Fully booked F, but seat map showing otherwise?

[iehelyn]

Hi all, just want to check is it possible to have all F, P and A seats booked but at the same time, the online seat map under "my bookings" shows there are still plenty of empty seats?

Always thought a seat is automatically assigned for F pax, regardless where the ticket is issued?

[stargold]

To my knowledge, seat is only assigned when specifically requested, which makes the Seat Maps incredibly unreliable as an indicator of the flight load. Especially for J cabin which is much larger than F cabin, and therefore there is a lot more room for discrepancy.

If there are empty seats on the Seat Map but the flight is fully booked, it most likely simply means that some people haven't requested a seat number in advance and will be assignd one at the airport.

[SQflyergirl]

It is an unreliable indicator. Many people do not preassign seats.

[danzer]

Can you view the seatmap of a particular flight without having to have already booked a seat on the flight?

[Singapore_Air]

You can if you have access to a Global Distribution System (GDS).
[KVS Availability Tool 3.0.5/Platinum - Amadeus Seat Map: 20 May 2008/SQ 636/SIN-NRT/380/R]

       A    |   C   D    |   F       
 1     -                     -       
 2     -        -   -        -       
 3     -        -   -        -       
 4     -                     -       
[+] Available   [-] Unavailable   [W] Wing   [E] Exit Row

[jhm]

You can if you have access to a Global Distribution System (GDS).

... although to be pedantic, neither KVS nor ExpertFlyer (both of which you can use to view seat maps) is actually real/direct access to a GDS (for which you'd have to sign up to Nexion (only available in the US ), a host agency (such as Incentive Connection Travel which a number of people on TOF use), directly with a GDS (such as Sabre's Simplicity Plan (again only available in the US plus a US$1,250 upfront fee) or as a developer) or via other means (e.g. a very friendly TA)).

[getonline]

... although to be pedantic, neither KVS nor ExpertFlyer (both of which you can use to view seat maps) is actually real/direct access to a GDS

I thought the same thing about real time seat assignment with KVS, so I got on the phone to LH to get seats for an upcoming flight (in First!). I brought up the Amadeus text seat map, and it showed that all seats were available. I talked to the agent, requested 2DG, and then refreshed the KVS map seconds later.

TaDa! Updated. 2DG were now occupied. Seems pretty real time to me! I've also seen these immediate changes in fare class buckets as I book.

Eric

[jhm]

I thought the same thing about real time seat assignment with KVS, so I got on the phone to LH to get seats for an upcoming flight (in First!). I brought up the Amadeus text seat map, and it showed that all seats were available. I talked to the agent, requested 2DG, and then refreshed the KVS map seconds later.

TaDa! Updated. 2DG were now occupied. Seems pretty real time to me! I've also seen these immediate changes in fare class buckets as I book.

Whilst KVS/ExpertFlyer may give you accurate real time seat maps, I was making the point that they're definitely not GDS access. With GDS access, you can (for example) construct and ticket itineraries which you can't do on any online booking engine, e.g.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showp...4&postcount=37
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showp...2&postcount=57

KVS gets its data by accessing public websites from around the Internet, e.g. ZUJI or the NH availability tool. In effect, it's a specialised web browser which formats your inputs and the relevant websites' outputs.

ExpertFlyer is an interface to the server(s) running at ExpertFlyer which have GDS access but you don't.

[danzer]

I downloaded the KVS tool but it says that to view seatmaps, i will need to upgrade to GOLD. Is there any way i can view SQ seatmaps without having to pay a single cent? Or can someone sponsor me to upgrade to gold?..lol

[jhm]

I downloaded the KVS tool but it says that to view seatmaps, i will need to upgrade to GOLD. Is there any way i can view SQ seatmaps without having to pay a single cent? Or can someone sponsor me to upgrade to gold?..lol

As I mention above, KVS uses publicly available sources on the Internet but I don't know where it accesses for the SQ seatmaps.

If you don't want to pay US$15/6 months for KVS or US$5/1 month for EF, EF offer a 5-day free trial which you sign up for to check your seatmap.