Seat availability info on expert flyer

Hi all

I've been reviewing some flight availability data and seating plans from expert flyer for a forthcoming one way EWR-LHR night flight next week. Presently I'm booked in PE (S) and would very much like to try out UCS for the 1st time.

Does the information presented in the seat plan accurately reflect the number of upper class seats left or should i rely solely on the availability data returned which is at present is showing

J7 D7 Z3

I've phoned flying club several times to try for a confirmed upgrade but it looks like it will be a wait and see on the day job.

Many thanks for any expert advice

Robert

btw anyone know why Z is available this close to the flight ?

[Pete]

That will mean there are 7 or more seats available in Upper Class, or which there are 7 (or more) in J, 7 (or more) in D and only 3 in Z.

There are two things to remember when reading availability numbers, (a) they cap at either 7 or 9 (or sometimes even 4) depending on the system, and (b) each cheaper bucket is a sub-set of the next more expensive, and the numbers shouldn't be added together. This means if you see (for instance) J5 D4 Z3, there are 5 seats available; all of which are available at the full fare; 4 at the D fare or 3 at the Z fare. If you want to be fully flexible, you can buy them all at J, but if you want the deeply discounted tickets, there are only 3 of them.

Pete

Originally posted by robandgill
I've phoned flying club several times to try for a confirmed upgrade but it looks like it will be a wait and see on the day job.

Additional award inventory is usually released between 5 and 7 days, and then again at 24-48 hours before the flight. It may be worth phoning back closer to the time.

btw anyone know why Z is available this close to the flight ?

Some Z fares for ticketing from Mainland Europe origins don't have as rigid advance purchase requirements (can be bought about a week before the departure date).

Cheers,
Mike

Guys

Thanks for the advice. I'd pretty much grasped how to translate the availability code. I'd been keeping a close eye too on the seat map on expert flyer, which seeming is filling up at alarming rate and I was kinda assuming that meant the flight was quite quickly becoming full in J therefore reducing chances of upgrade success

Regards

Robert