Understanding [Fare Buckets] Expert Flyer

[get me outta here]

Thanks so much. So, 10L not being coloured blue is avaiable? Daughter offered it at online check in for $279.

 

[get me outta here]

Sorry, not used EF before.

It is years since I helped out with these requests and I have to say again PLEASE make it easy for us by telling is the departure and arrival airports as expertflyer requires these. I can find it out using another tool (in this case FR24) but you already have this info!
Avauilability: J0 R0 D0 I0 W3 P3 Y7 B0 H7 K7 M7 L7 G7 V7 S7 N7 Q7 O7
Codes here:
View attachment 184864
Seatmap as below:
View attachment 184863

 

[ChrisMars]

Looking at the seatmap and inventory of a QF flight, I am having difficulty understanding how I can best estimate the number of seats available the inventory and the seatmap is telling different storiers

For one flight, I see this inventory with little availability in J, but lots on the seatmaps




More seats available than inventory, maybe some pax didn't select the seat yet? But on another flight the previous day, the situation is exactly the opposite: a fair bit of inventory, yet much less "occupied seats"





Does anyone understand how the relationship between seat maps and inventory works (at least on Qantas)?
The blocked seats (X) are also a bit of a mystery for me, anyone knows how to interperte them on Qantas international?
Thanks!

 

[esseeeayeenn]

Looking at the seatmap and inventory of a QF flight, I am having difficulty understanding how I can best estimate the number of seats available the inventory and the seatmap is telling different storiers

For one flight, I see this inventory with little availability in J, but lots on the seatmaps

Does anyone understand how the relationship between seat maps and inventory works (at least on Qantas)?
The blocked seats (X) are also a bit of a mystery for me, anyone knows how to interperte them on Qantas international?
Thanks!

The seatmaps will always show more vacant seats than there are tickets available because some people won't be allocated a seat until checkin.
No shows may never be allocated a seat.
Blocked seats may mean they are not available to someone with your status.
However on the maps you posted it looks like all the cabin is available.
So some of the blocked seats may be "shadows" - empty seats next to frequent flyers which will only be filled as a last resort.
15 J&K might be crew rest.

 

[serfty]

@ChrisMars with QF1, QF2, QF10, QF9, QF11 & QF12 you need to look more closely as they are "direct" flights with a stopover.

So for QF1 you need to look at QF1 SYD-SIN, QF1 SYD-LHR & QF1 SIN-LHR for both seat maps and availability. That is six queries.

 

[NM]

Also note that in some cases they may be willing to sell J tickets and expect to accommodate some of the J ticket holders in the F cabin. So seeing something like F2 J2 could mean there are 2 unsold F seats and J is full, but they are willing to sell those two seats as either F or J fares.

 

[esseeeayeenn]

@ChrisMars with QF1, QF2, QF10, QF9, QF11 & QF12 you need to look more closely as they are "direct" flights with a stopover.

So for QF1 you need to look at QF1 SYD-SIN, QF1 SYD-LHR & QF1 SIN-LHR for both seat maps and availability. That is six queries.

If you look at a flight such as SYD-LHR which is comprised of multiple sectors it will show you the lowest number of seats available on a component sector.
So if you are looking for a seat on the whole flight that may be enough.

However in general expertflyer is a useful tool for many things but it is of very limited use for calculating your chances of an upgrade.
There are many flights on which there may be as many as 12 seats available in J but as many as 68 commercial upgrade requests.
And it is specifically on QF 1,2,9 & 10 where such figures are common.
Those requests won't show in Expertflyer.

 

[JohnM]

Is anyone able to explain what seems to be an anomaly in EF showing/not showing QF U bucket availability depending on whether you search for Award & Upgrade Availability or Flight Availability?

They match for X but U is absent from Flight Availability - and it seems to be across all dates into the future that I randomly checked.

See snips below.

 

[DC3]

JohnM, if no response, here, you can also ask ExpertFlyer>FAQ/Help>Contact us. They usually respond fairly quickly.

 

[esseeeayeenn]

Is anyone able to explain what seems to be an anomaly in EF showing/not showing QF U bucket availability depending on whether you search for Award & Upgrade Availability or Flight Availability?

They match for X but U is absent from Flight Availability - and it seems to be across all dates into the future that I randomly checked.

See snips below.

View attachment 195800View attachment 195801

Because U is hidden from the usual availability search.
That's why the award/upgrade search tool exists.

 

[JohnM]

JohnM, if no response, here, you can also ask ExpertFlyer>FAQ/Help>Contact us. They usually respond fairly quickly.

There's no need for me to do that, as I can see what I want to see. But (and this answers @esseeeayeenn as well), in the past U would show in Flight Availability. Furthermore, it seems strange that X shows and U doesn't.

Just puzzled why it splits out when it didn't used to.

 

[DC3]

There's no need for me to do that, as I can see what I want to see. But (and this answers @esseeeayeenn as well), in the past U would show in Flight Availability. Furthermore, it seems strange that X shows and U doesn't.

Just puzzled why it splits out when it didn't used to.

As esseeeayeenn says, things have changed (recently), and also according to my interaction with EF.

