Emma1420

It is bait and switch. Most once a year flyers have zero clue about fare buckets and what those codes mean. And the airlines know that. I have no problem with the airlines selling those fares as long as it clear to the non-FF that is what it is. But, it's not clear right now.

waxearwings

This.
I find these games UA (and probably other airlines) play with the fare and booking codes so obviously deceptive--just a higher tech version of a sleazy used car lot.
What's also interesting is that if customers were more fully aware of the IRROPS implications of specific tickets, it's inevitable that they would factor in the IRROPS probabilities more stringently into their purchasing decisions. At which point UA, the reigning IRROPS leader, would lose even more business.

FLYMSY

Please explain the term "captcha".

BearX220

Fare classes in general are a great forest for the airline to hide in. The code letters mean different things on different airlines, and there's no succinct "bumper-sticker" explanation of the distinctions. On some websites you can't even find them until you get to the click-to-buy point.

Deciphering fare classes is like parsing lines of BASIC code, yet if you inadvertently buy a fare with unpleasant restrictions the airlines will shove them in your face (as with mileage-earning rates, exemptions, etc.). It's just another case of heads-UA-wins, tails-you-lose.

The classes and their meanings ought to be simple and prominent as restaurant hygiene ratings in LA. But that would not suit the airlines' interests.

To go back to the original thesis of this thread, it is not explicitly fraud, but it is certainly built to deceive and mislead the unwary, which is most people.

BearX220

http://www.captcha.net/

[Unwelcoming text edited by Moderator.]

FlyerAl

Lately UA has been offering a lot of discounted first class fares that book in P. Some of them have P fare basis, others have a fare basis like Txxxxx/UPDI which require both T and P availability in order to price at that fare. If you read the fare rules for any of these fares, they are described as being a First Class fare. Nowhere does it mention anything about being "coach with an upgrade to first". Also, these fares automatically come up when searching for first class and lowest available fare.

I encountered an IRROPS situation on a P fare earlier this year and I was automatically rebooked on AC in Y class. The UA gate agent refused to book me in J, and I had to deal with the 1K desk in order to fix that. Don't let these people bully you into taking a downgrade. You have a first/business class ticket regardless if it's a discount P or full fare F or whatever. They aren't "coach with free upgrade".

nachosdelux

If you google the definition of "civil fraud", I think this fits what United is doing. Definitely dishonest and slimy, in my opinion. Good on the OP for standing up and pushing back for your rights.

ksingh0311

What's worse, even if there is no IRROPS and I have a P fare that is actually an UP fare I have not gotten the fare class PQM bonus. There's a thread on FT on this issue.

Kacee

That is per the MP terms and conditions.

But this entire practice of selling business/first fares that are not stinks.

docbert

From the Contract of Carriage:

Class of service isn't all that well defined to make it clear if it's reffering to use ticket class (eg, "P") or the cabin class (eg, "Global First"). The best that's there is the somewhat circular definition :

However the use of "Class of service" through the CoC does make it sound far more like it's referring to the cabin.

lhrsfo

What exactly is the difference between, on the one hand, setting out to deceive someone into entering into a contract on a falsehood and succeeding in doing so and, on the other hand, fraud?

Years ago, when I studied some law in England, there was something called the Unfair Contract Terms Act. I have no idea if it still exists and can't recall the specifics but the concept behind it was to prohibit one-sided contracts in consumer transactions - where the consumer had no ability to influence the terms of the contract. The classic example was a dry cleaner having small print in the contract getting out of any responsibility for damage to clothing in his care - but I would have thought that airline contracts are broadly similar in concept.

JBord

In the IRROPS situation, would UA provide a full refund instead?

I sure don't like defending UA, but it seems they are selling a F product at a Y price, with every intention of fulfilling that sale. If the inventory changes (flight cancel), the product is no longer available. If this were to happen in a retail business, I'd be disappointed, but I'd simply take my money back.

I agree it's deceptive and annoying, but it doesn't feel like fraud to me. Now, if they say your only option is Y and you're not entitled to a refund if you choose not to take the flight, that's a different story.

As a practical matter, it sucks for the passenger no matter how it works out.

MSPeconomist

AFAIK on a USA carrier you're always entitled to a refund to your original means of payment if your flight is cancelled. However, this often isn't a good idea as it would cost far more to purchase an equivalent new ticket at that time.

embarcadero1

My receipt says "A" and "Global First". I actually saved the printed "fare rules" presented to me during the purchase process. There is no mention of "instant upgrade" or "business class with the choice to sit in Global first." United is making this up as they go along under the assumption that they can get away with it. They're right most of the time.

United cannot argue that the "real" fare basis is one they (i) do not show to consumers during the purchase process (ii) hide behind captchas and make nearly impossible to find, (iii) write in a language that is nearly impossible to read and understand or (iv) retrieve post-purchase.

FWIW, the DOT is like any other regulator. Their job is to enforce (and to some extent interpret) the law. That's why the point of this thread is to encourage anyone who is defrauded by United in this way to file a complaint with the DOT. The more consumer complaints they get, the more likely that they'll take action to enforce existing rules and law.

In the earlier instance of United's fare fraud, I also filed a complaint with my state Attorney General. I'm getting more traction with the DOT, though in my state (CA) they AG does occasionally get involved in issues like this one.

embarcadero1

It's an interstitial page that requires the user to input a series of letters and/or numbers that are often disguised because of background or the way they're written. These are usually deployed to prevent automated bots from scraping page content.

United deploys them to prevent consumers from seeing fare rules. It's obnoxious.