"O" class avail but no "O" class quotes

[wrldtrvllr]

Looking at E/F I see plenty seats in "O" for SYD-EZE but cannot find anywhere/anyone selling an "O" class fare. Is that right? Is E/F wrong? Or have the airlines neglected to load the "O" class fares? Trying to get a good fare there.

 

[aus_flyer]

EF does not always match what airlines see, but that said, I've actually had a very similar problem recently with domestic fares on the QF website. No O class fares quote despite O being available.

I'd suggest calling QF, explain the problem and ask them to check that they cannot see any O inventory.

If they can see O availability, and they can replicate the problem on the website, they will often waive the telephone booking fee.

 

[notzac]

Remember that EF is based in the US, and is seeing availability according to what the airlines make available to the US-based GDS'.. that's a really poor description, but it potentially explains why you're seeing availability in the O fare bucket in EF and not on the (Australian) QF site.

 

[Dave Noble]

QF may well just not offer an O class fare. That there is availabilty on a specific flight in O doesn't imply that there is a fare offered in that class between the 2 airport pairs

Looking on EF, I cannot see any O fare offered from SYD-EZE for january for example

This does not mean that there is any error, just that QF had elected not to offer a fare in that class

Dave

 

[Travel Guru]

QF may well just not offer an O class fare. That there is availabilty on a specific flight in O doesn't imply that there is a fare offered in that class between the 2 airport pairs

Looking on EF, I cannot see any O fare offered from SYD-EZE for january for example

This does not mean that there is any error, just that QF had elected not to offer a fare in that class

Dave

Dave is absolutely correct.

International doesnt work like Domestic where for each fare bucket there's a corresponding fare, with international, just because there's O class, doesn't mean that:

A. There's an O class fare for sale
B. That there's an O class fare valid for sale from your departure point
C. That there's an O class fare that's valid for sale through the agency group you're quoting it

Looking at fare buckets is of little use if you don't already know that there are fares valid for sale ex. wherever you're flying from.

Your best bet is to go at it the other way around and search out valid fares first and then search for the relevant booking class availability second.

TG

 

[aus_flyer]

International doesnt work like Domestic where for each fare bucket there's a corresponding fare...

With the exception of D* and I classes.

* with few exceptions, eg BNE-SYD

 

[Travel Guru]

With the exception of D* and I classes.

* with few exceptions, eg BNE-SYD

Yes and no. D class certainly, but there isn't always an I class fare, often time I class when there isn't a special on (which pre GFC there rarely was) is used for AD tickets and the like which the GP wouldnt have access too even though it still shows up in the GDS and EF

TG

 

[MarcB]

I am having a similar problem with QF availabilty on E/F from BNE to MAD via FRA in June next year. The problem is both ways - I can see 7 O class seats on Friday 18 June but QF website says there is only 1 and books into Q class if I try with 3 pax. Similarly, on the return, E/F shows no availability and QF website let's me book into O class!! I also noticed seat counter differs from E/F. I have confirmed that there are vaild O class fares available and E/F is providing the routings - I'm not forcing them.

 

[Travel Guru]

I am having a similar problem with QF availabilty on E/F from BNE to MAD via FRA in June next year. The problem is both ways - I can see 7 O class seats on Friday 18 June but QF website says there is only 1 and books into Q class if I try with 3 pax. Similarly, on the return, E/F shows no availability and QF website let's me book into O class!! I also noticed seat counter differs from E/F. I have confirmed that there are vaild O class fares available and E/F is providing the routings - I'm not forcing them.

EF must be incorrect, when I do a search 18 June in Galileo GDS, it returns 1 O class seat BNE-SIN and 9 SIN-FRA

If you fly BNE-SYD-SIN-FRA, there are 9 O class seats showing on all flights, but on the SYD-FRA direct flight number QF5 there is also only 1 O class seat showing.

TG

 

[MarcB]

Yes Travel Guru - I think you are right. Went into my T/A (a good friend who will try 100 different routings to get me my dates) and he told me the same thing re availability. He even tried waitlisting to see if it would clear! Wasn't a big deal, just booked a day either side. Only $60 to change so we can just keep an eye on it!

Makes you wonder how reliable (and worthwhile) E/F is though!

 

[Travel Guru]

Yes Travel Guru - I think you are right. Went into my T/A (a good friend who will try 100 different routings to get me my dates) and he told me the same thing re availability. He even tried waitlisting to see if it would clear! Wasn't a big deal, just booked a day either side. Only $60 to change so we can just keep an eye on it!

Makes you wonder how reliable (and worthwhile) E/F is though!

Not sure about EF, havent had anything to do with it, don't need it having anytime access to Galileo.

I wouldn't hold out too much hope of O class clearing, it doesn't have much of a history of doing so, but i've been wrong before, let me know how you go.

TG

 

[serfty]

E/F gives results for the USA. Airlines can (and do) vary availability depending on several factors including region and even specific agencies.

It is likely a US based TA would be able to access those seats.

 

[wrldtrvllr]

E/F gives results for the USA. Airlines can (and do) vary availability depending on several factors including region and even specific agencies.

I suspected as much. Have trawled through various online agents and there is some significant variances in terms of pricing and availability. It definitely appears that some websites/agents have access to inventory for a particular airline that others do not. Some interesting anomalies too.

It is likely a US based TA would be able to access those seats.

Any online agents/websites you recommend/suggest? I've tried the usuals like expedia, zuji, skyscanner, kayak, farecompare, mobissimo, ebookers, bestflights, travelscene...

Which website(s) is best for pricing multi-leg trips? And not just 3 legs like a stopover. I've haven't come across many engines that allow more than 3.

 

[Travel Guru]

I suspected as much. Have trawled through various online agents and there is some significant variances in terms of pricing and availability. It definitely appears that some websites/agents have access to inventory for a particular airline that others do not. Some interesting anomalies too.



Any online agents/websites you recommend/suggest? I've tried the usuals like expedia, zuji, skyscanner, kayak, farecompare, mobissimo, ebookers, bestflights, travelscene...

Which website(s) is best for pricing multi-leg trips? And not just 3 legs like a stopover. I've haven't come across many engines that allow more than 3.

Just because a US agent has access to O Class, is quite insignificant as far as fares go because they will have different fare prices contracts ex Australia than Australian agents and sites do.

TG

 

[Dave Noble]

E/F gives results for the USA. Airlines can (and do) vary availability depending on several factors including region and even specific agencies.

It is likely a US based TA would be able to access those seats.

It still does not mean that there is any O class fare listed for the routing specified, just that there is availability in that class.

The availability may only be relevent for people who have tickets for other origins/destinations but are travelling via A-B

e.g. there might be a fare from JNB-EZE in O class where the passenger travels JNB-SYD-EZE but no fare in O class just for SYD-EZE. Availability of a class does not imply a fare exists

Dave

 

[serfty]

It still does not mean that there is any O class fare listed for the routing specified, just that there is availability in that class.
...

I never posted there was; just the seats could be accessed.

My post was more about varying availability in fare buckets.

If there were fares that could be booked booked, as posted by travel Guru, it is quite likely to be at completely different rates/conditions than what MarcB would have been looking at.