V-Flyer

Just planning a possible SFO in September, thought I'd have a quick look at G availability. Showing nothing at all for September and October.
Tried LAX as a 2nd possiblity - again nothing at all for September, only day in October is the 31st.
Never seen it completely blanked out like this, am I missing something?

Well Last time I tried I ended up having to book the full 330 days out to find 2 G's from the west coast..it seems, at least to me that revenue mis-management would like us all to buy a K or an S PE ticket then fight like hell to get an upgrade.

I hope VS are not clamping down on reward availibility on these routes - I am saving my miles up for a West Coast trip next year & was planning on flying into LAX & out of SFO, in UC both ways.

Looks like I may need to start to pencil in some dates and keep an eye on G fare availibility.

James

It's not that they are clamping down...they just don't offer that many to begin with, the story I get is that there may be more released closer to the day of flight, this of course is a gamble, you can pay for an upgradeable PE ticket which will set you back close to $2k with taxes...or you can settle for a cheap PE for around $1400...or you can fly BA for about $1k...or later on this year you can fly Maxjet for $1400 inc....

It will be really interesting to see if LAX fares change when MY enters the scene.

Had a look at 'lowest' Y or PE fares, for SFO both coming out at Y or W level. Not good. Think I might have to wait until nearer the time to decide. I guess the last few times I've done the route it's been at more off-peak times of the year.

Yeah, the LHR-SFO route seems to be extremely popular. They had good avail for November for a while there. Did you check November?

November's a bit far out - myself and the OH are doing SFO and LAS in December, I just fancied a few days to myself in September (haven't been to SFO this year and getting withdrawal symptoms!)
Plan was to by an L return and use miles to upgrade to UC out and PE back.
I'll probably hold off until nearer the time, see what, if anything, turns up.

G's out of lgw to mco are near invisible as well, with about 3 days showing between September and December

David

I was lucky to get a G out to SFO and back from LAX in May, booking it in January. But I guess that's just it, a bit of luck or a lot of advance planning.

As an aside, I've flown VS regularly to SFO since about '98. Flights throughout (apart from after 911) have been consistently full - I just wonder why VS don't add another flight to SFO especially given they've got the infrastructure on the ground and a Club House. After all, don't BA do 3x daily?

Added to this the immigration at SFO is a pleasure, just this last time an absolutely charming officer (quite dishy too [:I])

Originally posted by slinky09

As an aside, I've flown VS regularly to SFO since about '98. Flights throughout (apart from after 911) have been consistently full - I just wonder why VS don't add another flight to SFO especially given they've got the infrastructure on the ground and a Club House. After all, don't BA do 3x daily?

Added to this the immigration at SFO is a pleasure, just this last time an absolutely charming officer (quite dishy too [:I])

To continue this aside, I fly that route regularly too and have frequently thought the same thing. (Especially when - as with next week's trip - there's no capacity to upgrade on the single flight. )

Originally posted by Jon Morgan
(Especially when - as with next week's trip - there's no capacity to upgrade on the single flight. )

Well, they won't expand a route just so that people can upgrade to higher classes for free - they need proof that the extra revenue seats will follow.

Aircraft availability may be a key factor here (or lack of) too.

Originally posted by preiffer
Well, they won't expand a route just so that people can upgrade to higher classes for free - they need proof that the extra revenue seats will follow.

I understood part of the reason for the LHR 744 reconfig was to be able to accomodate the higher demand for J and W on this and similar routes, given that W usually sells through *very* rapidly, and J is frequently full, on this route.

So, I'm guessing VS already have proof as regards revenue on the SFO route, or they wouldn't be looking at a costly reconfig.

That said, there's times I've been on VS19/20 and they have been near dead, but that's usually due to a specific bit of seasonality, such as local holidays.

Regards,
Mike

Part of my suggestion here is that it's surely more profitable to double a route, if loads suggest it, rather than open up a new one with all the launch costs that must bear?

Originally posted by AndyK
Just planning a possible SFO in September, thought I'd have a quick look at G availability. Showing nothing at all for September and October.
Tried LAX as a 2nd possiblity - again nothing at all for September, only day in October is the 31st.
Never seen it completely blanked out like this, am I missing something?

If it helps, I booked two G returns to SFO in October and November of last year, both for weekends. The October one was booked about six weeks before and the November one two days before travel.

Howard