Full Y Fares Upgrade Booking Code Becomes PN + Are Now Subject to Capacity Controls
#16
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I must have been previously mistaken. I thought that it was always under capacity controls. UA could set JN (or PN) inventory to whatever they want
#17
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J/JN also tracked to last seat available. So, in essence, if there were no seats available then an instant upgrade wasn't available so in a broad sense YES they were capacity controlled but that didn't often happen unless you bought very last minute, if that makes sense.
#18
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There's no lack of clarity in this thread. The issue since the very first post has been Y/B/M instant upgrades, not Y-UP fares.
The point is that Y no longer books into JN, but into PN, which is capacity controlled. UP fares don't book into either of these, they book into a true F or J fare class (F, A, J, C, D, Z, or P).
#19
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Huh? The definition of any upgrade is getting First "for the price of a Y seat."
There's no lack of clarity in this thread. The issue since the very first post has been Y/B/M instant upgrades, not Y-UP fares.
The point is that Y no longer books into JN, but into PN, which is capacity controlled. UP fares don't book into either of these, they book into a true F or J fare class (F, A, J, C, D, Z, or P).
There's no lack of clarity in this thread. The issue since the very first post has been Y/B/M instant upgrades, not Y-UP fares.
The point is that Y no longer books into JN, but into PN, which is capacity controlled. UP fares don't book into either of these, they book into a true F or J fare class (F, A, J, C, D, Z, or P).
#20
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While I have not flown on YCA for quite a while, at least pre-merger, the YCA were NOT eligible for upgrade just because they were Y fare (in those olden days it always required upgrade instrument). I am not sure how they were handled post merger, but my guess that the thought that government fare YCA get immediate upgrade is more a myth than truth.
#21
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Guess I'm confused, as usual.
#22
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#23
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I was ticketed on CM for a full Y fare because I was hoping for an instant upgrade. Copa flights are almost always higher than UA, and this was the case here as well.
I then learned that CM Y translates only to B on UA. After an hour on hold with UA outsourced service, the (unprounceable name) agent had no idea what I was talking about, "instant upgrade". I had to direct her to the webpage. After stating that the upgrade would be automatically processed by CM (which I sincerely doubted), she then at my insistence escalated to a supervisor, who said that CM would have to process the change manually. Having never found a CM agent that knew anything about instant upgrades, I asked the super what exact change was needed. I was told that the fare code had to be changed to PN. After another long wait for CM I learned that they do not even have this code in their system let alone the ability to change to it. SO, yet another run-around!
Anyway, when I found the PN availability on UA.com there were no PN's, but 3 JN's. So whatever they are (JN's), they still exist. It is also possible to book in F on both legs of the flight, and to get award upgrades and award tickets, and there are 9 and 8 FC seats respectively.
Any suggestions? Thanks!
I then learned that CM Y translates only to B on UA. After an hour on hold with UA outsourced service, the (unprounceable name) agent had no idea what I was talking about, "instant upgrade". I had to direct her to the webpage. After stating that the upgrade would be automatically processed by CM (which I sincerely doubted), she then at my insistence escalated to a supervisor, who said that CM would have to process the change manually. Having never found a CM agent that knew anything about instant upgrades, I asked the super what exact change was needed. I was told that the fare code had to be changed to PN. After another long wait for CM I learned that they do not even have this code in their system let alone the ability to change to it. SO, yet another run-around!
Anyway, when I found the PN availability on UA.com there were no PN's, but 3 JN's. So whatever they are (JN's), they still exist. It is also possible to book in F on both legs of the flight, and to get award upgrades and award tickets, and there are 9 and 8 FC seats respectively.
Any suggestions? Thanks!
#24
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I was lucky enough to get a few YCA instant upgrades, but the days of all government YCA tickets being issued as full fare Y are long gone. I flew to Mexico City in January on a reimbursable government fare, and it posted as a W fare.
#25
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Usually when my ticket is purchased by an agency, I get VCA, but on a couple of occasions I've worked with agencies whose policy is YCA, and I've gotten the instant upgrade to JN upon request.
#26
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Aren't these the *CA (usually VCA) fares? IIRC, there are two flavors of government-negotiated fares; VCA usually books into V or similar, is capacity-controlled, and is cheaper. YCA books into Y, is not capacity-controlled, and is usually about 2x as much as VCA. Both are refundable.
#27
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Y instant to PN bucket recently
Yes, I have seen more Y instant upgrades to PN bucket recently, instead of JN bucket. When I try to get the upgrade through web, I can sometimes get one or two segments cleared. If there are FC seats available, I can get cleared if I call to get the upgrades for the remaining segment(s). My guess that that PN bucket is capability-controlled by SHARES. But CS agent has no trouble to upgrade Y tickets if there are F seats for sale. Sometimes, he/she needs to get to supervisor (more waiting time).
halls120 and QBK gave the correct observations. But YCA, VCA and DG fares are dependent upon city pairs. It has nothing to do with different government agencies. If a city pair YCA fare (IAD-SFO) is offered by a competitor, UA can offer DG (government discount) fare for this city pair. This is why the DG fare is identical to (or lower than) YCA fare. One cannot get Y instant upgrade with DG fare at UA. Hope that my explanation helps. Good travels.
halls120 and QBK gave the correct observations. But YCA, VCA and DG fares are dependent upon city pairs. It has nothing to do with different government agencies. If a city pair YCA fare (IAD-SFO) is offered by a competitor, UA can offer DG (government discount) fare for this city pair. This is why the DG fare is identical to (or lower than) YCA fare. One cannot get Y instant upgrade with DG fare at UA. Hope that my explanation helps. Good travels.
#28
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One does need to keep in mind that each fiscal year there are markets (often changing each year) where GSA signs _only_ a YCA fare, and no _CA fare is contracted for that particular city pair.
#29
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Full Y Fares Upgrade Booking Code Becomes PN + Are Now Subject to Capacity Controls
LGA-OKC has only YCA. I'll be doing this one a couple of times this spring. I have reservations but I don't think they actually ticket until a couple days before travel. As of now my UA res shows Y fare buckets, but I guess l'll see when it actually goes through
-dan
-dan
#30
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I thought there were stories of people getting bumped back to economy on -UP fares because they actually not true FC/BC fares or don't REALLY book you into FC/BC the way that buying, say, an "F" fare would. The "fare rule bucket" for my P tickets is usually V, for example.
Guess I'm confused, as usual.
Guess I'm confused, as usual.
In my experience, CM will sell fares labelled as "instant upgrade," but this is more or less meaningless, as they will process only as a CPU, i.e., at T-24 or at the gate.