CHSBoater

Yes, all segments show that fare basis.

fumje

Certainly sounds like you are entitled to a front-cabin seat.

exerda

Indeed. It sounds like a "hang up and call again" situation to me: politely thank the agent, hang up, and call back and hope to get a better agent.

sinoflyer

OP, tell the next phone agent something to the tune of this:

"I have a through-P fare for CHS-LHR. Would you please rebook the last segment (IAD-CHS) in first class now that the aircraft has been upgauged to a 2-class?"

MatthewLAX

Perfect script.

fly747first

^^^^

cfischer

if P-class is available! Just to be clear, the OP is entitled to a seat when P is available ... if UA is selling Z and higher then the OP is stuck in coach until P becomes available for that segment.

fumje

I suppose this is getting a bit academic, but that can't be correct. This isn't a request for a free change, this is a request for seating in the cabin commensurate to the fare purchased.

Sykes

OP is entitled to a P-class seat. If they want the Z-class seat, they must up-fare to the Z-class fare.

OP: If you continue to come up empty, you might consider asking them to upgrade per GG BUYUP.

fumje

That's a ridiculous argument. A P-class ticket is 'deep discount business'. Viz. business.

Are you really suggesting that 'deep discount business' means economy seating when Z is the fare being sold? Let's just move every with a ticket fared below the currently-for-sale one to the back now?

CHSBoater

Thank you sinoflyer. I called, used that script and was told "No Problem". I'm now rebooked in F.

sinoflyer

^

Sykes

That's how fares work. Fortunately, this is one of the situations where United typically uses married segment availability logic to the flyer's advantage--if P is open on the long-haul segment, it'll usually show as available on the domestic segments when sold with the long-haul even if it's not available if the domestic segments are booked alone.

Having said that, there have been several occasions when I've put one of my customers in Economy for a domestic segment on a business or first class through-fare because of silly fare class issues (where the traveler preferred Economy to an alternative flight). It's especially bad for Lufthansa intra-Europe flights.

jsloan

Certainly, for new purchases.

In this case, OP was sold a P fare, with P booking into an economy fare class on a one-cabin flight. UA lost the ability to control P availability on the flight when they put the one-cabin bird on the route. When they then up-gauged, it makes no sense for there to be a retroactive inventory requirement. By that logic, if UA had gone to a E-170 at F6 A0 Y6 A0, OP would have been required to up-fare to F across the pond or to insert a fare break at IAD?

Also, GG BUYUP to a Z fare?? I don't see the OP's specific P fare in the CHS-LON fare table, but P fares start at $1950, whereas Z fares start at $3882. Even if the fares are combinable on a half-round-trip basis, that's still a pretty massive charge to sit in F for a 441-mile flight.

Anyway, glad to see that the OP was able to get his seat after calling back. ^

swiftaw