Finding seat availability for upgrades

[spiggy_topes]

I'm booked on a short business trip in a couple of weeks to HKG (chairing a conference and teaching a course), going out QF97 on 15/7, returning QF128 on 17/7. The organisers have put me in Y and I've put in requests for points upgrades to J (I'm WP).

Can anyone suggest where I should look to find out whether the upgrades are likely to be successful? I know from other posts that there are sites for TAs that give current availability - are they accessible to the great unwashed such as myself?

Many thanks

 

[futaris]

www.seatcounter.com but I don't think it shows the classes for J upgrades, only D and J, etc.

 

[simongr]

SeatCounter - The Booking Class Availability Machine (free) shows seat availability - but not specifically upgrade - it could give you a reasonable indication of availability.

Checking ExpertFlyer.com - Empowering the Frequent Flyer (paid) shows:

QF () 97 0 BNE
15/07/08 11:10 AM HKG
15/07/08 6:05 PM 333
Unavailable
37% / 35m J9 C9 D9 I0 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V9 S9 N9 Q9 O9 X0 E0


Plenty of availability there.


The return flight doesnt lok happy:

QF () 128 0 HKG
17/07/08 9:10 PM SYD
18/07/08 7:55 AM 744
Unavailable
67% / 17m F9 A0 J0 C0 D0 I0 B0 H0 K0 M0 L0 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0 X0 E0

Hope that helps.

 

[NM]

www.seatcounter.com but I don't think it shows the classes for J upgrades, only D and J, etc.

SeatCounter - The Booking Class Availability Machine (free) shows seat availability - but not specifically upgrade - it could give you a reasonable indication of availability.

There is no specific class for international upgrades any more. U class used to be used for awards and upgrades, but since they started waitlisting for upgrades, U is now only used for business class awards.

The only way to get an indication of upgrade likelihood is look at the number of J seats that have remained unsold. If D is showing available close to departure date, then that is an indication that Qantas Yield Management does not expect to have a high demand for paying J passengers, so can also be a good sign for upgrade waitlists.

Any unsold seat can be made available for upgrades within the last 24 hours before departure. Qantas does not always make all unsold seats available for upgrades, but instead may choose to retain some seats as unsold to ensure flexibility for last minute changes or requirements for displaced passengers etc.

With the current industrial sabotage continuing, its quite possible that QF may hold back from providing some upgrades in case they need the seats for displaced high-status passengers if another fight is cancelled.

 

[spiggy_topes]

The return flight doesnt lok happy:

QF () 128 0 HKG
17/07/08 9:10 PM SYD
18/07/08 7:55 AM 744
Unavailable
67% / 17m F9 A0 J0 C0 D0 I0 B0 H0 K0 M0 L0 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0 X0 E0

Hope that helps.

Thank you both - that's very useful.

simongr, does the list above show 9 seats in F but none in J? In that case I might try for an upgrade to F.

 

[simongr]

Thank you both - that's very useful.

simongr, does the list above show 9 seats in F but none in J? In that case I might try for an upgrade to F.

Yes it does but I don't think you can points upgrade to F from Y

 

[spiggy_topes]

Curses, you're right - I just checked the QF website.

Apparently flights inbound to Australia around this time of year are chockers & my Y seat was one of the last available. This seems to apply to J as well as Y...

Will just try to drink as much local anaesthetic as possible in the Wing and spend the flight back to Sydney unconcious.

Next time I do this sort of thing I'll insist on J. It's true (as another thread today pointed out): too much travel in F spoils you for anything else.

 

[markh]

QF () 97 0 BNE
15/07/08 11:10 AM HKG
15/07/08 6:05 PM 333
Unavailable
37% / 35m J9 C9 D9 I0 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V9 S9 N9 Q9 O9 X0 E0

Does this mean there are more than 27 seats available in business class ? (J9 C9 D9)

 

[Mwenenzi]

Does this mean there are more than 27 seats available in business class ? (J9 C9 D9)

No. It means there are a total 9 or more bus class seats to sell. QF may be willing to sell 9 in D (cheapest bus) or 9 in C or 9 J (full price). If it was J9 C7 D5 it means of the 9 (or more) they are willing to sell no more than 5 D class (cheapest bus) but all 9 for full price if asked to.

