How is it that flight availability changes so frequently?

[Kimmielee]

I've been watching a NW flight from DTW to MCO and it keeps fluctuating between having coach seats to being sold out with 1st Class only as an option. Then, a couple of days later, coach opens again! What's up with that?

 

[Brian Noble]

I think NW's pricing engine is exposing some details that it shouldn't. I've got my February flights, but keep checking back--if by some miracle prices go down, I may change to better times. In any event, there was one weekend were literally every single NW flight between DTW and MCO went from B fares to P overnight, and then back. My guess is they reallocated seats within buckets, but goofed.

It is perfectly possible that people book and cancel, or book and change. That's particularly likely on NW because Customers First allows you to change/cancel without fee until Midnight CST the day *after* you book a flight.

 

[Kimmielee]

As always Brian, thanks for the education!