Possible Mistake: Delta Skymiles Showing Near Unlimited Partner Availability (sometimes)

Update I: The incognito searching (with Chrome) was just my computer acting up. It looks like you do NOT need to do any special searching tricks to find this availability. 

Update II: There’s also plenty of availability from the USA to Europe, Asia, and some to Australia on DELTA in low economy class for many passengers. 

One of my part-time jobs is as an award booker. I was recently working on a file using Delta Skymiles, and was facing a number of oddities on the Delta.com website. For example, there was a Virgin Atlantic flight that I wanted. It wasn’t appearing on a normal Delta search, nor was it showing as available to the Delta phone agents. However, if I put my browser into incognito mode, logged out of my Skymiles account, and searched initially using the “flexible” search option, that flight showed up, and showed up as bookable (and booked!)

Here’s an example: if you search for LHR-JFK on July 2nd for FOUR passengers normally, VS 3 will not show up as available in business. However, if you restart the search in incognito mode and using the flexible search option, not only will 4 seats show as available, but 9 will as well! It’s also interesting to note that there are 9 seats available in business on Virgin Atlantic LHR-JFK almost every day in the calendar!

 

OK, now here’s another interesting one. I’m seeing the same 9 seat business availability on Air France, for example, CDG-JNB.

That’s 9 seats! Now, let’s look at the ExpertFlyer availability, which shows only 4 business seats available for that flight.

What’s really amazing – these flights aren’t just phantom, THEY’RE TICKETING. Phone agents do NOT see the availability, but it is bookable online.

Here’s another one with Korean Air (which seems less available with this mistake, but still there for 9 people sometimes!):

This flight shows as NO AVAILABILITY (even for 1) on KVS!

And 5 seats between LAX-SYD for almost every day…

I don’t really know what’s going on, if it’s a mistake, or how it applies… I will report if I learn more.