I booked IAD-San via ORD months ago. The conversion moved me into the ON fare but all looked fine when I printed boarding passes with my confirmed 1st class seats for both legs.

The problem came up at the airport when I noticed the mobile app said I was not checked in. The agents at the Club figured out there was an equipment swap but also saw I was now with no seat and on the oversold list. Fifteen minutes of three of them clicking and they said they think it was because of the ON fare and I likely would not get on the flight.

The good news was they offered to try to get me on a direct flight but warned me the system was making it hard to do that. A half hour later and more clicking by three of them and I managed to get on the flight in a middle seat in e+.

The comments as they worked were "status means nothing now, it all depends on what you paid" and "I wish I could put you in a y fare but the system does not let us do that anymore. They also said they are allowed to waive some fees if they call it "training".

On the plus side my story got me a free breakfast from the flight attendant who noticed I looked a little squished trying to work with my computer when the guy in front reclined suddenly!