Aha...wait. I just re-read your original post, albeit more carefully! You observed N2 before you did your search.
Hmm. Well this is interesting.
Originally Posted by
dstan
"Well, duh, the inventory dropped to N1 while you were looking!", you say. Not so.
Depends on where you did the search, and how far in that process you got. Some booking platforms actually do hold inventory when you get down past the initial shopping results pages. So, if you do move past that threshold, it may take up to 30-45 minutes for that inventory to reappear.
Did you ever along the way search for 1 passenger to test your theory and get to the "review your price" page after selecting your desired itinerary? That typically is the point at which inventory
can be held. Some sites hold it momentarily only to present a "guaranteed" price to the customer, others hold onto it until you checkout and complete the transaction.
If it's the latter, that seat is effectively gone until the TA (session with the GDS) is released. If it's the former, you still are at the mercy of how long it takes the airline to give it back.
Originally Posted by dstan
I double checked EF along the way and this behavior was observed several times on the same day. Ultimately, I was able to book the two tickets on separate PNRs at the lower N fare class on AA.com. After booking the first ticket, inventory dropped to N1, and after booking the second, it dropped to N0. There was just no way to book them simultaneously into N.
Yeah, I don't have a super concrete explanation. I can say that it is rare to find any shopping platforms that hold inventory on the
search, and if you find one, I guarantee its lifespan in the marketplace will be
very short-lived. But the second you make an itinerary selection, you do risk holding inventory.