Originally Posted by
Darlox
When booking a TPAC itin that includes a North America segment codeshare on AC, UA.com seems to be advertising/selling non-existent fare classes. For instance, a search from YYZ->BKK on 6/24 yields several codeshare segments, including UA8293 YYZ-SFO.
UA offers First (F) as an option for that segment. However, AC doesn't have a F class bucket! They sell their own flight as a C or D fare, depending on which Executive flex option you select. Likewise, on the MileagePlus site, the partner earning tables for AC don't have F even listed as an option.
As others have said, the fare class you purchase on the marketing carrier isn't normally the same as the fare class on the operating carrier - there is a mapping between the two.
UA is calling this F to be consistent with their own 2-cabin product (which is F between the US and Canada) - it would be confusing to have some flights being sold as Business and others as First for what is essentially the same product (although they are doing exactly this for other reasons - see below!)
On the marketing carrier (UA) it will continue to show "F" post booking. On the operating carrier (AC) it will show the real fare class ("C", "D", etc). Mileage earning will be based on the operating carrier and the fare class on that carrier, NOT the United F code.
What makes this even more confusing if that the UA website is screwing up the names in at least some situations. If there's "Z" or "A" class available it's calling it "Business", but if there's only "F" (either on UA or AC) then it's calling it First - despite F, A and Z all being the same cabin on these flights.
Displaying F on planes without F is a different matter - do you have an example of that? From a few quick searches I was only getting economy on the AC planes without F (mainly AC Jazz)