D UC fares

Can anyone explain to me why the price for a discounted UC fare on the 8/12 LHR to SYD has gone up despite Seatcounter still showing 9+ seats available.

The VS website is defaulting to Z fares, so how do I actually book one of the D fares?

[Darren Wheeler]

When searching for UC, you get a choice of cheapest with CDC or without CDC. Use the with option and you might see D if there are no R's available. Otherwise it's a call to FC to get fares.

[Neil]

quote:Originally posted by aspence7
The VS website is defaulting to Z fares, so how do I actually book one of the D fares?


Why do you want a D fare? Z is the lowest and cheapest UC fare, but you don't get a CDC. If you wanted a CDC then R will get you this and is a cheaper fare code than a D. It isn't easy to book a D on line anymore so a call to FC would be required.

Ah Sorry Neil, I've a little confused then. Can you please explain the UC fare codes and what you get with them? I was under the impression that D was the lowest, there's not really a lot of info on the VS website.

[Neil]

quote:Originally posted by aspence7
Ah Sorry Neil, I've a little confused then. Can you please explain the UC fare codes and what you get with them? I was under the impression that D was the lowest, there's not really a lot of info on the VS website.


No problem.

UC fare codes are:

Z- lowest/most restricted/cheapest/no CDC
R - 2nd lowest/cheapest/but you do get the CDC
D - 2nd highest/most expensive/some flexibility/you get a CDC
J - most expensive/fully flexible/you get a CDC.

More detailed information on the restriction for each fare code (apart from R as that is a fairly new code for VS) can be found in the fare codes section on this site.

Neil

Fingers crossed there's still 2 Z fares left come monday.

[Neil]

quote:Originally posted by aspence7
Fingers crossed there's still 2 Z fares left come monday.


If you call UC reservation they will be able to 'hold' specific fares for you for 48hours, so it might be worth calling them on Saturday and getting them to do this for you.

Really, I was unaware they could do that. It's certainly worth knowing.

In that case, would they hold the fare for me, even if on the return leg, I was planning to purchase 2 reward seats?

[Neil]

quote:Originally posted by aspence7
Really, I was unaware they could do that. It's certainly worth knowing.

In that case, would they hold the fare for me, even if on the return leg, I was planning to purchase 2 reward seats?


Providing the reward seats are there for them to hold. At worst you could just book a Z return for them to hold and then when you call back on Monday they will be able to change it to the reward fare.

Although I am just questioning if you can book a Z one way and a full G for the return? Not sure that is possible? Or is my brain just being stupid!

If you mean is it possible to book a standard UC fare outbound and a reward seat inbound then yes, I have already had that conversation with the FC and it's fine.

So because the reward seat wouldn't be available until the Monday, as it's stll more than 11 months ahead, I'd have to get them to hold the outbound fare on the Saturday, until the return leg became available?

[Neil]

quote:Originally posted by aspence7
So because the reward seat wouldn't be available until the Monday, as it's still more than 11 months ahead, I'd have to get them to hold the outbound fare on the Saturday, until the return leg became available?


Assume they could do that, although never held just 1 leg of a journey before, so not 100% certain it is possible, guess it is worth a try.

That's the only part i'll need to hold as come monday, the return leg will be available, and I can book it.

But in the meantime, I don't want the outbound fare to go before the return is available.

[Nottingham Nick]

quote:Originally posted by aspence7
If you mean is it possible to book a standard UC fare outbound and a reward seat inbound then yes, I have already had that conversation with the FC and it's fine.


But, is a 'standard UC fare outbound' half a Z or half a J? Big difference!
I have never heard of VS allowing cheap one way fares like this. If they do, it opens up a world of possibilities, especially if you are wanting a couple of TPs.

Nick

[Neil]

quote:Originally posted by Nottingham Nick
But, is a 'standard UC fare outbound' half a Z or half a J? Big difference!
I have never heard of VS allowing cheap one way fares like this. If they do, it opens up a world of possibilities, especially if you are wanting a couple of TPs.

