International Flights Full?

[FlaMariner]

Our experience flying Air Canada Tokyo to Montreal last week.....

 

We booked a window and aisle in the back of the plane.  As the plane filled, we could see on the seat map that the front of the plane kept getting full but we remained safe with our open middle seat near the last row.

 

Our strategy worked but we were ready to give up the aisle if it was booked.......We felt like we had "beat the system" with the "free" extra room....

 

The plane was full but not sold out....thus the least favorable seats.....center row, back of the bus, were not chosen.  We were victorious.

 

(Another silly game we play with Delta is to lug our carry on bag to the gate and then get it checked for free because they almost always ask for "volunteers" to check their baggage to alleviate no room overhead...again, our game to "beat the system".  LOL)

 

 

 

 

[Zach1213]

13 minutes ago, FlaMariner said:

(Another silly game we play with Delta is to lug our carry on bag to the gate and then get it checked for free because they almost always ask for "volunteers" to check their baggage to alleviate no room overhead...again, our game to "beat the system".  LOL)

 

 

I think this is pretty much the default these days. AA prompts people to gate check for free on pretty much every flight these days. 

[Dancer Bob]

My flight from Toronto to Paris last week had a few empty middle seats, so some people did win. Coming back yesterday, completely full. Domestic flights in France completely full.

[NutsAboutGolf]

On 10/12/2023 at 6:06 AM, FlyerTalker said:

 

Urban legend.

 

Airlines don't cancel flights just because they may have a light load.  The aircraft need to be in the next city because of the next flight that aircraft is scheduled for needs to operate.  Same with crews.  If there is a cancellation, it has a ripple effect throughout the system.  Note how this happens when there is a major weather event -- aircraft and crews are disrupted from their normal flow, and the entire system goes wonky.  That flight that was supposed to go to Des Moines doesn't, and now the folks in Des Moines have no plane and crew to take them out.  And then the next, and the next and so forth.

 

Plus, you may see flights with light passenger load, but you don't see the belly cargo.  Many flights from South America make their money on the belly cargo, especially from Colombia where fresh flowers are being delivered daily.

 

 

 

 

100%!  What can happen is you book and pick your seat with one aircraft and later downsizes to a smaller plane due to not having enough cargo and passengers to fill the plane.  When this happens, often not only do you get an older plane with possibly bad or no wifi but may give you a worse seat

[FlyerTalker]

4 hours ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

100%!  What can happen is you book and pick your seat with one aircraft and later downsizes to a smaller plane due to not having enough cargo and passengers to fill the plane.  When this happens, often not only do you get an older plane with possibly bad or no wifi but may give you a worse seat

 

Nope.  For the same reasons that they don't cancel flights with light loads.  That aircraft that might be lightly booked for one leg may have full flights on following segments in the days ahead.  So swapping out is NOT something that airlines do lightly.  Plus, flights and aircraft are scheduled around crew requirements AND maintenance schedules.

 

But if you think that's what happens....

 

 

[NutsAboutGolf]

30 minutes ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

Nope.  For the same reasons that they don't cancel flights with light loads.  That aircraft that might be lightly booked for one leg may have full flights on following segments in the days ahead.  So swapping out is NOT something that airlines do lightly.  Plus, flights and aircraft are scheduled around crew requirements AND maintenance schedules.

 

But if you think that's what happens....

 

 

 

Aircraft swaps do happen but I stand corrected for the reason.  I was told this by an extremely knowledgeable traveler; I trusted them and never verified.  Thanks

[6rugrats]

I do know of a certain airline, that shall remain nameless, that regularly cancels flights to a certain international destination, because they “steal” the aircraft to use on another routing when they need it.  This is a huge disservice to pax, and a PITA for agents. 

[Zach1213]

19 hours ago, 6rugrats said:

I do know of a certain airline, that shall remain nameless, that regularly cancels flights to a certain international destination, because they “steal” the aircraft to use on another routing when they need it.  This is a huge disservice to pax, and a PITA for agents. 

 

I have to imagine it's a low-yielding destination, no? 

[Harry Lake]

On 11/5/2023 at 1:43 PM, FlyerTalker said:

 

Nope.  For the same reasons that they don't cancel flights with light loads.  That aircraft that might be lightly booked for one leg may have full flights on following segments in the days ahead.  So swapping out is NOT something that airlines do lightly.  Plus, flights and aircraft are scheduled around crew requirements AND maintenance schedules.

 

But if you think that's what happens....

 

 

Quite a few years ago we were returning from somewhere in Europe? and connected through JFK? to SFO. That airplane was going on to Asia, as you say. And was practically empty. My partner got a middle row of five seats 🙂

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Full or very close to it.