I understand the recent changes over at AF/KLM have greatly limited the amount of O inventory available, and I also understand that they seem to have found some way to offer Classic awards to their own FB members while not making any O inventory available to DL SM members. But I was still under the impression that if EF showed the now-elusive O inventory, I could get it using SkyMiles.
However, I've been trying to make changes to an award ticket for the better part of a week. Even when I do see O inventory available now on ExpertFlyer, reservations claims that they also show O inventory in their system, but that it is coming back sell denied from AF/KL. They claim when they then open up AF/KL's systems, they don't see any inventory on the other side. This has happened for many flights, which even now still show plenty of O inventory in ExpertFlyer, both when searched individually or as married segments. The DL agents tried to chalk it up to a timing issue, that the systems aren't always in sync... I get that... but the inventory they see on the DL system matches what I see in EF, and the numbers haven't changed for the better part of a week.
So in summary, EF shows O inventory. DL's system shows the agents the exact same availability that EF shows me. AF/KL denies the sell. Agents don't see the inventory when they open up AF/KL's systems. This has been the case for numerous flight combinations I've tried over the last week.
Any thoughts what could be in play here? The way I'm kicking it around in my mind: Best case scenario... I'm just an idiot and am still doing something wrong after all these years. Medium case scenario... good ol' seamless JV and quality IT at work. Worst case scenario... another hostile AF/KL action, or worst yet some sort of StarNet equivalent at the hands of DL.
However, I've been trying to make changes to an award ticket for the better part of a week. Even when I do see O inventory available now on ExpertFlyer, reservations claims that they also show O inventory in their system, but that it is coming back sell denied from AF/KL. They claim when they then open up AF/KL's systems, they don't see any inventory on the other side. This has happened for many flights, which even now still show plenty of O inventory in ExpertFlyer, both when searched individually or as married segments. The DL agents tried to chalk it up to a timing issue, that the systems aren't always in sync... I get that... but the inventory they see on the DL system matches what I see in EF, and the numbers haven't changed for the better part of a week.
So in summary, EF shows O inventory. DL's system shows the agents the exact same availability that EF shows me. AF/KL denies the sell. Agents don't see the inventory when they open up AF/KL's systems. This has been the case for numerous flight combinations I've tried over the last week.
Any thoughts what could be in play here? The way I'm kicking it around in my mind: Best case scenario... I'm just an idiot and am still doing something wrong after all these years. Medium case scenario... good ol' seamless JV and quality IT at work. Worst case scenario... another hostile AF/KL action, or worst yet some sort of StarNet equivalent at the hands of DL.