Fare code glitch, Z and A swapped- does the fare not exist?
 

Hi- I have an interesting challenge. I have a roundtrip to PVG coming up originating in Boston connecting through Newark. The outbound is businessfirst but the return is coach (that's the fare I had to book through my company; coach was sold out on the outbound).

I priced out the whole ticket in BusinessFirst to see if I could afford to pay the fare difference for the return out of pocket. The return is showing up at Z fare prices.

However, the fare codes are showing up as swapped; i.e. the PVG > EWR leg is showing fare class A, and the EWR > BOS leg is showing Z. When I called to try to do the upsell, I was told Z is sold out on that flight, and that they only have D and above.

Anyone have this happen? CO.com will let me go through with the booking which doesn't help as I'm trying to upgrade the existing reservation. But when I call, I'm told- no dice. Z fares sold out.

FWIW, KVS availability is showing Z9 for the the PVG > EWR leg.

Does the fare exist, or is it an IT glitch? or both?

It looks like CO is changing their fare class structure after October 1st -- paid domestic first class will book into F or A, whereas now it could book into F, C, D or Z.

It could be related to this, though how exactly I'm not sure.