February is historically where flights tend to be on the lighter side especially after school holidays and Christmas/New Year period and people return to work and school.
February is historically where flights tend to be on the lighter side especially after school holidays and Christmas/New Year period and people return to work and school.
Indeed: I remember looking at Hong Kong-London flights for Valentine's Day a few years back, and Virgin Atlantic had no less than eight Upper Class (business class) seats open for booking using points - whereas I usually consider myself lucky to find two seats on the same flight.
February is historically where flights tend to be on the lighter side especially after school holidays and Christmas/New Year period and people return to work and school.
Indeed: I remember looking at Hong Kong-London flights for Valentine's Day a few years back, and Virgin Atlantic had no less than eight Upper Class (business class) seats open for booking using points - whereas I usually consider myself lucky to find two seats on the same flight.
ChrisCh, was that because Chinese New Year was in Early Feb/Late Jan?
If Chinese New Year is around Valentine's Day, flights will be severely full, especially via HKG.
Even the lounge was quiet, with maybe 20 people compared to the usual 50 or 60 from what the barista said.
Amusingly, their pricing to book a business class fare a couple weeks out was 3x what I paid, and over double what NZ wanted. Economy was being sold at sub $1k a couple weeks out by VA and QF as well. I wonder if QF is as empty as well?
By May we'll know the answer because the government agency will have issued its monthly report, always with a time lag as it must collect lots of information from international airlines and airports.
Flew PE recently from Melbourne. Flight over only 3 of us in the whole cabin, was spewing would have saved the cash and gone economy x which had one person for each row! but coming back only 1 seat free in PE.
ecbailey
ecbailey
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 12 Jan 2016
Total posts 32
Presently on this flight and it is a ghost town. Half of business and two thirds of PE is empty. Economy is the same.
Stephen D
Stephen D
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
Member since 12 Nov 2017
Total posts 42
VA1 is so full, it is often best going via Melbourne from Sydney to LAX in order to score an upgrade.
StuParr
StuParr
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
Member since 01 Mar 2012
Total posts 203
End of school holiday period maybe?
aklrunway
aklrunway
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 09 May 2011
Total posts 180
February is historically where flights tend to be on the lighter side especially after school holidays and Christmas/New Year period and people return to work and school.
Chris C.
Chris C.
Member since 24 Apr 2012
Total posts 1,116
Indeed: I remember looking at Hong Kong-London flights for Valentine's Day a few years back, and Virgin Atlantic had no less than eight Upper Class (business class) seats open for booking using points - whereas I usually consider myself lucky to find two seats on the same flight.
mcglynp
mcglynp
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
Member since 20 Jan 2016
Total posts 48
And yet on the VA site there is not one single PE or Business reward seat available on MEL - LAX for the entire of Feb.
aussiflyer
aussiflyer
Member since 27 Jan 2016
Total posts 41
VA23 tomorrow is showing PE and J redeption available...
CityRail
CityRail
Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer
Member since 17 Nov 2014
Total posts 78
Indeed: I remember looking at Hong Kong-London flights for Valentine's Day a few years back, and Virgin Atlantic had no less than eight Upper Class (business class) seats open for booking using points - whereas I usually consider myself lucky to find two seats on the same flight.
ChrisCh, was that because Chinese New Year was in Early Feb/Late Jan?
ecbailey
ecbailey
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 12 Jan 2016
Total posts 32
Even the lounge was quiet, with maybe 20 people compared to the usual 50 or 60 from what the barista said.
Traveller14
Traveller14
Member since 17 Sep 2015
Total posts 73
By May we'll know the answer because the government agency will have issued its monthly report, always with a time lag as it must collect lots of information from international airlines and airports.
Saab34
Saab34
Member since 08 Sep 2018
Total posts 12
Flew PE recently from Melbourne. Flight over only 3 of us in the whole cabin, was spewing would have saved the cash and gone economy x which had one person for each row! but coming back only 1 seat free in PE.
richard89
richard89
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 21 Mar 2017
Total posts 42
Feb is very often a glut for airlines. When I was crew years ago I remember operating Sydney-Tonga on a 737 with 20 people onboard this time of year.
jch
jch
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
Member since 15 Nov 2017
Total posts 143
Business award availability to LAX for almost every day next week from the east coast :)