K-Class - Not the Band

Hi All

Has anyone booked or flown a K class fare recenlty, I know they are 42day advance purchace, but I can't ever seem to find one, always S

Have they gone, or is it just I can't find them.

Thanks
Bluefish

Hi,

I just bought a return in K on LHR-HKG-LHR for outbound 9/1, inbound 23/1. No issue with this - I checked on the bucket class availability before booking and it showed K1 on the outbound.

It changed to K0 after booking for a few days and is now back to K1 - weird!

Best bet would be to use the availability tool (or I can check for you if let me have the flight details).

Perhaps the route you're looking for is always busy ie SFO is a popular destination so limited availability of K?

Cheers,

Sahajesh.

Cheers

SFO or Lax, SFO is home two weeks per month.

Will keep surfing away.

Bluefish

[RichardMannion]

Yeah they are still around, helps to book far in advance. I prefer the S Class fares though as I can use it with a companion reward or to an upgrade and they are not usually too much more!

Thanks,
Richard

P.S - The band was K-Klass

I can be a bit thick BUT... When you book PE on the website you can get (lowest) or (flexible), however, there are 3 or more PE classes (K,S and W). How do you book an S (of which I'm most interested in as I'd like to use my miles to upgrade in the future)... Everytime I've booked PE I've got K Klass (;))

Thanks,

James

[RichardMannion]

quote:Originally posted by colbornjames
I can be a bit thick BUT... When you book PE on the website you can get (lowest) or (flexible), however, there are 3 or more PE classes (K,S and W). How do you book an S (of which I'm most interested in as I'd like to use my miles to upgrade in the future)... Everytime I've booked PE I've got K Klass (;))

Thanks,

James

Flexible will be full W fare, lowest will be K if its available otherwise its a S.

Best way is to phone and check if you need a particular fare.

Thanks,
Richard

quote:Originally posted by RichardMannion
Best way is to phone and check if you need a particular fare.

Or if you buy on Expedia or Travelocity (and other online agents) then you can find out the class code (and an explanation of any conditions) from the fare quote page.

BC

Thanks! This is most useful.

James

[RichardMannion]

quote:Originally posted by BlackCat

quote:Originally posted by RichardMannion
Best way is to phone and check if you need a particular fare.

Or if you buy on Expedia or Travelocity (and other online agents) then you can find out the class code (and an explanation of any conditions) from the fare quote page.

BC

This won't work on Expedia if its one of their special/consolidated fares


If you click on links on the top bar of V-Flyer, and choose Online Booking and Travelocity Code Module - you may find this quite useful as its shows each of the fares, the costs and rules.

Thanks,
Richard

quote:Originally posted by RichardMannion
This won't work on Expedia if its one of their special/consolidated fares

Yep, but do consolidated fares have the same sort of fare codes anyway?

quote:
If you click on links on the top bar of V-Flyer, and choose Online Booking and Travelocity Code Module - you may find this quite useful as its shows each of the fares, the costs and rules.

Unfortunately this doesn't show all the fare codes: I think it has a maximum of 30. I've just checked and it shows down as far as K but not S, W, Z, D or J.

BC

quote:Originally posted by BlackCat
if you buy on Expedia or Travelocity (and other online agents) then you can find out the class code (and an explanation of any conditions) from the fare quote page.

Correct me if I'm wrong but neither expedia or travelocity have a premium economy option when searching for flights. I always use OTC http://www.onlinetravel.com as this does. It also has the fare rules at booking stage.

By the way Bluefish - K class is 21 day advance purchase not 42.

Phil (Buffy)

quote:By the way Bluefish - K class is 21 day advance purchase not 42.

Maybe 21 in principal but at least 42 in practice - they are snapped up very quickly these days. In fact I think K used to be a bit a secret that suddenly got found out - I haven't managed to bag a "K" to LAX in over a year.

Mike

know where you are comming form, do west cost twice a months and I the last K i could get was for september last year just before S was introduced IIRC.

quote:Originally posted by mikesmithMaybe 21 in principal but at least 42 in practice - they are snapped up very quickly these days. In fact I think K used to be a bit a secret that suddenly got found out - I haven't managed to bag a "K" to LAX in over a year.

I disagree. Try the link provided above - I am finding loads of availability for LHR-LAX in K well inside 42 days (e.g. out 28/10 back 8/11 for £962). Tip. Use the availabiity tool first to find K class availability then search for fares.

Bluefish - you're a SFO man aren't you - out 28/10 back 7/11 - K Class £979.30.

I know the dates might not suit but the fares are there and well inside 42 days. I grant you weekends are tighter.

Maybe someone can shed some light on why availability for K still shows up on flights less then 21 days out - does this just get bundled into S class?

Phil (Buffy)

Thanks Buffy

Yep SFO, and usually on a Sat to Sat hence the problem for me, but I had not seen mid weeks for a while, hold on credit card, here I come.

In answer to you question, I was once told by Flying club that you can still by a K class ticket the day before, but it will full fare, but bot flexible IIRC.

Thanks for your help
Bluefish

quote:september last year just before S was introduced

I hadn't realised that S-class was introduced only a year ago. That explains a lot.

Buffy, I agree that it is still quite easy to get a K fare for mid-week flights but before last September (2003) it was just as easy to get them on the Sunday departures aswell.

I suppose I need to try and arrange trips more in advance to get the Ks but that would mean that there is a higher risk of needing to make changes which would mean I would better off with S-class anyway.

The reason I think we don't seem to see as many K is also not that they do not exist but that they don't hang about as long. But also sales fares have not been offered in PE as much this year.

I purchased 3 K's in July last year for travel on October and November, for the seats to then be put in the sale, this meant I was about £1k out of pocket but it did proably make it feel as if more seats were available?

Just a thought, does anyone know it it is a fixed amount of K's per flight

I don't think they are fixed... I watch fares for a few weeks before I buy and the prices fluctuate. I've only flown twice on Virgin, both PE and they've both been K fares.

Maybe it is availability per route, however, I fly BOS - LHR which is always overbooked.

FYI - If you use Expedia Corporate travel they tell you the class of flight but Expedia for personal doesn't list them.

J.