I recently tried to book RT LAX>AKL for 14-21 June, comparing UA and NZ because UA will only count tickets on *A partners booked through them towards PQM. The NZ ticket cost $1446, UA $3381. I expected UA to add something to the price, but not a 240% markup. (Yes, I could fly UA to SYD and then on to AKL on QF or NZ, but even that was $1758 and added ten hours.)

I thought the whole purpose of an alliance was seamless and reasonably priced transport between carriers.

Has anyone else found such a price rip off between UA and a *A carrier when they fly the same route?

Your other thread was closed, since double-posting is an FT no-no, but here's the deal.

Since NZ and UA don't have a JV, UA and NZ must price on their own - they are still competitors. Obviously, they are not competing price-wise on this route, at least UA isn't on the NZ nonstop. After looking this up, it turns out that for whatever reason, the UA site only allows you to book into full fare economy on the NZ legs, which sounds like its the reason for the price jump. Whether UA isn't selling any seats in the lower fare classes, or just thinks that they can get it, it is what it is.

NZ indeed has the lower fare, but given you're looking for PQD, presumably you're also looking for PQM/PQS. Doing a search, its notable that the $1446 fare on NZ, books into L class and that won't help you there either - L class on NZ doesn't earn mileage at all. Would it have made you feel better to book the cheaper ticket, and then find out you don't earn mileage at all?

Now, I don't know the details of NZ booking, but looks like moving into an Economy Flexible booking, which would earn mileage, brings the price up to $2600. The UA routing through SYD takes longer, but is coming up at $1979. So $500 more than the NZ fare, for one that earns full PQM/PQS/PQD as far as SYD. Obviously, the choice is up to you on which works for you between time, budget, and mileage earning (among possible other factors), but those seem to be your options.

As said elsewhere, *A is a marketing alliance, not a merger of the airlines involved. And it has been noted in dozens of other threads on FT that pricing can vary by airlines marketing the very same flight. Sometimes, the marketing carrier prices lower, sometimes the operating carrier does.

Yeah.... Still seems difficult to grasp how these alliances actually work. As always, book the cheapest you can find, plenty of tools for that.

This is not a united or star alliance issue. Every carrier that has co marketing and sells seats on the same flights does this based on the inventory

Aa and LAN do this all the time and so do pretty much all carriers

incorrect, you may be thinking about PQD -- purchase method does not matter for PQMs.

additionally a read of http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...itinerary.html might help

Personally, I would rather book L class on NZ, and get the PQD (but no PQM). Then, this would basically entitle me to mileage run at least 14660 miles without worrying about PQD (even if UA has another computer glitch that gives tickets away entirely for free, I'd be able to do this). It's ALWAYS better to get the PQD even if it doesn't have PQM attached to it - it entitles you to MR more later on.

Doesn't the ticket need to be issued on 016 (UA) stock to count towards PQD, so getting it ticketed on 086 (NZ) into L class wouldn't help?