Booked F, got Y on one leg
 

So I did something I never do, I booked a ticket on Priceline. For the simple reason that it was $400 cheaper than booking on UA.

I found a fare (Canada-US) on UA for $530, coach on the first short leg (L) and F (P, on the 777 and lie flats) for the second 5.5 hour leg. Bargain, since coach alone was only $150 less. Delayed a bit too long and when I went to book on UA, it was $900. Searched on ITA, found it for $496 but could only book on Priceline. Not my first choice but I knew I could cancel within 24 hrs and the trip is in 10 days so worth the risk.

I book, taking screenshots all along the way. To my surprise, it shows F on both legs. Again, I have screenshots all the way through to confirmation. I pull it up on UA and, you guessed it, coach on the first leg.

Call Priceline, they can see my booking screens, can see it was an F fare and I should be in F and can’t figure out why I am in coach on the first segment. But (this is the good part), they say even if you pay for J or F, it is up to them if they want to put you in Y after purchase if they want to. Seriously, that was what he said.

Of course I escalated, said I had screenshots and even they agree it should be in F. Gave them the fraud speech and how I paid for F and they gave me Y. No mention anywhere at any point of mixed cabin; showed F all the way. It is now escalated to the highest level and they are to call me back Monday. I have until 11:59pm Monday to cancel if necessary but not even worried about that as I can do a charge back if I need to as I did not get what I paid for.

So, any advice? I am going to fight this kicking and screaming as I have everything to back up that I booked F, but wonder if anyone has any ideas on what to say or the best way to get them to put me in F as I suspect they will have to buy it from UA.

No, definitely not full F. I think I said in my OP, it was showing as P on UA (and Matrix) but when I pulled it up on UA, it is ticketed as K and P. Priceline doesn’t show booking codes; it says First or Business. I will attach a screenshot once I can blur out my personal stuff.

It is not an instant up either as it was on UA earlier. It is a P fare.

It is still showing bookable so it can’t be sold out either. I can replicate exactly what I did again. I believe it was the same mixed cabin itin that I saw myself on UA, and I was well aware it was a mixed cabin itin on the UA site. But Priceline showed it as F all the way (they don’t show actual booking codes).

I was going to book it anyway for $530 on UA earlier (as L and P) as all P was $1200, but by the time I got around to it, L was gone on the and only K was left, raising the price to $900. But a search on ITA still showed up and showed $496 on either Priceline or another OTA. Went over to PL and it came up at $496 but all in ‘first or business class’. No mention of coach, no mention of mixed cabin. Throughout the entire booking process. It was only in the confirmation email that it said economy on the first leg.

Will see if I can pull up the ticket on Saudia.

I definitely only have an economy coupon for the first leg. But that doesn’t change the fact that PL sold me an F seat on both legs. Here is one of the many screens during booking. They all say the same; thing; First or Business. No mention of economy or mixed cabin on any screen until the confirmation email.

Had it said Economy on the first segment, or had it showed actual fare codes, I wouldn’t be complaining.

Nope, not a broken fare. As I said, it priced out same way on UA earlier. I just waited too long and L disappeared raising the price.
Ticket receipt from UA says:

Airfare: 554.00 CAD
Equivalent Airfare: 416.00 USD
U.S. Customs User Fee: 5.77 USD
U.S. Immigration User Fee: 7.00 USD
U.S. Transportation Tax: 9.38 USD
U.S. Flight Segment Tax: 8.40 USD
U.S. APHIS User Fee: 3.96 USD
September 11th Security Fee: 5.60 USD
Canadian Security Charge: 19.50 USD
Canada Airport Improvement Fee: 15.00 USD
Canada Goods and Services Tax: 0.75 USD
U.S. Passenger Facility Charge: 4.50 USD
Total Per Passenger: 495.86 USD
Total: 495.86 USD
Fare Rules

Fare basis is KNA1A9FS.

FARE RULES TEXT
NORMAL FARES / EXCURSION FARES
APPLICATION
AREA
THESE FARES APPLY
BETWEEN CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES.
CLASS OF SERVICE
THESE FARES APPLY FOR FIRST/BUSINESS CLASS SERVICE.

Hate to bump my own thread but anyone have any advice on how to get PL to put me in F on the first segment as that is what was booked? What to say to them/threaten them with? I am calling tomorrow.

I called them Monday, they tried to fob me off of course, saying there was no way for them to put me in F. After much arguing, they offered $100 refund to my credit card and E+ for the YVR-SFO portion. After an hour on the phone that day alone, I was fed up and took it. So for $395, I get E+ to SFO and lie-flats to HNL. Considering Y on any other airline was only about $20 less, I am ok with the result.

I think it is a fair outcome as I suspect it should have been a mixed cabin all along as that is what I originally saw on UA and it was just PL’s awful IT that showed it as all in F.

To address OP's issue:

1. UA's P fare is indeed a F fare. The problem is it is considered as a Upgrade fare, which the pax will still get all the perks with F if nothing happens. But if there is IRROPS, UA will place the pax back to Y and waitlisted for F.

2. In term of the ticket problem with PL, check your booking with UA first. If UA is showing the exactly the same as what you received from PL, then there is nothing you can do until you travel. But if they don't match, I would suggest that you contact your state AG, as it is a better approach to get PL to listen to you despite numerous calls.