Fare class
Within each travel class there are often different fare classes, relating to ticket or reservation restrictions and used to enhance opportunities for price discrimination.
Passengers within the same travel class receive the same quality of
accommodation and may indeed sit next to each other; however, the price
or restrictions they face for that accommodation will vary depending on
the fare class. Fare classes may also vary by how far ahead the ticket
must be purchased, or how long the length of stay is. For example, full
fare economy class passengers (booking code Y) are usually able to make
changes to their reservation, while discount economy class passengers
in the lowest booking code usually have tickets that are
non-refundable, non-upgradeable, non-transferable, or non-changeable
without a hefty fee.
Airline fare classes are commonly indicated by letter codes, but the
exact hierarchy and terms of these booking codes vary greatly from
carrier to carrier.
First class codes
- F, A, P, R
On domestic flights, F commonly indicates first class on a two-cabin
plane. If a three-cabin aircraft is used, P (for "premium") may be used
to distinguish the higher level of service in first class. The R code
indicated supersonic transport and was no longer used after the retirement of the Concorde, however with the introduction of the new Airbus A380, Singapore Airlines
has re-introduced the R class to distinguish their "Singapore First
Suites" as a higher class than regular First Class. The A and Z codes
may indicate a first class ticket whose fare is reduced due to
restrictions on refunds, advance reservation requirements, or other
terms.
The codes in short:
- F = Full-Fare First Class
- P = First Class
- A = First Class Discounted
- R = First Class Suites (currently only Singapore Airlines), and formerly Supersonic (Concorde),
- (a lowercase "n" after any class code indicates Night Service)
Business class codes
- C, J, D, I, Z
On many airlines, C or J indicate full fare business class, whereas
discounted and thus restricted and typically non-upgradeable fares are
represented by I or Z.
The codes in short:
- C, J, D = Full-fare Business Class,
- I, Z = Business Class Discounted,
- (a lowercase "n" after any class code indicates Night Service)
Economy class codes
- Full fare: Y, B
- Standard fare: M, H, N
- Special or discount fares: G, I, K, L, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X
On most airlines, unrestricted economy ticket is booked as a Y fare.
Full fare tickets with restrictions on travel dates, refunds, or
advance reservations are commonly classed as B, H, or M, although some
airlines may use S, W, or others. Heavily discounted fares, commonly T
or W, will not permit cabin upgrades, refunds, or reservation changes,
may restrict frequent flyer program
eligibility, and/or impose other restrictions. Other fare codes such as
X are restricted for use by consolidators, group charters, or travel
industry professionals.
Most low-cost carriers have greatly simplified the fare classes they
use to a handful of cases, unlike the dozens employed by a traditional
airline. While some traditional carriers have followed, others continue
to prefer price discrimination over commoditization.
The codes in short:
- B = Economy/Coach Discounted
- E = Shuttle Service (No reservation allowed), or Economy/Coach Discounted
- G = Conditional Reservation
- H = Economy/Coach Discounted
- K = Economy/Coach Discounted
- L = Economy/Coach Discounted
- M = Economy/Coach Discounted
- N = Economy/Coach Discounted
- Q = Economy/Coach Discounted
- R = Economy/Coach Heavily discounted
- S = Economy/Coach
- T = Economy/Coach Discounted, or Premium
- U = Shuttle Service (No res. needed/Seat guaranteed)
- V = Economy/Coach Discounted
- W = Economy/Coach Premium
- Y = Economy/Coach
- (a lowercase "n" after any class code indicates Night Service)
Travel class - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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