New PE fare classes are out!
Feb 19, 2014, 5:01 am
#61
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: YVR/SIN
Programs: AC SE100K
Posts: 164
I don't like this either, and did write to them about it a couple years ago.
However, your expectations don't reflect reality.
I have flown Z many times and economy segments on Dash-8s (which book into some Flex fare) only earn 100%. If you book J (Exec Flexible), then economy segments get 125%.
My reservations have always said "150%" status miles/AQM. What matters is the fare class of the Economy segments, which is dictated by whether or not you're booking Business/PE Flexible or Lowest.
AC can definitely improve the fare verbiage on the confirmation page, but I'm sure they're protected elsewhere if you tried to book this and then complain for missing AQM.
However, your expectations don't reflect reality.
I have flown Z many times and economy segments on Dash-8s (which book into some Flex fare) only earn 100%. If you book J (Exec Flexible), then economy segments get 125%.
My reservations have always said "150%" status miles/AQM. What matters is the fare class of the Economy segments, which is dictated by whether or not you're booking Business/PE Flexible or Lowest.
AC can definitely improve the fare verbiage on the confirmation page, but I'm sure they're protected elsewhere if you tried to book this and then complain for missing AQM.
YVR-HKG booked into O (with instant ug)
HKG-SIN booked into B on SQ
I bet SQ flight earns 0 AQM.
Feb 19, 2014, 5:55 am
#62
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: FRA
Programs: AC SE 1MM, UA 1K, Hilton Lifetime Diamond, Marriott Gold Elite, Hertz PC
Posts: 2,933
Feb 19, 2014, 6:17 am
#63
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: FRA
Programs: AC SE 1MM, UA 1K, Hilton Lifetime Diamond, Marriott Gold Elite, Hertz PC
Posts: 2,933
That depends on the fare, for international Z fares the Eco-only domestic / transborder flights book into Y and nowodays earn 125%.
Feb 19, 2014, 7:20 am
#64
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: YVR/SIN
Programs: AC SE100K
Posts: 164
That would be true if it was SQ B class.
This is AC B class on a flight operated by SQ.
As to what fare class this corresponds to on SQ is impossible to tell, but my bet will be a non AQM earning bucket.
This is AC B class on a flight operated by SQ.
As to what fare class this corresponds to on SQ is impossible to tell, but my bet will be a non AQM earning bucket.
Feb 19, 2014, 7:36 am
#65
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: FRA
Programs: AC SE 1MM, UA 1K, Hilton Lifetime Diamond, Marriott Gold Elite, Hertz PC
Posts: 2,933
I did not realize that you were talking about the AC codeshare on SQ metal, but it's fortunately not impossible to tell:
http://www.aircanada.com/shared/en/c...ileage_sq.html
AC B operated by SQ will (contrary to all AC Flex fares) earn 100%.
http://www.aircanada.com/shared/en/c...ileage_sq.html
AC B operated by SQ will (contrary to all AC Flex fares) earn 100%.
Feb 21, 2014, 7:05 pm
#67
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC E50K (*Gold), DL, CZ
Posts: 1,252
I feel silly quoting myself, but just received an update from AC that one of my PE "O" fare class seats from YYZ-ZRH-YYZ has cleared. The flight is in mid-May.
The return flight was upgraded, but the outbound flight is still waitlisted.
* I can't select the J seat as it still shows me being in PE. Guess I'll give AC a call in the morning.*
Next day edit: The seat now shows as confirmed upgraded and J cabin selection is available. Previously, the system showed my upgraded as YYZ-ZRH, and the return was split into Flights 2 and 3, with something glitchy ("0 upgrade credits were used.").
Hope this isn't the case for early confirmations, but seeing as how slow J sales are on many of the 788 flights I've looked at, it is nice of AC to be proactive!
The return flight was upgraded, but the outbound flight is still waitlisted.
* I can't select the J seat as it still shows me being in PE. Guess I'll give AC a call in the morning.*
Next day edit: The seat now shows as confirmed upgraded and J cabin selection is available. Previously, the system showed my upgraded as YYZ-ZRH, and the return was split into Flights 2 and 3, with something glitchy ("0 upgrade credits were used.").
Hope this isn't the case for early confirmations, but seeing as how slow J sales are on many of the 788 flights I've looked at, it is nice of AC to be proactive!
Last edited by yqtyyz; Feb 22, 2014 at 11:13 am Reason: Additional comment for seat selection.
Feb 21, 2014, 7:42 pm
#68
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, BA Gold, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,302
I feel silly quoting myself, but just received an update from AC that one of my PE "O" fare class seats from YYZ-ZRH-YYZ has cleared. The flight is in mid-May.
The return flight was upgraded, but the outbound flight is still waitlisted.
* I can't select the J seat as it still shows me being in PE. Guess I'll give AC a call in the morning.*
The return flight was upgraded, but the outbound flight is still waitlisted.
* I can't select the J seat as it still shows me being in PE. Guess I'll give AC a call in the morning.*
When are you flying? I'm doing YYZ-ZRH May 26 and ZRH-YYZ June 8.
Feb 21, 2014, 8:09 pm
#69
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC E50K (*Gold), DL, CZ
Posts: 1,252
Unfortunately, I'm flying Victoria Day weekend. Would have been nice to share a flight with you again.
