Fare classes mostly zero'd out
May 18, 2024 | 12:39 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2016
Programs: UA 1K; *G, AA Plat
Posts: 1,708
Fare classes mostly zero'd out
I know historically one ways from Asia -> USA are more expensive than one ways from USA -> Asia. However, I'm looking at TPE -> SFO on 01/04/2025 and everything is zero'd out, even full fare J. Only Y9/YN9/B9 is available. Can someone enlighten me and explain why? I'm assuming it's not a bug and that this is done deliberately to stop people from booking one ways departing TPE to SFO nonstop.
May 18, 2024 | 12:47 am
#2
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 8,109
Three possibilities IMO:
1) Flight is very full and sold out up front, which I'd say is unlikely. How does the seatmap look?
2) UA is toying with canceling the flight during an upcoming schedule change and wants to restrict bookings so that it doesn't have as many displaced pax to reaccommodate.
3) A random glitch. It has happened to me before, and within a few days inventory goes back to normal.
1) Flight is very full and sold out up front, which I'd say is unlikely. How does the seatmap look?
2) UA is toying with canceling the flight during an upcoming schedule change and wants to restrict bookings so that it doesn't have as many displaced pax to reaccommodate.
3) A random glitch. It has happened to me before, and within a few days inventory goes back to normal.
May 18, 2024 | 12:50 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2016
Programs: UA 1K; *G, AA Plat
Posts: 1,708
Three possibilities IMO:
1) Flight is very full and sold out up front, which I'd say is unlikely. How does the seatmap look?
2) UA is toying with canceling the flight during an upcoming schedule change and wants to restrict bookings so that it doesn't have as many displaced pax to reaccommodate.
3) A random glitch. It has happened to me before, and within a few days inventory goes back to normal.
1) Flight is very full and sold out up front, which I'd say is unlikely. How does the seatmap look?
2) UA is toying with canceling the flight during an upcoming schedule change and wants to restrict bookings so that it doesn't have as many displaced pax to reaccommodate.
3) A random glitch. It has happened to me before, and within a few days inventory goes back to normal.
2. Would TPE->SFO really be cancelled? UA 871/872 have been consistently present in UA's schedule for as far back as I can remember (2015).
3. I thought it would be this but it's been like this for a week+ now. I guess I can wait another week.
Last edited by laxmillenial; May 18, 2024 at 12:51 am Reason: typo
May 18, 2024 | 12:53 am
#4
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 8,109
I would chalk it up to #3, or something else I can't explain or think of right now. You're right that 871/872 are a near lock to operate; I was thinking you might be looking at the newer 853/852 pair. And to be clear, you're talking about January 4 not April 1, right? There can be extra inventory weirdness at the very end of the schedule.
May 18, 2024 | 12:56 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2016
Programs: UA 1K; *G, AA Plat
Posts: 1,708
Yes. January 4th. The day everyone tries flying home from the holidays I was thinking maybe they think this flight will sell out so they keep it Y fares only.
Tons of fare classes (as one would expect) are available if a round trip is booked.
I was thinking maybe they think this flight will sell out so they keep it Y fares only. Tons of fare classes (as one would expect) are available if a round trip is booked.
May 18, 2024 | 9:32 am
#7
Flyertalk Evangelist, Moderator: United Airlines MileagePlus
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL DM, UA Nostalgist, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 16,125
This seems to be similar to this: Different J availability on RT vs one way ticket
It's more complicated than a POS restriction because in the GDS, I see the flight as J0 no matter how I query it. Wonder if UA is testing more advanced inventory rules only applicable to direct channels. Curious if a more experienced GDS user can get 872 to show J space.
Matrix prices the round-trip returning in D so I don't think it's NDC, must be something I am missing.
It's more complicated than a POS restriction because in the GDS, I see the flight as J0 no matter how I query it. Wonder if UA is testing more advanced inventory rules only applicable to direct channels. Curious if a more experienced GDS user can get 872 to show J space.
Matrix prices the round-trip returning in D so I don't think it's NDC, must be something I am missing.
May 23, 2024 | 2:39 am
#9
Join Date: Sep 2005
Programs: Mileageplus
Posts: 279
I have found P inventory on international flights, specifically ex-DUB to be nearly impossible to find. Ive been checking the last weeks of August and beginning of Sept for months and zip nada for P. Even Z is hard to come by.
May 23, 2024 | 5:42 am
#10
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: BOS<>NYC<>BKK
Programs: UA 4.6MM LT-GS; AA1MM; Amtrak SE; MAR LT TITAN; PC Plat; HIL DIA; DL GLD, HYA GLOB
Posts: 4,919
I just bought a P-fare trip BOS-MNL/MNL-KUL(BR)/KUL-TPE(BR)/TPE-BOS for under $6K (end of July travel). #winning