Best airfare question - Timeshare Users Group Online Community Forums

Ann-Marie · July 17, 2007, 04:27 PM

I am looking to purchase tickets for Delta
You selected these flights:

Departs Arrives Stops Travel Time Flights & Cabin (Class)
Delta 425
New York-Kennedy, NY (JFK) to Phoenix, AZ (PHX) on Sat, 19 Apr 2008
8:50am JFK
11:40am PHX
Nonstop 5 hr 50 min
Boeing 737-800Coach (U)

Delta 428
Phoenix, AZ (PHX) to New York-Kennedy, NY (JFK) on Sat, 26 Apr 2008
10:50am PHX
6:25pmJFK
Nonstop 4 hr 35 min
Boeing 737-800Coach (U)

From $258.00 (USD) round trip
To find this price, see below. Price per passenger (USD):
View fare rules
$258.00 round trip
+ $20.80 Taxes/Fees = $278.80

I compared them to every other flight, and they are the cheapest. When I check the website for the number of seats available in that fare bucket, it says nine.
Question 1: How come every fare bucket has nine seats? Isn't that weird?
Question 2: I tried the website to see if the forcasted price will go up or down. I could not see where it said if it is predicted to or not.
Question 3: Does any one have an opinion on this price? It is Passover week. I ONLY want NONSTOP, and the only other airline I came up with was US Air, and their fare was $458. R/T. Delta has sold about have of the seats on this flight already. US Air has not sold any.
Question 4: Most important! Should I grab it?

Dave M · July 17, 2007, 04:33 PM

That's a good price. Grab it.

The reason every fare bucket shows nine seats is that the buckets are configured to handle only single digits. Thus, even though there might be 100 seats available at that fare, there will never be more than nine listed. As your flight date approaches, the number of seats available in many of those fare buckets will drop. Take a look at flights for (as an example) this coming weekend, especially Sunday. You will see a lot of zeroes!

Ann-Marie · July 17, 2007, 04:37 PM

Thanks Dave. What's another charge on AMEX! It just paid for my trip to Hawaii, first class!

judy.f · July 17, 2007, 04:39 PM

Nine is the maximum number of seats that can be booked in one transaction, so that's the number that shows up. The number of seats actually available for a particular fare basis or booking class is a state secret, and a changeable one at that. Airlines change fares, and the number of seats available for any given fare, constantly. When the number of seats available in a particular class of service goes below 9, then the actual number will show up.

Also, each fare basis code (F, C, Y, B, H, M, etc) can represent more than one fare, depending on the date, time, one-way or round-trip, etc. I'm really not sure how anyone invented this system in the first place, I just know it must make sense to someone and that someone is not always me!

July 17, 2007, 04:27 PM	#1
Ann-Marie TUG Member BBS Reg. Date: Jun 6, 05 Location: Oyster Bay, NY Posts: 1,059 Resorts: Summit at Massanutten, Sheraton Desert Oasis	Best airfare question I am looking to purchase tickets for Delta You selected these flights: Departs Arrives Stops Travel Time Flights & Cabin (Class) Delta 425 New York-Kennedy, NY (JFK) to Phoenix, AZ (PHX) on Sat, 19 Apr 2008 8:50am JFK 11:40am PHX Nonstop 5 hr 50 min Boeing 737-800Coach (U) Delta 428 Phoenix, AZ (PHX) to New York-Kennedy, NY (JFK) on Sat, 26 Apr 2008 10:50am PHX 6:25pmJFK Nonstop 4 hr 35 min Boeing 737-800Coach (U) From $258.00 (USD) round trip To find this price, see below. Price per passenger (USD): View fare rules $258.00 round trip + $20.80 Taxes/Fees = $278.80 I compared them to every other flight, and they are the cheapest. When I check the website for the number of seats available in that fare bucket, it says nine. Question 1: How come every fare bucket has nine seats? Isn't that weird? Question 2: I tried the website to see if the forcasted price will go up or down. I could not see where it said if it is predicted to or not. Question 3: Does any one have an opinion on this price? It is Passover week. I ONLY want NONSTOP, and the only other airline I came up with was US Air, and their fare was $458. R/T. Delta has sold about have of the seats on this flight already. US Air has not sold any. Question 4: Most important! Should I grab it? __________________ Ann-Marie

July 17, 2007, 04:33 PM	#2
Dave M Moderator TUG Lifetime Member BBS Reg. Date: Jun 16, 04 Location: Sun City Hilton Head, SC Posts: 11,351	That's a good price. Grab it. The reason every fare bucket shows nine seats is that the buckets are configured to handle only single digits. Thus, even though there might be 100 seats available at that fare, there will never be more than nine listed. As your flight date approaches, the number of seats available in many of those fare buckets will drop. Take a look at flights for (as an example) this coming weekend, especially Sunday. You will see a lot of zeroes! Last edited by Dave M : July 17, 2007 at 04:36 PM. Reason: Typo

July 17, 2007, 04:37 PM	#3
Ann-Marie TUG Member BBS Reg. Date: Jun 6, 05 Location: Oyster Bay, NY Posts: 1,059 Resorts: Summit at Massanutten, Sheraton Desert Oasis	Thanks Dave. What's another charge on AMEX! It just paid for my trip to Hawaii, first class! __________________ Ann-Marie

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July 17, 2007, 04:39 PM	#4
judy.f TUG Member BBS Reg. Date: Jun 6, 05 Posts: 44 Resorts: Marriott Monarch at Sea Pines	Nine is the maximum number of seats that can be booked in one transaction, so that's the number that shows up. The number of seats actually available for a particular fare basis or booking class is a state secret, and a changeable one at that. Airlines change fares, and the number of seats available for any given fare, constantly. When the number of seats available in a particular class of service goes below 9, then the actual number will show up. Also, each fare basis code (F, C, Y, B, H, M, etc) can represent more than one fare, depending on the date, time, one-way or round-trip, etc. I'm really not sure how anyone invented this system in the first place, I just know it must make sense to someone and that someone is not always me!