Nick


That's what I thinking Nick. I know it is possible to book a Z & L/S combo and then upgrade to a G with miles, but I thought that booking a Z/straight G combo wasn't allowed as the outbound is effectively classed as a one way fare.

To the OP, it might be worth giving UC reservations a call and asking them to price it up on an earlier date to just double check what you think you can do is correct, or if in fact, you would have to buy a J for the outbound.

I see your point.

Basically, the fare I was quoted was UC outbound (i'm not sure which class) and a Y fare inbound. It came to around 2600 in total using 60,000 miles for the return.

I also priced up a UC outbound, and a PE inbound, not upgrading or using any miles, it came to 2700

[Neil]

quote:Originally posted by aspence7
I see your point.

Basically, the fare I was quoted was UC outbound (i'm not sure which class) and a Y fare inbound. It came to around 2600 in total using 60,000 miles for the return.

I also priced up a UC outbound, and a PE inbound, not upgrading or using any miles, it came to 2700


It is starting to get a bit confusing now.

Are you planning on buying a UC ticket one way and then an economy ticket for the return and upgrading with miles (60k) OR are you just wanting to use miles (120k) for the return?

The former, upgrading an economy ticket (you should buy an L fare to do this) is okay to combine with a Z UC fare, the latter, just using miles is not allowed.

Neil

Sorry, I'm confusing myself too!

It's the first of the two options. I want the cheapest UC outbound, and then coming back, i'll get an ecconomy and upgrade it.

This is because there are no outbound upgrades available, they have already been sold

[Neil]

quote:Originally posted by aspence7
This is because there are no outbound upgrades available, they have already been sold


Okay now I understand.

So what you should do when you call FC is ask them to price you a Z outbound and an L inbound. You will then be able to upgrade the L fare to a G fare. This is totally fine and something we do quite a bit ourselves.

Neil

Brilliant. Now all I have to do is wait for the G to become available and make sure I get it, otherwise i'll be stuck with a L fare.

And after speaking to an online chat assistant, she tells me that they can put the outbound on hold for 72 hours, which is of extra benifit. Thanks for alerting me to that.

Although there are no Z's left for the outbound, so it will have to be an R

quote:Originally posted by Neil
Okay now I understand.

So what you should do when you call FC is ask them to price you a Z outbound and an L inbound. You will then be able to upgrade the L fare to a G fare. This is totally fine and something we do quite a bit ourselves.

Neil


This is where I was confused in a different thread, don't VS make your life difficult by only allowing one way fares in J or W or Y, meaning the most expensive? Certainly if you try online that's what you get. Maybe phoning is different ...

[Neil]

quote:Originally posted by slinky09
This is where I was confused in a different thread, don't VS make your life difficult by only allowing one way fares in J or W or Y, meaning the most expensive? Certainly if you try online that's what you get. Maybe phoning is different ...


I remember that thread.

It is the same when you phone, booking a one way fare has to be either J/W/Y. So you can't combine a discounted fare one way with a full reward the other.

quote:Originally posted by Neil
quote:Originally posted by slinky09
This is where I was confused in a different thread, don't VS make your life difficult by only allowing one way fares in J or W or Y, meaning the most expensive? Certainly if you try online that's what you get. Maybe phoning is different ...


I remember that thread.

It is the same when you phone, booking a one way fare has to be either J/W/Y. So you can't combine a discounted fare one way with a full reward the other.


So apsence could book R out and L back (and upgrade to G with miles), but not one way R and then G back? Now I see it, although I don't get it.

[Neil]

quote:Originally posted by slinky09
So apsence could book R out and L back (and upgrade to G with miles), but not one way R and then G back? Now I see it, although I don't get it.


Yep, that is exactly right.

And booking a Z outbound, i'd then be entitled to a CDC?