Offer of J upgrade using points: What does it mean?

[Voyages]

I've just got a call from a lovely QF lady, who offered me a J upgrade on points (72K) for QF93 this Wednesday. I am booked in O class. A quick check on CMT reveals a lot of available seats in all classes.

I recall that this question has been asked before, but when you get a call like this, does it mean:

(1) QF93 is going to be oversold in wHY? and/or

(2) QF simply wants to reduce their Liability in the QFF program?

Voyages

 

[serfty]

1. Almost certainly!
2. Not sure what you mean?

 

[Voyages]

1. Almost certainly!
2. Not sure what you mean?

Serfty, thanks guru. Re (2), I meant that because a lot of us have large point balances in our accounts, and those points represent a liability to QF; hence they want to offer people such upgrades so that our points balances get reduced. It was jsut a random thought.

 

[serfty]

I don't believe so, a point expired is a lot more cost effective for a FF program than one spent.

As for fare bucket availability, I have seen this sort of thing all year.

Flights are often heavily booked in WHY but not in the premium classes.

Qantas see any seat as saleable and will often bump up the WHY buckets to include the cheaper one a little to increase revenue for the flight. The intention being to upgrade passengers as necessary.

As you get closer to the flight you may see these vary in unison.

You may see:

F7 A6 J9 C9 D9 Y3 B2 H2 K2 M2 L2 V2 S2 N2 Q2 O2 X2

and redeem an award seat (X).

This may then change to:

F7 A6 J9 C9 D9 Y2 B1 H1 K1 M1 L1 V1 S1 N1 Q1 O1 X1

The next morning the WHY fare buckets may all be showing 4 after Yield management review the loadings and decide to tap into WHY revenue for a few more premium seats.

 

[MelUser]

What did you tell the lady?

 

[Dave Noble]

Serfty, thanks guru. Re (2), I meant that because a lot of us have large point balances in our accounts, and those points represent a reliability to QF; hence they want to offer people such upgrades so that our points balances get reduced. It was jsut a random thought.

Do you not perhaps mean liability rather than reliability

It could just mean that the flight is v quiet in business and they are deciding to offer the upgrades

Dave

 

[Voyages]

What did you tell the lady?

I was out having a coffee so she gave me a number to call back (within the next hour). I am going to say no (I think, :-|). I've got plans for my points balance.

 

[Voyages]

Do you not perhaps mean liability rather than reliability

It could just mean that the flight is v quiet in business and they are deciding to offer the upgrades

Dave

Indeed, thanks Dave :mrgreen:

 

[Voyages]

As you get closer to the flight you may see these vary in unison.

Interestingly, Seatcounter and Checkmytrip reveal different results. Whilst the former shows a lot of availabilty, the later is now completely blanked out in wHY.

They are not always consistent, are they?

 

[Travel Guru]

Interestingly, Seatcounter and Checkmytrip reveal different results. Whilst the former shows a lot of availabilty, the later is now completely blanked out in wHY.

They are not always consistent, are they?

Galileo is showing plenty of availability in Y, with availability all the way to Q class, and 8 F/F seats, so definately not a case of Y being full/oversold.

TG

 

[serfty]

I believe the economy cabin is very oversold.

Qantas' seat maps go into a 'pre-flight' mode about 5 days before a flight - is this "completely blanked out" seat map showing as a "sea of blue/green" allocated seats?

E/F returns F, J and W seat maps - F has 1 Q-blocked seat and 11 'free' seats, J has 19 q-blocked seats and 6 'free' seats and W is 13 and 1.

I believe 2 days before the flight, the seat maps tend to provide a good (if not precise) guide - I still believe Qantas are trying to get as much revenue for the flight as possible, even if it means selling a J seat for Y 'pricing', and I guess even award seats have their factored revenue.

 

[Voyages]

I believe the economy cabin is very oversold.

Qantas' seat maps go into a 'pre-flight' mode about 5 days before a flight - is this "completely blanked out" seat map showing as a "sea of blue/green" allocated seats?

Yes it is. Every seat in the economy cabin is blued out, with mine shown in red of course.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

I am on the same flight on Saturday...and would not mind an offe.

While my wife and I are both QC Members, our status is only Bronze and so I do not how likely an op-up for 2 would be.

Redeeming points if offred may be the more prudent way to go.