timbre

I often book tickets that include a Copa segment (connection in PTY). Many of these are often code shares with fares coordinated. Recently when checking fares there do not seem to be any codeshares nor coordinated fares making it often $300+ dollars more than usual. It appears to be mostly with Biz Class fares.

Does anyone know if United still has a code share agreement with Copa? Did this expire without renewal?

jhayes_1780

AFAIK, They are still a *A partner. Could it be a plating restriction?


Why are Copa (CM) tickets so much more expensive when booked via UA? (tkt plating)

timbre

I do not think this is the issue here. It is generally true - not sure about now - that when there are NO United flights involved, it is less expensive to book on Copa than the codeshares. However, in the past when there is at least one UAL flight the flights often are less expensive with the United code shares than the code shares on Copa.

I think there is something else going on now.

jhayes_1780

Side note: I have found several code share flights (CM flight/metal w/ a UA flight number). So I think its safe to say there is still a code share agreement.

timbre

Interesting ... well, maybe this is just a fare issue. Either no more coordinating of fares or just not making certain fares or codeshares available.

jsloan

No, they're not. Code sharing has nothing to do with coordinating fares. While UA has come to general terms on a joint venture with Copa and Avianca, I don't see any evidence that they've actually applied for antitrust immunity yet, making the coordination of fares illegal. In fact, if the fares were coordinated, the behavior you're seeing would be less likely --currently, that can happen due to either fare or inventory differences, but if the fares were the same across carriers, then it could only happen due to inventory differences.

The codeshare agreement is still in place, but it looks like UA has dropped most or all of its Copa codeshares for the next several months. They seem to start around Memorial Day (late May).

Incidentally, whereas you can route UA economy fares via a CM flight number, it appears that business class fares require a UA code; otherwise, you get a fare break in PTY. (At least, that's what I'm seeing on the search that I did -- May 25 to June 14, IAH to MDE). That's why you're seeing the higher price -- it looks like UA has negotiated the ability to use CM flight numbers for economy class travel but not business class travel.

Whether this was intentional or an oversight, who can say? (Incidentally, even if they had a joint venture, if they wrote their fares this way, you'd still get hit with the price increase).

timbre

Thank you! This is exactly what I am seeing and explains what is going on ... now if they would just add back in the biz class travel.

njcommodore

What has everyone's experience been with CM flights posting to UA account? I'm at the 8 day mark and nada.

timbre

Pre-covid the flight would post pretty consistently within a week. Post covid it works sometimes and never posts other times. I have had to request the posting 50% of the time. Also, watch what they post for PQPs (if it was booked as a 016 ticket). One time the total paid versus the total PQPs for the ticket did not add up. They simply were not properly accounting for the cost of the CM segment. I had to request they research it and they eventually fixed it after multiple emails. Have fun!

njcommodore

On day 9 I went to the missing miles form on the UA website, entered the ticket number (it was on 016 stock) and the whole itinerary came up (including the outbound UA segments). Everything was grayed out, so I couldn't delete the UA segments nor add any seat/fare info where it was missing. Submitted it all and the summary screen showed the UA segments denied (since they had already posted) and the CM approved. It immediately showed up in my account. Pretty painless.

timbre

This was exactly my experience as well ... EXCEPT they did not assign the correct number of PQPs and miles to the CM flight. They just gave it some random number which did not add up. Make sure you get the right numbers.

cfischer

huh, on a 016 ticket? That is highly unusual.

WineCountryUA

Did the total ticket get the right nimber of PQPs. Not unusual for segment numbers to be odd but total ticket is what matters.

timbre

The only reason I new it was wrong is because the segment amounts added up to far less than the total ticket price. So, the total was wrong. This seems to be a not that uncommon problem these days especially when the ticket has been reissued.

I would have thought so too. It appears to be a semi common thing when the ticket has been reissued and it involves a non United segment.