Interesting Buy-Up to First Glitch at Booking
Oct 8, 2012, 8:46 pm
#1
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Interesting Buy-Up to First Glitch at Booking
The lowest available fare for FLL-EWR-FLL in first for the dates I booked is $698. I purchased a coach ticket for $200, and, after my payment was processed, I was asked if I wanted to upgrade my reservation for $139 each way/$278 round-trip. Seems strange...another case of upgrades being sold for "tens of dollars..."
Oct 8, 2012, 8:52 pm
#2
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Right. $300 wasn't maybe just maybe the B fare vs coach fare difference. It is something more sinister deserving a brand new thread spewing ToDs when this was hundreds of dollars.
Last edited by aacharya; Oct 9, 2012 at 8:57 am
Oct 8, 2012, 9:03 pm
#4
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Base fares from KVS
[KVS Availability Tool 7.0.7/Diamond - Sabre: Fares/DotRes/US]
Code:
FLL Fort Lauderdale Hollywood Intl FL US [KFLL] EWR New York Newark Liberty Intl NJ US [KEWR] R/T 28 Oct 2012 | 15 Nov 2012 | All Carrier From To Fare Cur Fare Basis/TD --------- ------ ---- -------- ---- -------- --- -- ------------- UA FLL EWR 178 USD GA21HS UA FLL EWR 254 USD GA14HN UA FLL EWR 304 USD KA14HN UA FLL EWR 344 USD LA14HN UA FLL EWR 384 USD LA7HN UA FLL EWR 454 USD SA7HN UA FLL EWR 532 USD WA3HN UA FLL EWR 602 USD VA0HN UA FLL EWR 676 USD V2UP14N3 UA FLL EWR 722 USD QA0HN UA FLL EWR 876 USD Q2UP7Y3 UA FLL EWR 882 USD UA0HN UA FLL EWR 1052 USD EA0HN UA FLL EWR 1076 USD H2UPY3 UA FLL EWR 1282 USD MA0FY UA FLL EWR 1644 USD BA0FY UA FLL EWR 1922 USD FUA UA FLL EWR 1922 USD YUAUP3 UA FLL EWR 2456 USD YUA UA FLL EWR 2804 USD Y UA FLL EWR 4066 USD F
Oct 8, 2012, 9:18 pm
#5
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He specifically said first class fare:
"in first for the dates I booked is $698."
Oct 9, 2012, 7:40 am
#6
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You are operating under the assumption that the fares have the same fare basis codes and rules. I'm betting there are differences which would lead to different prices. In many cases, Y will be more expensive than F because the Y ticket is changeable or refundable, whereas the F ticket is heavily restricted (ie, non-refundable and only changeable for a large fee).
Oct 9, 2012, 8:55 am
#7
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Agree. I always respect WineCountryUA's posts, but in this instance the dates chosen were not quite relevant to the OP's query.
Oct 9, 2012, 10:52 am
#8
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The lowest available fare for FLL-EWR-FLL in first for the dates I booked is $698. I purchased a coach ticket for $200, and, after my payment was processed, I was asked if I wanted to upgrade my reservation for $139 each way/$278 round-trip. Seems strange...another case of upgrades being sold for "tens of dollars..."
UA admits its a policy that "Paid Upgrades" are discounts to FC. "Paid Upgrades" are not "Buy Ups", mind you. There is further issue with non-Premier getting better deals on TODs. But, that requires fare codes and difference between what was paid, and the cheapest FC ticket to fully vet out.
Only the most austere UA apologist would say that TODs don't exist.
They are a valid business plan, not just one most UA FFs like.
Oct 9, 2012, 10:56 am
#9
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A buy-up is not a TOD. Not sure what dictionary or calculator people have that indicates a $278 buy-up is a "tens of dollars" upgrade, when the pricing is one entire log value higher.
As noted, we already have a ToD thread. This isn't one of them.
As noted, we already have a ToD thread. This isn't one of them.
Oct 9, 2012, 11:07 am
#10
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Booking random dates at least 21 days out brings up $200 a.i. coach fare under fare basis GA21HS (the 178 base quoted by WC). Asking it for first on the same dates gives the $698 a.i. fare which books as V2UP14N3. If one forces B fare on same dates it gives $1,618, M fare gives $1,134.
Given that the quoted fare bases match exactly with the quoted fares, I would say the presumption is that the dates chosen are in fact appropriate, though the B and M fares didn't quite line up (was too lazy to record the fare bases there).
Oct 9, 2012, 12:28 pm
#11
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Apparently, it IS one of them. That's what the OP is suggesting happened here. He's claiming he's offered a "Buy Up" for less than what it should be (the difference in fare, for absolute clarity, between what he paid and what it takes to get into F).
TOD is slang . . . so throwing out "one entire log value" is unnecessary and tiring. The OP might not have been equating a Paid Upgrade with a TOD, rather just saying he paid less than he'd expect if it was indeed a buy-up.
Oct 9, 2012, 12:51 pm
#12
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"Paid Upgrades" are not "Buy Ups", mind you. is what I wrote in my reply. So, we agree there.
Apparently, it IS one of them. That's what the OP is suggesting happened here. He's claiming he's offered a "Buy Up" for less than what it should be (the difference in fare, for absolute clarity, between what he paid and what it takes to get into F).
TOD is slang . . . so throwing out "one entire log value" is unnecessary and tiring. The OP might not have been equating a Paid Upgrade with a TOD, rather just saying he paid less than he'd expect if it was indeed a buy-up.
Apparently, it IS one of them. That's what the OP is suggesting happened here. He's claiming he's offered a "Buy Up" for less than what it should be (the difference in fare, for absolute clarity, between what he paid and what it takes to get into F).
TOD is slang . . . so throwing out "one entire log value" is unnecessary and tiring. The OP might not have been equating a Paid Upgrade with a TOD, rather just saying he paid less than he'd expect if it was indeed a buy-up.
That's a cash upgrade for less than a first class ticket.
Or a cash upgrade for less than a buy up to the lowest instant upgradeable fare.