How to Buy a Cheap Seat in First Class

So far this information seems only valid for US flights.
If the terms (or practices) 'Q-Up' or 'Y-Up' are valid for flights
to Europe, somebody out there knows and will inform us.

****


How to Buy a Cheap Seat in First Class

The Wall Street Journal Online
By Evan Perez

Obscure Class of Coach Fares Guarantees Seats Up Front; Search for 'Q-Up' or
'Y-Up'

As major airlines ground planes and eliminate flights to shrink the
industry's losses, upgrading to a seat in first class is a long shot for
travelers who aren't in the top tier of a frequent-flier program.

Or you could sneak your way to the front, as Julie Vrdoljak did on a
December flight to Washington, D.C., from Los Angeles. The special-education
teacher stumbled onto an obscure category of discounted coach fares that
actually guaranteed her a first-class seat and frequent-flier credit on UAL
Corp.'s United Airlines -- but cost hundreds of dollars less than a standard
first-class ticket.

Ms. Vrdoljak bought a particular type of coach fare called "Q-up." Other
airlines use codes such as "Y-up" and "Z." They represent little-known but
surprisingly big bargains on thousands of first-class seats a day throughout
the U.S. And often they can be much cheaper than last-minute coach seats.

Why would airlines encourage passengers to slip into first class -- and on
the cheap? Most people sitting in first-class seats on domestic flights
aren't paying first-class prices. Instead, many passengers are cashing in
frequent-flier miles or buying upgrades, meaning those seats generate little
extra revenue for the airlines. Q-up fares help carriers increase the number
of paying passengers in first class.

Airlines won't disclose exactly how many Q-up, Y-up or Z fares are
available. That is partly to avoid raising the ire of frequent fliers: The
lure of upgrading from a cramped middle seat near the back of the plane to
first class is one of the few perks these travelers still have following
industry belt-tightening. The U.S. airline industry has lost more than $42
billion since the start of 2001, according to the Air Transport Association,
an industry trade group.

Between New York and Miami, AMR Corp.'s American Airlines recently offered
a one-way Y-up fare of $319 -- 66% lower than the $999 price of a regular
first-class seat. The Y-up fare costs less than half the priciest walk-up
seat in the coach section, though American also offered a restricted
discounted round-trip coach fare for $333. Recently, it cost $284 for a
one-way Q-up seat on Delta Air Lines flights to Washington, D.C., from
Atlanta compared with $604 for the most-expensive one-way coach fare and
$704 each way for a typical seat in first class. Delta also sells a
restricted discount round-trip fare for $438 on the same route.

The cretinus is back with OT spam
Of course, after roaming about the whole of NG's he didn(t realise there is
a group for that
He just had to pollute once more

"Earl Evleth" a écrit dans le message de news:
...
So far this information seems only valid for US flights.
If the terms (or practices) 'Q-Up' or 'Y-Up' are valid for flights
to Europe, somebody out there knows and will inform us.

****


How to Buy a Cheap Seat in First Class

The Wall Street Journal Online
By Evan Perez

Obscure Class of Coach Fares Guarantees Seats Up Front; Search for 'Q-Up'
or
'Y-Up'

As major airlines ground planes and eliminate flights to shrink the
industry's losses, upgrading to a seat in first class is a long shot for
travelers who aren't in the top tier of a frequent-flier program.

Or you could sneak your way to the front, as Julie Vrdoljak did on a
December flight to Washington, D.C., from Los Angeles. The
special-education
teacher stumbled onto an obscure category of discounted coach fares that
actually guaranteed her a first-class seat and frequent-flier credit on
UAL
Corp.'s United Airlines -- but cost hundreds of dollars less than a
standard
first-class ticket.

Ms. Vrdoljak bought a particular type of coach fare called "Q-up." Other
airlines use codes such as "Y-up" and "Z." They represent little-known but
surprisingly big bargains on thousands of first-class seats a day
throughout
the U.S. And often they can be much cheaper than last-minute coach seats.

Why would airlines encourage passengers to slip into first class -- and on
the cheap? Most people sitting in first-class seats on domestic flights
aren't paying first-class prices. Instead, many passengers are cashing in
frequent-flier miles or buying upgrades, meaning those seats generate
little
extra revenue for the airlines. Q-up fares help carriers increase the
number
of paying passengers in first class.

Airlines won't disclose exactly how many Q-up, Y-up or Z fares are
available. That is partly to avoid raising the ire of frequent fliers: The
lure of upgrading from a cramped middle seat near the back of the plane to
first class is one of the few perks these travelers still have following
industry belt-tightening. The U.S. airline industry has lost more than $42
billion since the start of 2001, according to the Air Transport
Association,
an industry trade group.

Between New York and Miami, AMR Corp.'s American Airlines recently offered
a one-way Y-up fare of $319 -- 66% lower than the $999 price of a regular
first-class seat. The Y-up fare costs less than half the priciest walk-up
seat in the coach section, though American also offered a restricted
discounted round-trip coach fare for $333. Recently, it cost $284 for a
one-way Q-up seat on Delta Air Lines flights to Washington, D.C., from
Atlanta compared with $604 for the most-expensive one-way coach fare and
$704 each way for a typical seat in first class. Delta also sells a
restricted discount round-trip fare for $438 on the same route.