LaserSailor

I am arranging some teen travel next summer and so, for the first time, I'm watching fare buckets in expert mode to match booking to upgrade instrument success. My own travel I rarely use instruments as I seldom upgrade on night flights and CPU or UX on day flights.

I was under the mistaken impression that a given segment on a given date, say AAA-BBB, the fare bucket info represented a snap shot of fares available on that segment.

However, today I noticed that the fare bucket info depends on the route planned, and I managed to capture a screen shot of two Different fare buckets on the same segment in two different planned routes....this was all pre-booking and logged into my account.

Is this right ? Should displayed fare buckets vary with proposed route if the search parameters are all equal?

Air Houston

It is correct. If you fly, for example MCI-ORD-PIT you could see fare codes available that are NOT available for either MCI-ORD or ORD-PIT if booked separately. This could be for competitive reasons or just to drive us all crazy when trying to piece itineraries together.

emcampbe

There's a few threads on this - with the new system, fare bucket availability showing on each connection is going to show the lowest available on either segment. Using the MCI-ORD-PIT example, one set of connections may be F6 Y3 on MCI-ORD and F9 Y9 ORD-PIT individually, but when showing this as a single connecting itin will show F6 Y3 for both segments. Perhaps there is a later MCI-ORD connecting to the same PIT flight at F9 Y9 and both segs will show this.

QBK

According to my experience, this is correct. You get the most accurate visibility into fare bucket availability by dummy-booking single-segment itineraries (i.e., try to book MCI-ORD independently to see exactly what's available on that flight).

I don't think this is correct (see above). You can't necessarily buy the lower fare buckets, but separate MCI-ORD and ORD-PIT searches should show them. The classical example is a one-way search for IAH-EWR, where an expert-mode search may show availability all the way down to G, but won't offer you anything below E for purchase (no G fare published between IAH and EWR, even though the bucket is available).

LaserSailor

I actually saw exactly the opposite... Looking for RN buckets its was RN0 on the direct but RN6 if I connected through ORD....go figure...

Thanks again for guidance..

njcommodore

R/RN is a little different because it's seats they have opened up for upgrades, not seats they're selling.

LaserSailor

Thanks, it makes total sense to have upgrade space dynamic on segment...of course once you have written code for that you can make any fare bucket dynamic..

QBK

Just to check here... you looked at AAA-BBB, saw routings AAA-ORD-BBB with RN=6, and then looked at AAA-ORD (or ORD-BBB) and saw RN=0 on the same flight? If so, that's contrary to my experience (and means that my comment above is incorrect).

On the other hand, if you mean that you saw RN=6 on AAA-ORD-BBB but RN=0 on the direct AAA-BBB flight, then that's a different kettle of fish (and not surprising).

LaserSailor

Correct on the difference

CCC-DDD showed R=RN=0 on this segment

BBB-CCC-DDD showed R=RN=0 on the CCC-DDD segment

AAA-CCC-DDD showed R=RN=1 on the CCC-DDD segment

aacharya

I do see it happen, and rarely. Usually it's "married" segments for award availability, but the linked bucket concept is the same.

chavala

I am completely baffled and frustrated.

I've been looking at DFW-NRT for June. The dates I look at are R0.
But if I start one of the gateways (SEA,IAD,ORD...), its available.
If I try DFW-NRT, it shows me (for instance) SEA-NRT is available, but only if I take the non-stop to SEA, not if I connect in IAH.
Same goes for connections thru ORD, LAX,IAD... depending on the day.
Yes, same flights.

I haven't called yet since I'm waiting for 2012 GPUs before I can book anyway.

LaserSailor

Thanks aacharya...feeling a little less Noob....

aacharya

It's actually a pretty advanced "catch".

sbm12

If you want to confirm the longhaul upgrade at booking then you need to search for that specific segment, not the whole trip. If you see that segment available then go back and book the whole trip, ignoring the part where it changes to R0. Once booked (and ticket issued) request the upgrade. Any segments along the way with R available will confirm and others will waitlist.

chavala

Thanks! That is a trick I didn't know about.
Do you know why it does this?