Fare basis code "UA"
May 23, 2006 | 11:46 am
#1
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Fare basis code "UA"
Shopping for flights to SFO this morning, I came upon this strange fare code. Clicking on fare rules gives me a "no fare rule found" error. And my search function is not cooperating this morning. I did apply an Entertainment book coupon to the fare, could that be it? The PDX-SFO is a VA21DNX fare.
United Airlines 1170
Airbus A320
Jul XX 8:10 pm depart SFO
Jul XX 9:47 pm arrive PDX
stops: Non-stop
Class: Coach
Fare Basis Code: UA
Booking Class: U
Fare Rules
United Airlines 1170
Airbus A320
Jul XX 8:10 pm depart SFO
Jul XX 9:47 pm arrive PDX
stops: Non-stop
Class: Coach
Fare Basis Code: UA
Booking Class: U
Fare Rules
May 23, 2006 | 11:53 am
#2
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I had it a couple of weeks ago ORD-OAK. It's essentially a non-refundable, capacity controlled, walk-up ticket. And because it's not Y/B, it doesn't qualify for various things, including greater corporate discounts, free upgrades for 1Ks, etc.
May 23, 2006 | 1:42 pm
#3
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Originally Posted by ElmhurstNick
I had it a couple of weeks ago ORD-OAK. It's essentially a non-refundable, capacity controlled, walk-up ticket. And because it's not Y/B, it doesn't qualify for various things, including greater corporate discounts, free upgrades for 1Ks, etc.
May 23, 2006 | 1:47 pm
#4
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Originally Posted by ptpinit
Shopping for flights to SFO this morning, I came upon this strange fare code. Clicking on fare rules gives me a "no fare rule found" error. And my search function is not cooperating this morning. I did apply an Entertainment book coupon to the fare, could that be it? The PDX-SFO is a VA21DNX fare.
United Airlines 1170
Airbus A320
Jul XX 8:10 pm depart SFO
Jul XX 9:47 pm arrive PDX
stops: Non-stop
Class: Coach
Fare Basis Code: UA
Booking Class: U
Fare Rules
United Airlines 1170
Airbus A320
Jul XX 8:10 pm depart SFO
Jul XX 9:47 pm arrive PDX
stops: Non-stop
Class: Coach
Fare Basis Code: UA
Booking Class: U
Fare Rules
The problem you describe above is a problem with using Entertainment codes online. united.com will usually price everything correctly, but show UA and U for the inbound flight. If you hit purchase, united.com will proceed to purchase the ticket at the price shown but will book into the CORRECT bucket (V in your case) and will show the correct fare basis (VA21DNX). The problem is only a matter of united.com displaying the wrong fare basis/bucket on the purchase page.
I have had this problem every time I have used an Entertainment coupon online-- and its not a problem, but just a glitch. Your e-rcpt will have the right fare/flights/price.
--Ari
May 23, 2006 | 4:44 pm
#5
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Location: What I write is my opinion alone..don't read into it anything not written.
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Originally Posted by ElmhurstNick
I had it a couple of weeks ago ORD-OAK. It's essentially a non-refundable, capacity controlled, walk-up ticket. And because it's not Y/B, it doesn't qualify for various things, including greater corporate discounts, free upgrades for 1Ks, etc.
May 23, 2006 | 4:47 pm
#6
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Originally Posted by fastair
It also DOES qualify for a few important things. Since it is U, it qualifies for econo plus if you are not elligible. Not bad for a refundable walkup, 1 way, econo plus fare.
May 23, 2006 | 5:00 pm
#7
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Originally Posted by Ari
QA would be better.
U fares are way higher up the fare totempole than QA's, no?
May 23, 2006 | 5:18 pm
#8
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Originally Posted by Axey
U fares are way higher up the fare totempole than QA's, no?
May 23, 2006 | 5:37 pm
#9
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: What I write is my opinion alone..don't read into it anything not written.
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U is only 1 class above Q, and Q does't give econo plus access for the majority of fliers. As being usually lower priced means Q has less availability.
May 23, 2006 | 5:53 pm
#10
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Originally Posted by fastair
U is only 1 class above Q, and Q does't give econo plus access for the majority of fliers. As being usually lower priced means Q has less availability.
May 23, 2006 | 7:09 pm
#11
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Posts: 17,769
UA is, IME, always totally flexible. "Uther" U fares may not be. I'm actually pretty upset about UA's introcution of U and E fares, since they basically make it VERY hard to buy Y/B fares now. 
May 23, 2006 | 9:13 pm
#12
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Originally Posted by Ari
The "UA" fare is REFUNDABLE.
May 23, 2006 | 9:15 pm
#13
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Originally Posted by ElmhurstNick
Ahh, I had it paired up with a W fare on the return, that's why it was showing non-refundable for me. @:-) So it's just capacity controlled then.
May 23, 2006 | 9:18 pm
#14
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WA appears to be the typical Southwest-fighting fare - I used to buy that (and AA's version) most of the time when I was flying ORD-IND and ORD-BNA heavily.
May 23, 2006 | 9:20 pm
#15
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Originally Posted by ElmhurstNick
Southwest