Did you buy the Z fare for a relatively cheap price? PE, as you pointed out earlier, is often cheaper than Flex.
For my YYZ-HND-YYZ trip, I bought Z on the outbound for $2300. PE was $1600, so I bought that for the return just to try it out. The ZRH trip was purchased just a few weeks ago.
At my current pace of successful upgrades, I won't actually get to experience PE at all (which was the point of buying PE in the first place)!
I just jinxed myself.
Did you buy the Z fare for a relatively cheap price? PE, as you pointed out earlier, is often cheaper than Flex.
For my YYZ-HND-YYZ trip, I bought Z on the outbound for $2300. PE was $1600, so I bought that for the return just to try it out. The ZRH trip was purchased just a few weeks ago.
At my current pace of successful upgrades, I won't actually get to experience PE at all (which was the point of buying PE in the first place)!
I just jinxed myself.
Feb 21, 2014, 8:31 pm
#70
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, BA Gold, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,302
Unfortunately, I'm flying Victoria Day weekend. Would have been nice to share a flight with you again.
Did you buy the Z fare for a relatively cheap price? PE, as you pointed out earlier, is often cheaper than Flex.
For my YYZ-HND-YYZ trip, I bought Z on the outbound for $2300. PE was $1600, so I bought that for the return just to try it out. The ZRH trip was purchased just a few weeks ago.
At my current pace of successful upgrades, I won't actually get to experience PE at all (which was the point of buying PE in the first place)!
I just jinxed myself.
Did you buy the Z fare for a relatively cheap price? PE, as you pointed out earlier, is often cheaper than Flex.
For my YYZ-HND-YYZ trip, I bought Z on the outbound for $2300. PE was $1600, so I bought that for the return just to try it out. The ZRH trip was purchased just a few weeks ago.
At my current pace of successful upgrades, I won't actually get to experience PE at all (which was the point of buying PE in the first place)!
I just jinxed myself.
Feb 23, 2014, 3:14 am
#72
Join Date: Dec 2010
Programs: Aeroplan
Posts: 1,022
AC appears to undercut its copay program with the ever changing pricing of PE. Because Flexible PE still costs less than M on routes with 77HD, E35K will buy the Flex, upgrade at booking while avoiding co-pay. Other Elites will also not copay because the fare difference from regular Flex is less than $750. The biggest losers may be the SEs because all the R space could be gone before T-7. As well they are now put on equal footing with other elites willing to purchase flexible PE should they choose to buy that fare. Meanwhile, AC has little room to maneuver because that room is currently occupied by the high price of the regular Flex. Competition with other airlines will not allow further higher price for the product.
Feb 23, 2014, 7:25 am
#73
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 4,153
AC appears to undercut its copay program with the ever changing pricing of PE. Because Flexible PE still costs less than M on routes with 77HD, E35K will buy the Flex, upgrade at booking while avoiding co-pay. Other Elites will also not copay because the fare difference from regular Flex is less than $750. The biggest losers may be the SEs because all the R space could be gone before T-7. As well they are now put on equal footing with other elites willing to purchase flexible PE should they choose to buy that fare. Meanwhile, AC has little room to maneuver because that room is currently occupied by the high price of the regular Flex. Competition with other airlines will not allow further higher price for the product.
Feb 23, 2014, 9:24 am
#74
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, BA Gold, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,302
AC appears to undercut its copay program with the ever changing pricing of PE. Because Flexible PE still costs less than M on routes with 77HD, E35K will buy the Flex, upgrade at booking while avoiding co-pay. Other Elites will also not copay because the fare difference from regular Flex is less than $750. The biggest losers may be the SEs because all the R space could be gone before T-7. As well they are now put on equal footing with other elites willing to purchase flexible PE should they choose to buy that fare. Meanwhile, AC has little room to maneuver because that room is currently occupied by the high price of the regular Flex. Competition with other airlines will not allow further higher price for the product.
I buy all my flights on my own, so I don't mind a Y FP (upgrade at booking) for my "mileage jogs" across the continent, and Z for vacations across the ocean. Lowest Flex for shorter trips within the continent (SFO-YYC).
But if your company policy is "lowest fare" or "lowest upgadeable" (as many people here have mentioned), O likely won't be an option.
And I can't imagine O being cheaper than Y for long. If it's the same flexibility, but a better seat, either Y is going to get cheaper, or O is going to get more expensive.
Feb 23, 2014, 3:03 pm
#75
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 7,156
R Waitlist Packing order
If no R and on waitlist, what is the clearance order now with the additional PE fare buckets?
Is it still by "status" regardless of fare type, therefore a SE on a cheap Flex will bump a lower ranking Altitude member on a fully flexible PE fare or full Y fare?
OR
Will it be PE first, status within PE, then by fare type, then economy waitlist?
OR
Will it be PE first, fare type within PE, then by status within the fare type, then economy?
Is it still by "status" regardless of fare type, therefore a SE on a cheap Flex will bump a lower ranking Altitude member on a fully flexible PE fare or full Y fare?
OR
Will it be PE first, status within PE, then by fare type, then economy waitlist?
OR
Will it be PE first, fare type within PE, then by status within the fare type, then economy?