Does zero seats mean zero?

Author Message   Jack_h Senior Member Username: Jack_h Post Number: 1609 Registered: 06-2003 Posted From: 98.211.127.236 Posted on Monday, May 24, 2010 - 12:15 pm:    Last Wed. (my day at Dover Pax terminal), I posted a Rota flight with 0T. while I was at the terminal, that EPM flight opened up 73 seats. The recording/posted info is only a projection at the time the recording is made. It is not gospel.   kristine Member Username: Dreamsdocnannie Post Number: 8 Registered: 11-2009 Posted From: 75.141.220.182 Posted on Sunday, May 23, 2010 - 03:39 am:    "Other occupations can include helping those with young children" Cherry C., you are so kind. Wish you were in our terminal!   Ron Glancy Advanced Member Username: Ron_glancy Post Number: 157 Registered: 09-2007 Posted From: 98.25.205.162 Posted on Saturday, May 22, 2010 - 12:18 pm:    I agree with all of the advice given here. A perfect example of this for us was yesterday at McChord. We woke up at 00430 for a 0600 showtime and called the terminal to verify the flight was still on. We were told the flight was on but they were not taking any space a passengers. My husband kept calling for more information but the line was busy. We didn't have a car so he walked from lodging to the terminal without luggage so he could get there quicker and get more information. About 30 minutes later he called back and said for me to call a taxi and get there with the luggage as soon as possible because they had released 6 seats and they were checking in the baggage for the 4 Cat. 3 passengers ahead of us. I was able to get a taxi and get there in about 15 minutes and luckily (or prayerfully!) they processed my luggage as soon as I got there. Within 5 minutes we were boarded onto the bus for our plane. The C-17 was packed tighter than any C-17 we had ever been on. It was loaded with cargo and every seat was filled with duty passengers but it was headed to Charleston which was our final destination. If we had not made that flight, our next chance out would have been to Dover today and we probably would have had to rent a car to drive home because we have a commitment here on Monday. I was very thankful that my husband was persistent. I believe it was his cordial persistence that caused the very helpful civilian passenger rep. to request that those seats be released Angie   Bill Ewing New member Username: Wjepostal Post Number: 1 Registered: 05-2010 Posted From: 64.113.97.215 Posted on Friday, May 21, 2010 - 03:44 pm:    Thanks to all for the info. I'm going to attempt my first trip as a retiree in a few months and appreciate all the help.   Cherry C. Senior Member Username: Cherry Post Number: 6373 Registered: 06-2003 Posted From: 71.163.18.160 Posted on Friday, May 21, 2010 - 11:38 am:    To piggyback on my earlier advice and that of William Standage, below, when you stay in the terminal throughout the day and have notified the PAX reps of the fact you are ready to go, keep an eye out for shift changes or new personnel at the desk, and kindly inform them again of your presence and hopes, because the old shift will not necessarily inform the new guys when they turn over to them. Spend the time getting to know the other people who are waiting (this can result in help along the way including possible rides off base at your destination or sharing of rental cars or taxis). Other occupations can include helping those with young children, observing the process of checking in and learning from it, reading whatever you brought along, and/or just 'vegging out' while remaining alert for last-minute annuncements -- or a combination of all of the above.   Janice New member Username: Jan Post Number: 1 Registered: 05-2008 Posted From: 205.172.16.179 Posted on Friday, May 21, 2010 - 07:09 am:    Thanks for the good info! I am going to give it a whirl tomorrow! I don't give up easily.   FHYL Advanced Member Username: Fhyl Post Number: 396 Registered: 11-2008 Posted From: 68.68.130.168 Posted on Friday, May 21, 2010 - 02:34 am:    ...besides "never leave the terminal" rule...I was on one flight out of Ramstein. We left, and were an hour out before having to return for a maintenance problem. After the fix was made, more PAX were added. ...so when I'm really serious about SPATing...I DO NOT LEAVE the terminal. to me F & T mean .... a Firm maybe & a Tentative maybe. And Zero means stand-by.   Mike Senior Member Username: Immerfertig Post Number: 2139 Registered: 01-2007 Posted From: 75.132.184.202 Posted on Friday, May 21, 2010 - 02:19 am:    William, that's great advise. I'll keep that in mind the next time I space-a.   John David Brooks Senior Member Username: Johnb6597 Post Number: 413 Registered: 04-2008 Posted From: 121.55.235.75 Posted on Thursday, May 20, 2010 - 08:43 pm:    Seat release information as posted within the terminal is practically useless. Always make sure you're signed-in and travel-ready, and don't ever leave the terminal until you know for sure the aircraft has left. There is no substitute for your physical presence at the terminal and a determination to travel.   William Standage Senior Member Username: Charlie13 Post Number: 1101 Registered: 07-2004 Posted From: 75.172.80.222 Posted on Thursday, May 20, 2010 - 03:14 pm:    A lot of this "luck" depend on which pax terminal you are dealing with. I agree with all that has been said, and offer this additional piece of advice. Make sure you have advised the passenger rep (maybe more than once) that you are aware of the departing flight, and you'll be standing by, travel ready, just incase they decide to open up any seats. You might also politely suggest a call to ATOC to see if they can open any seats. This works sometimes, but it really depends on how pro-active your pax service rep is. Sometimes, they just don't want to be bothered by the additional work. It's alway easier to go with the flow of what's publish in the schedule.   Mike Senior Member Username: Immerfertig Post Number: 2134 Registered: 01-2007 Posted From: 75.132.184.202 Posted on Thursday, May 20, 2010 - 12:18 pm:    Agree with everything being said. I would say that more often than not, a posted seat release will change. Especially true if the projected seat release is given well ahead of the flight showtime.   Carole G Intermediate Member Username: Greengal Post Number: 147 Registered: 01-2010 Posted From: 68.205.151.181 Posted on Thursday, May 20, 2010 - 12:14 pm:    That happened to us in March. We didn't make it on the flight but we stayed. Within 30 min they had 10 more seats available. There was a young couple with children that left the terminal and they missed the chance to get on the flight.   Vic and Connie Senior Member Username: Pattons Post Number: 516 Registered: 12-2006 Posted From: 72.218.14.250 Posted on Thursday, May 20, 2010 - 11:42 am:    As Cherry said - absolutely - and in both directions. We always stay until "wheels up". Have seen several situations where folks left after the initial roll call was closed and missed the flight when additional seats opened up. We have also seen "0" turn into lots of seats and 90 seats turn into many less.   Leanne Besachio New member Username: Lbesachio Post Number: 4 Registered: 02-2010 Posted From: 202.128.94.94 Posted on Thursday, May 20, 2010 - 11:38 am:    We followed that advice and stayed until the plane took off. I wanted to get feedback from the experts here. Thanks!   Cherry C. Senior Member Username: Cherry Post Number: 6370 Registered: 06-2003 Posted From: 71.163.18.160 Posted on Thursday, May 20, 2010 - 11:34 am:    Happens ALL the time! And so does the reverse ("advertising" seats but then taking no SPATs). If anyone is serious about going somewhere, the only way to get on board is to be in the terminal, signed in and travel ready, regardless of what the earlier seat counts (really, just educated guesses) say.   Leanne Besachio New member Username: Lbesachio Post Number: 3 Registered: 02-2010 Posted From: 202.128.94.94 Posted on Thursday, May 20, 2010 - 11:30 am:    Anyone have experience with flights having zero seats for SPATS and then having seats open up?