that's why the software doesn't always get it right, i know that all i'm doing is detecting the odds not predicting the future. Recently i am starting to feel that UA is getting better at flying exactly full or with very few empty seats yet no VDBs needed. Having said that, the numbers from DOT say that there's still a lot of VDBs
i just don't wanna end up having to take a flight voucher instead of travel credit, has anyone detected more difficulty getting travel credit lately?
i understand it has a lot of variables, that's why the software doesn't always get it right, i know that all i'm doing is detecting the odds not predicting the future. Recently i am starting to feel that UA is getting better at flying exactly full or with very few empty seats yet no VDBs needed. Having said that, the numbers from DOT say that there's still a lot of VDBs
i just don't wanna end up having to take a flight voucher instead of travel credit, has anyone detected more difficulty getting travel credit lately?