 

[Danger]

I've booked a fare where EF shows the following as part of the fare rules:

IN THE EVENT OF CHANGES TO TICKETED FLIGHTS
BEFORE DEPARTURE OF JOURNEY AND WITHIN TICKET VALIDITY
NO CHARGE FOR REISSUE CHARGE HIGHEST FEE OF ALL
CHANGED FARE COMPONENTS - CATEGORY 19 DISCOUNTS APPLY
AND
REPRICE USING FARES IN EFFECT WHEN TKT WAS ISSUED
PROVIDED ALL OF THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS ARE MET-
1. NO CHANGE TO 1ST FLIGHT COUPON/FARE BREAKS
2. WHEN NO INTL COUPONS REMAIN - ALL NEW TRAVEL
MUST BE DOMESTIC
3. CHANGE IS BEFORE ORIGINAL SCHEDULED FLIGHT
4. 4M/JJ/LA/LP/PZ/XL FARES ARE USED
5. PUBLIC FARES ARE USED IF TICKETED FARE IS IN
PUBLIC TARIFF. PRIVATE FARES ARE USED IF TICKETED
FARE IS IN PRIVATE TARIFF
6. ALL RULE AND BOOKING CODE PROVISIONS ARE MET
7. ADV RES IS MEASURED FROM NEW TKT ISSUE DATE IF
CURRENT FARES/FROM PREVIOUS TKT ISSUE DATE IF
HISTORICAL FARES TO DEPARTURE OF PRICING UNIT

What is meant by "historical fares"? My understanding is it means that when you come to make the change, the fare level (i.e. cost) that existed at the time you made the original reservation applies. However, the airline's agent is telling me that they will always charge any fare difference which is confusing me.

The rules also say:

UNLIMITED TRANSFERS PERMITTED ON THE PRICING UNIT.

Does this mean that, for example, if I was ticketed CNS-xBNE-MEL, I could change to CNS-xBNE-xSYD-MEL without any penalty?

 

[Captain Halliday]

having trouble finding availability on BCD travel site ?

Is this still available ?

It has been enhanced. See here.

 

[Port Power]

I have come across some letters I don't know the meaning of. I have booked an all business class itinerary. After “Business Class”, there is a letter. Business Class (D)
Business Class (P)
Business Class (K)
Singapore Airlines writes the second one as Premium Economy (P), but my seat allocation is definitely in the business cabin. D=Discount I am aware of. Can anyone help with the other two, please?

 

[serfty]

I have come across some letters I don't know the meaning of. I have booked an all business class itinerary. After “Business Class”, there is a letter. Business Class (D)
Business Class (P)
Business Class (K)
Singapore Airlines writes the second one as Premium Economy (P), but my seat allocation is definitely in the business cabin. D=Discount I am aware of. Can anyone help with the other two, please?

It's a bit hard without more context, but I'd assume they are not Fare Buckets. Where are you seeing them?

Singapore Airlines Fare Bucket Classes 26 items

Class Code Airline Code Description A SQ FIRST CLASS B SQ ECONOMY C SQ BUSINESS D SQ BUSINESS E SQ ECONOMY F SQ FIRST CLASS G SQ ECONOMY H SQ ECONOMY I SQ Business - Award/Upgrade J SQ BUSINESS K SQ ECONOMY L SQ ECONOMY M SQ ECONOMY N SQ ECONOMY O SQ First - Award/Upgrade P SQ PREMIUM ECONOMY Q SQ ECONOMY R SQ PREMIUM ECONOMY S SQ PREMIUM ECONOMY T SQ PREMIUM ECONOMY U SQ BUSINESS V SQ ECONOMY W SQ ECONOMY X SQ Economy - Award Y SQ ECONOMY Z SQ BUSINESS PREM CLASS

 

[Port Power]

It's a bit hard without more context, but I'd assume they are not Fare Buckets. Where are you seeing them?

I booked through Lufthansa, but as three flights are with SQ, I went into their website for seat allocation. This is what SQ sent following confirmation.

 

[serfty]

I booked through Lufthansa, but as three flights are with SQ, I went into their website for seat allocation. This is what SQ sent following confirmation.

View attachment 316099

I suspect the SQ website is not interpreting LH fare buckets with complete accuracy.

Class Code Airline Code Description A LH FIRST B LH ECONOMY C LH BUSINESS D LH BUSINESS E LH PREMIUM ECONOMY F LH FIRST CLASS G LH PREMIUM ECONOMY H LH ECONOMY I LH Business - Award/Upgrade J LH BUSINESS K LH ECONOMY L LH ECONOMY M LH ECONOMY N LH PREMIUM ECONOMY O LH First - Award/Upgrade P LH BUSINESS Q LH ECONOMY R LH BUSINESS S LH ECONOMY CLASS T LH ECONOMY U LH ECONOMY V LH ECONOMY W LH ECONOMY X LH Economy - Award Y LH ECONOMY Z LH BUSINESS CLASS

Look your booking up on Check My trip (Amadeus is used by SQ and, I think, LH)

 

[SYD]

I suspect the SQ website is not interpreting LH fare buckets with complete accuracy.

Which presumably could cause some heartache if crediting to SQ?

 

[Port Power]

Which presumably could cause some heartache if crediting to SQ?

Yes, I am using my KrisFlyer number. I'll cross that bridge after the trip. I have no idea how many FF points I will have by the end of this trip as well as another in June with Turkish Airlines. Whether I will be able to book a flight to Singapore or will just have to buy some Bollinger? I have never looked into the SQ program. I previously bought a heap of toiletries from the Kris Shop rather than let the points expire.