Where's all the UA J (Polaris) TPAC availability gone?

[SBD]

UA99 MEL-LAX today...13 cleared from the upgrade list...still NINETEEN free seats left in Polaris...no I class!

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I thought people were claiming these flights were busy!??

I'm booked on UA99 in a few days - will be interesting to see with my own eyes. I would not want this many empty seats in J if I were operating widebodies across 7500 miles of the Pacific. SBD

 

[VOZ102]

Agreed something odd is up. Booked LAX-SYD earlier this month (with aeroplan) about a week out and Polaris still went out with empty seats. But suddenly since mid AUG all the availability has gone. The magic number on the UA search is when the flight lists as 100K it will normally show on VA/AC/LF etc. For some reason nothing on their metal is below 200K. I think the other post showing limiting availability is true. Let's hope it's not forever, this would suck big time.

 

[Saab34]

I recall mid Aug to mid Sep is often a lighter period for outbound as the bulk of the summer traffic has departed.

Back in the day we flew Virgin most years across, outbound mid August, and back early September. All outbound was never more than say 50%, one had only 100 people. Coming back all full.

Ramps up Sep School Hols.

 

[SBD]

I'm booked on UA99 in a few days - will be interesting to see with my own eyes. I would not want this many empty seats in J if I were operating widebodies across 7500 miles of the Pacific. SBD

Just arrived LAX on UA99. 2/3 full at most in J. Rows of empty seats in places. Funny way to run a railroad.

 

[VOZ102]

Just arrived LAX on UA99. 2/3 full at most in J. Rows of empty seats in places. Funny way to run a railroad.

Crazy, surely this can't be viable and last for too long. They would be losing cash via the partner award settlement system. Let's hope it's sorted soon.

 

[MathNerd]

UA99 MEL-LAX today...13 cleared from the upgrade list...still NINETEEN free seats left in Polaris...no I class!

View attachment 466125

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I thought people were claiming these flights were busy!??

How do you access these stats, @bcworld?

My wife and I are booked SEA-SFO-SYD in about a month's time, and we've both put in MUA waitlists (600 USD + 30k UA miles pp). Happy to be in Y for SEA-SFO (even though the waitlist is for First), but can't imagine being in Y for SFO-SYD, hoping to be on that waitlist high enough and get the upgrade in time to check out Polaris lounge at SFO.

I've heard some members can see their waitlist position on the app but I can't (I'm just over 30 days to departure so that could be it), I'm hoping I'll soon be able to?

Checking expert mode all the J fare buckets have 9 on their availabilities so am hopeful.

 

[bcworld]

How do you access these stats, @bcworld?

The United flight status page shows all this very detailed info. But you'll only be able to see the waitlist pecking order a few days out from departure.

Essentially, paid Premium Plus trumps most (but not all status levels), then status, before getting to paid economy with no United status. As a Velocity Plat (meaningless here)...I've found myself down in the mid-20s of the waitlist from economy...right at the very bottom of the list actually!

 

[bcworld]

Crazy, surely this can't be viable and last for too long.

And Delta is starting MEL-LAX in December. Seems like there's going to be way too much capacity.

 

[antycbr]

And Delta is starting MEL-LAX in December. Seems like there's going to be way too much capacity.

Plus seasonal UA into ADL which will thin out all other east coast services. Maybe not a lot, but every little helps for load.

UA must have a lot of freight though - they did operate through Covid too if I remember.

 

[SBD]

Just arrived LAX on UA99. 2/3 full at most in J. Rows of empty seats in places. Funny way to run a railroad.

UA 863 return last week (departed 2nd, arrived 4th) was very full in J. One or two empty seats. My sample size is too small to judge but maybe day of the week accounts for a lot of the fluctuation? But yeah, on my observation TPAC eastbound was empty and westbound was packed.

 

[MathNerd]

UA 863 return last week (departed 2nd, arrived 4th) was very full in J. One or two empty seats. My sample size is too small to judge but maybe day of the week accounts for a lot of the fluctuation? But yeah, on my observation TPAC eastbound was empty and westbound was packed.

I'll be on 863 in 2 and a half weeks from now, so will report back on pax loads if I get the chance.
Currently in Y (not Basic Economy thankfully), and have an MUA waitlist pending. Let's see how it all goes...

 

[levelnine]

For anyone with a Chase credit card or United status, United has dumped a huge amount of IN inventory between Australia and North America for next year — up to 9 seats in business class.

Can view the dates at https://seats.aero/pnpz and select IN

 

[MathNerd]

For anyone with a Chase credit card or United status, United has dumped a huge amount of IN inventory between Australia and North America for next year — up to 9 seats in business class.

Can view the dates at https://seats.aero/pnpz and select IN

This is the availability that VA (and other partners such as AC) had access to, until recently (at least at close-in).
Sad that it's all nerfed now, was a great way to get to/from the US in Polaris.

 

[BRIS_VA_HAWK]

This is the availability that VA (and other partners such as AC) had access to, until recently (at least at close-in).
Sad that it's all nerfed now, was a great way to get to/from the US in Polaris.

Makes you wonder when (or if) VA will get access back to that. What's the use of an international partnership when you have SFA chance of using it??

 

[SBD]

Makes you wonder when (or if) VA will get access back to that. What's the use of an international partnership when you have SFA chance of using it??

It’s really disappointing. I know things change and there are no guarantees in life, let alone frequent flyer programs. (You are reading a post written by a member of the Pan Am Clipper Club, after all.) But I earned most of those points on VA TPAC and that’s how I’d like to spend them.

 

[ElizaB]

I rely heavily on those J seats. They were consistantly avaliable on most days for at least the past year. Took J flights MEL-LAX and SFO-MEL earlier this year. We are heading that way in October and everything has dried up for months. I am dreading the 15hr flight at the back of the plane.
Looks like Air Canada has stepped up a little. They have released avalablity for the last two months but its not as consistent and often only 1 seat. I will have to move to Qantas FF if this doesnt improve, I'm only dedicated to Velocity for the Polaris seats (husband is from Canada so we travel that way a lot).

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I rely heavily on those J seats. They were consistantly avaliable on most days for at least the past year. Took J flights MEL-LAX and SFO-MEL earlier this year. We are heading that way in October and everything has dried up for months. I am dreading the 15hr flight at the back of the plane.
Looks like Air Canada has stepped up a little. They have released avalablity for the last two months but its not as consistent and often only 1 seat. I will have to move to Qantas FF if this doesnt improve, I'm only dedicated to Velocity for the Polaris seats (husband is from Canada so we travel that way a lot).

Hi and welcome to AFF!

I guess from the other side, part of the problem for UA is folk relying on the availability of upgrades or awards. They want you to pay the full price.

Qantas unfortunately isnt going to be any better… unless you have platinum status with them.