 

[Dave Noble]

Does this mean there are more than 27 seats available in business class ? (J9 C9 D9)

It can do, but isn't necessarily. It indicates that availability is good at the moment though

Dave

 

[Evan]

Or it could even mean that there is only say 7 business class seats unsold but they would be willing to upgrade 2 people to F if there was no late changes or no-shows.

This could happen if demand for J seats is high but F is rearly full, not that i could imagine many routes that would happen..

E

 

[serfty]

There is no specific class for international upgrades any more. U class used to be used for awards and upgrades, but since they started waitlisting for upgrades, U is now only used for business class awards. ...

I saw proof that U class is still employed for Y to J Upgrades as well as business class redemptions.

With my successful upgrade request SYD-JFK, qantas.com MYB before the flight was showing:

Status: Confirmed
Class: Business (U)
​

With our failed upgrade (LHR-SIN), in the period prior to the flight where MYB was showing upgrade waitlisted entry:

Status: Waitlisted
Class: Business (U)
​

 

[NM]

I saw proof that U class is still employed for Y to J Upgrades as well as business class redemptions.

With my successful upgrade request SYD-JFK, qantas.com MYB before the flight was showing:

Status: Confirmed
Class: Business (U)
​

With our failed upgrade (LHR-SIN), in the period prior to the flight where MYB was showing upgrade waitlisted entry:

Status: Waitlisted
Class: Business (U)
​

My comment is not really about what class it ends up in, which really is not relevant. My point is that there is no point in searching for U availability in the days or weeks before since QF Yield Management will make available whatever class they want to upgrade you into IF they decide they are going to process the waitlisted upgrade. The lack of U availability in the days or even hours before the waitlist is processed has no bearing on whether QF Yield Management will process the upgrade.

 

[simongr]

Interesting conundrum there. If they do book into U that means that within 24 hours of departure QF yield management create U inventory thus in theory J awards become available - but as you can't book an award with 24 hours of the flight you can't sneak an award...

 

[serfty]

My comment is not really about what class it ends up in, which really is not relevant. My point is that there is no point in searching for U availability in the days or weeks before since QF Yield Management will make available whatever class they want to upgrade you into IF they decide they are going to process the waitlisted upgrade. The lack of U availability in the days or even hours before the waitlist is processed has no bearing on whether QF Yield Management will process the upgrade.

So we agree U is still used as the specific class.

If U is available in the days before a flight, then it is also available for award redemption. Collective experience tends to indicate this is rare, but if it does happen then the C & I fare buckets are generally fully available; with more U becoming available within 24 hours of the flight (but too late to book a business flight award).

 

[MelUser]

See below - an upcoming Y-J upgrade request. Does anyone know why is still persists with "An upgrade to ECONOMY" is requested"?

[BTW - later J-F requests state "An upgrade to Business is requested"!]



Jul 08

19:10 New York (JFK)

07:25 (Sat) Sydney QF108

Note: An upgrade to Economy is requested. Status of upgrade will be shown 5 hours before departure.

Status: Confirmed

Upgrade status: Waitlisted

Class: Economy (S)

Flight Duration: 22h 15m

 

[serfty]

See below - an upcoming Y-J upgrade request. Does anyone know why is still persists with "An upgrade to ECONOMY" is requested"?

[BTW - later J-F requests state "An upgrade to Business is requested"!]



Jul 08

19:10 New York (JFK)

07:25 (Sat) Sydney QF108

Note: An upgrade to Economy is requested. Status of upgrade will be shown 5 hours before departure.

Status: Confirmed

Upgrade status: Waitlisted

Class: Economy (S)

Flight Duration: 22h 15m

In my recent experience, there should be an additional (Waitlist) flight segment entry below that one; click on the [+] and you'll see what I mean.

 

[MelUser]

I suspect this [ie what you are talking about] only kicks in during those all important 24 hours before the flight leaves from its first port.