What does this mean?
 

I just booked myself a SFO-SIN-HKG-LAX trip starting on Apr 16. On the SFO-SIN flight, agent told me agent said no seat to assign me, what does this mean?

I check UC and it shows 1 empty unassigned middle seat in Y, 4 in J and 1 in F. A sign of overbooking?

If so, how do I find out at checkin whether the flight is overbooked? Ask at checkin and volunteer? I'll be glad to take the bump if they are overbooked!

Empress,

Definitely sounds like an overbooking situation.

On the day of your flight, you should get to the airport early and check in. Ask what the flight looks like, and get yourself put on the volunteer list as early as possible.

William

Weird thing is that ITN is showing 9s for most economy class.

There can certainly be seats showing on ITN when the flight is being oversold. By definition, overselling is the sale of more tickets than there are seats. This means you can hold a ticket for the flight that has no more physical seats available for assignment. In that case, while you can still see avaibility for a fare base, and you can purchase tickets, you will not receive a seat assignment. A 744 can be as much as 50+ oversold (I've seen this) and still not need volunteers at the end (I've been there).

Most airlines leave certain percentage of seats to be assigned on the day of departure at the airport.

Also, on some airlines (e.g., TWA, not sure about UA) exit row has to be assigned only at the airport (even for elites). The trick here is that while it has to be assigned at the airport, it doesn't have to be on the day of departure. If you are at the airport a week (or a month) prior to departure, you can get exit row seat assigned.

Too early to tell especially if inventory is not zeroed out. Remember, UA holds a good portion of seats in the back unassigned until day of departure for groups wanting to seat together.

Right now, 43A is open. Since the flight is a direct via HKG, you need to look at SFO-HKG as well. 43A and 47A is open if you look at SFO-HKG.

Inventory for SFO-HKG UA 805
F1 C0 D0 Y9 B9 M9 H9 Q9 V9 W0 S0 T0 K9 L9 A0

Inventory for SFO-SIN UA 805
F1 C6 D0 Y9 B9 M9 H9 Q9 V0 W0 S0 T0 K9 L9 A0

So, for someone on SFO-HKG, they might think SFO-HKG is sold out in C but in reality, at least 6 seats in C are left.

Eugene, no, no, no! On The Worst Airline maybe, but not UA. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

1P and 1K fliers can ask for, and will be readily allocated exit rows in coach or C 300 days out for any flight, any routing. Perks of the elite level. It oddly is computer driven .. if the res agent tries to do it for a 2P the seats will stay blocked. Also Premier seating means that with 2 pax in coach on 777/747 etc with 3 abreast you can book 35A/35C, and have them "block" 35B for future allocation. There are ways to ensure that stays blocked (on other than 100% full flights) that I won't go into here. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

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~ Glen ~

[This message has been edited by ozstamps (edited 04-11-2001).]

Does a *G mean anything when it comes to seating on UA or they won't even know I am a *G until they see my AC membership card at the airport? I would hate to have a middle seat for 15 hrs..

So in general, I just ask them whether the flight is overbooked and if so, then i tell them that i want to be put on the volunteer list?

Empress .. Rudi or others will know this one better than I, but my recollection is that if you book a UA flight, and even give them your AC or AN or MX account #, not your MP #, that UA res can "see" the level "Star Gold" coming up. It usually has shown that on Star * boarding passes for me when travelling AN, Varig, BD, TG etc, so it must also be accessible to res? If so, you MAY get a break re seating choice - like Premier seating - not certain tho.

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~ Glen ~

Rudi or others will know this one better

No, sorry, I don't know from personal experience.

Whenever I book any UA flight segments, at booking time I enter my UA-(1K-status )-Mileage Plus number, to assure the best 'treatment' for upgrades / delays-rebookings. At the last minute (mostly after check-in, sometimes in a RCC, sometimes only at the gate), I might still use the option to change the credit for this UA flight segment to my LH-miles&more account. This way, even on the passenger list, I will (mostly) still show as a 1K (and get preferrential treatment) even when actually flying as a LH-Senator (Star-Gold too).

(psssst, sometimes this last minute change of ff-program may even result in better mileage-credits, sometimes upgraded classes then will be treated as paid classes ...).

... or in credits to both ff-programs (happened about 4 times in 2000) ...

Rudi is running for his 10,000th post in the one thread. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

When a * Gold mileage number is in your PNR than on your paper ticket it says:

UA*G

I think the "UA" would replaced by whatever airline the status is from, in your case AC, but I am not sure.

dup

[This message has been edited by UA*AA (edited 04-12-2001).]