Seat Availability
 

Awhile backI read here about a site that showed how many seats were left on a flight by fare class. can someone give the link to that thread. Much appreciated

Free one is www.seatcounter.com

Wow thanks for this site. Now what does booking class mean and how do I apply it my reservation???

Thanks

Booking classes are the fare categories used by the airlines - from highly restricted thus less expensive coach, up to unrestricted, full fare (and thus very expensive) premium cabins. Each airline has its own classification system, with a few common categories between airlines - F means unrestricted first class, J or C means unrestricted business class, Y means unrestricted coach, then other letters mean different things.

For most travelers, the fare category is relatively unimportant if you're looking for the cheapest seats. They become important to frequent flyers in that they may carry different mileage-earning value, or some are upgradeable while others aren't; some allow inexpensive changes while others are very costly to change, and so on.

Gotcha!!! Thanks Gardyloo!

WOW, that´s a pretty cool site although you can´t really see the seat map and know where you will be seating right? Or can you...?

Gardyloo, could you please let me know...? thanks in advance

Fare class availability and seat maps have virtually nothing to do with each other. You can be sitting in an economy seat bought in a deep discount fare class (or "bucket") and the person next to you - even in a middle seat - might have paid hundreds of dollars more for his/her seat, because it's in a more unrestricted/expensive fare class.

Some airlines only allow seats to be pre-selected by people paying full fare or close to it, or by elite members of their frequent flyer plans, but most don't attach seat selection to fare class, aside from obvious distinctions in fare buckets, like economy, business and first class.

We are trying to get first class on our flight with AA on Sept 7- (Sun) from BOS to LHR. We have booked the rest of our flights -(BA and IB) with AA points in first except this one flight. I call every day to see if first is avail, no luck. Does anyone know how this works? This is the week after the labor day holiday. We might be willing to change the date to fly earlier on the Sat 9/6 before. Is there a way that I can find out when these seats will become avail??

Just to confirm, are you looking for first class or business class seats? If your itinerary involves Iberia or British Airways (within Europe) then they don't have FC; business is the highest class offered.

And are you using miles for the whole itinerary or are you wanting to use miles to upgrade from a cheaper ticket?

Reason for sounding picky, is that AA runs 3-class 777s between Boston and London, and if you're wanting to upgrade you can use miles to go from coach to first, only from business to first or coach to business. If you're using miles for a completely first class itinerary, then only the transatlantic flights (and connecting flights within N. America) on AA would offer first, and you'd be in business class everywhere else.

However, there are first class award seats (book into "Z" inventory) on two flights from Boston to London on the 6th (one each on two different flights) and none on the 7th. There are some alternate routings with space on the 7th (via Miami) that AA could put you on if asked. There might also be space available through NYC on either day.

However, if you're waitlisted for FC I wouldn't give up hope; September is a long way off, and the airlines don't like to release premium award seats too early - they make too much money selling them to erode the supply this soon. Chances are you'd be fine.

<i>...and if you're wanting to upgrade you can use miles to go from coach to first...</i>

Error, error... pesky keyboards. <b>CAN'T</b> UG from coach to first...

The op may be going to Africa so F would be available.

Anyways, the are 2 F seats available on the day flight on the 5th. If the date may work for you, grab the seats now. Date/time changes are free on award tickets so if something opens up on the 6th or 7th then you can just call and change the flights.

Is this all on one award? and is it already ticketed or just on hold? if it's on hold then you can request a different routing, BOS-YYZ(AA)-LHR(BA) or as Gardyloo suggested, but if it's already ticketed then you would need to redeposit the miles for a fee of $100 and start from scratch.

Wow lots of responses, just love Fodors!

Yes our flights are booked all the way thru to NBO and return. I am only concerned with getting First or Business on the one flight BOS/LJR #108, all the rest are booked in First on BA and Business on Iberia.(going to spain for a week after Africa) Trip took tons of points... Will take business if that is available. Yes I like the AA777's. I have asked several times if there are alternate flights on same day or on the 6th, none yet. I know it is a long way off hoping something will open up. I looked on the seatcounter website, can't figure it out at all :(( Someone mentioned a waitlist, have asked for that and they keep stating they do not offer waitlists.

I forgot to ask on my previous post - on the day of travel if there are seats avail in First would we be able to get those?

SD