Both Citi and Chase use Connexions for travel bookings. There has been discussion of the same problem in the Chase forum. I wouldn't expect a resolution until online travel agencies modify their software to treat Basic Economy as a separate class of service, which they will only do if there is sufficient demand.
Increased demand - or could be - the fact that the website is now useless if Basic Economy is offered. Connexions' phone agents have no clue about basic economy (nor do their supervisors). The website lists the restrictions but do not call it basic economy
The supervisors know how to book by selecting specific fare codes.
Two things are going to happen:
1. People in the know will be calling - and call in will increase and use of the website will decrease. Connexions will need to add more agents to handle. And with unknowledgeable agents it will take an hour to book a ticket.
2. People not in the know - are going to book and then show up at the airport and not realized they got a basic economy fare - and be very unhappy. And Citi will get lots of complaints.
In case, AA.com showed - BE was a $353 ticket and regular E was a $355 ticket. Why even have BE for $2. Seems like it is not the price, but screwing passengers so they have to pay a lot more for their carryon.
I have seen on UA many times that BE is more expensive than regular E.