Originally Posted by
jsloan
Well, it's specifically allowing this because the VAP30UPN fare doesn't have a V inventory restriction, and it delegates into Y, not V, when P is not available. And it's showing up in the search results because it's the cheapest available fare: it's cheaper than a coach ticket on that date.
That's a good point. Perhaps the real price differential lies in the amount of competition in the NYC-California markets versus, say, SFO/SJC/OAK-AUS. Because of the higher competition in NYC-Calif., lower-bucket restrictions are thrown out the door in order to capture a higher fare.
As for the economy fares, perhaps they are deceivingly high because you're only searching for oneway fares. The lower oneway fares in the tariffs currently do not extend to travel in December. However, roundtrip/excursion fares are much more reasonable and represent a significant discount from VAP30UPN as they are expected to be.