Can someone explain WestJet's schedule release system?

[papertraveller]

For weeks now I have been checking daily to see when WestJet will open my date for next March Break, i.e. 2015.

Lo and behold, this morning it popped up. Hooray! I'm ready to book -- but the lowest fares are completely gone. All of them -- gone. The cheapest flights now available are in the Flex category, but they are connections that would take literally almost an entire day to get to Orlando.

So who got the cheap seats? How did they all disappear like that?

I'm sad, but so be it. I guess it will be back to Buffalo for us.

 

[PrincessKimmy]

I would wait on it.

We always fly westjet, but always ended up checking everyday until a seat sale pops up. Its usually kind of random... last time we checked in the morning - nothing, then checked again after work and BaM!
We have always gotten one tho. It just takes time.

 

[Sweetkimmy]

I remember reading somewhere that if you're looking for airfare on westjet always delete your cookies. It saves your searches and will not give you the cheapest flight. I'm not sure how much truth there is to it,but I've done it myself and noticed a difference in prices. Might be worth a try. Good luck!

 

[papertraveller]

Thanks for the tips, but that doesn't change things.

When I check available seats, it shows that about 40 have been taken. What I don't understand is how those people got to book before I did. The date has never been available to me to book until today.

So how were they available to others? I checked early this morning. Maybe just 40 early birds before me?

 

[OnceUponATime15]

Because Westjet also operates WestJet vacations there is a possibility that a percentage of the seats were sold as part of package vacations. March/Spring breaks always sell quickly & well in advance.

 

[papertraveller]

That did occur to me as a possibility. But it still seems weird that all of the Flex fares would be gone But I guess that's why I was wondering, for example, if the seats get loaded at midnight and thus those in the know can snap them up.

Ah well, I will let others pay $600 one way for a direct flight to MCO.

 

[grantclaire]

Hi, WJ used to use a creeping calendar system. That is adding a day each day so you could be ready to book. Last year at March and xmas they delayed releasing the flights so it was harder to book the first day. I would get up early on the day the flights were released and book then. The flights would jump up during the day. I missed out on cheaper March break flights so I ended up booking with AC which had cheaper flights, good luck hunting I know it can be frustrating!