Airline Fare Codes
 

Sorry if this has been asked or talked about before:

I have just purchased flights through an agent flying with China Southern and Air France flying premium economy. After checking the tickets given it as sure as I can see tells me that they are PE tickets.

However logging on to the Air France website has brought some interesting reading. This has been copy and pasted from my booking:

CZ326 - Business
Operated by : China Southern
Class : Z

After doing some research I find that 'Z' is the code for discount business class. Is it possible that these tickets are for business seats?

Class codes are not necessarily uniform across carriers, even within a codeshare or alliance. I will check later what this one is and post my finding.

Sorry to disappoint you, but on that flight the business class cabin comprises class codes : C D I J
Premium Economy is W Z, so Z is discounted PE

Ok guys so a little up date. Three weeks out of travel and I still have an itinerary that says Business Class. Now although the fare is a booked and paid premium economy ticket, is it worth claiming ignorance at check-in and showing the itinerary that says Business Class on it?

It's worth trying, but unlikely to work. My guess is that the front office system of the agency that prepared the itinerary is not correctly programmed to recognise the class codes. On most airlines Z is (discounted) business class but on CZ it's not.

If you PM me with you your flight details I will check and let you know but I'm pretty sure they've got it wrong. You might want to check with the agent.

Airline fare codes - technically Passenger Reservations Booking Designators or PRBDs - are defined by IATA, and while airlines are free to choose which classes they offer, they can't change the definitions.

Last time I looked, Z meant "business class discounted".

Whether they 'can' or not is arguable. The fact is that they do.

Fare basis code ZLRTSP - PREMIUM ECONOMY CLASS
 

Departing SYD for CAN
Fare basis code ZLRTSP
Flying CZ
RULE APPLICATION AND OTHER CONDITIONS

THESE FARES APPLY FOR PREMIUM ECONOMY CLASS SERVICE.
APPLICATION
AREA
THESE FARES APPLY
BETWEEN CHINA AND SOUTHWEST PACIFIC.
TYPES OF TRANSPORTATION
THIS RULE GOVERNS ONE-WAY AND ROUND-TRIP FARES.
FARES GOVERNED BY THIS RULE CAN BE USED TO CREATE
ONE-WAY/ROUND-TRIP/OPEN-JAW JOURNEYS.
OTHER CONDITIONS

ELIGIBILITY
NO ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS APPLY.

DAY/TIME
NO DAY/TIME TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS APPLY.

SEASONALITY
ORIGINATING CHINA -
PERMITTED 03MAY THROUGH 30JUN OR 17AUG THROUGH 24SEP
OR 04NOV THROUGH 31DEC OR 11MAR THROUGH 14APR.
SEASON IS BASED ON DATE OF ORIGIN.
ORIGINATING AUSTRALIA -
PERMITTED 17JAN THROUGH 27MAR OR 16APR THROUGH 20JUN
OR 13JUL THROUGH 19SEP OR 07OCT THROUGH 14NOV.
SEASON IS BASED ON DATE OF ORIGIN.

FLIGHT APPLICATION
IF THE FARE COMPONENT INCLUDES TRAVEL WITHIN CHINA
THEN THAT TRAVEL MUST BE ON
ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING
CZ FLIGHTS 300 THROUGH 399
CZ FLIGHTS 600 THROUGH 699
CZ FLIGHTS 3000 THROUGH 3999
CZ FLIGHTS 5001 THROUGH 5999
CZ FLIGHTS 6000 THROUGH 6999
CZ FLIGHTS 8001 THROUGH 8999
CZ FLIGHTS 2000 THROUGH 2999
ANY MF FLIGHT.
AND
THE FARE COMPONENT MUST INCLUDE TRAVEL BETWEEN CHINA
AND SOUTHWEST PACIFIC ON
ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING
ANY CZ FLIGHT.

ADVANCE RESERVATIONS/TICKETING
CONFIRMED RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED FOR ALL SECTORS.

MINIMUM STAY
TRAVEL FROM LAST INTERNATIONAL STOPOVER MUST COMMENCE
NO EARLIER THAN 3 DAYS AFTER DEPARTURE OF THE FIRST
INTERNATIONAL SECTOR.

MAXIMUM STAY
TRAVEL FROM LAST INTERNATIONAL STOPOVER MUST COMMENCE
NO LATER THAN 12 MONTHS AFTER ON THE FIRST
INTERNATIONAL SECTOR.

STOPOVERS
UNLIMITED STOPOVERS PERMITTED ON THE PRICING UNIT AND
UNLIMITED AT AUD 100.00 EACH
UNLIMITED IN CAN/BJS
UNLIMITED IN URC
UNLIMITED AT ANY POINT AT AUD 100.00 EACH.

TRANSFERS
UNLIMITED TRANSFERS PERMITTED. - SURFACE AT FARE BREAK
AND EMBEDDED SECTORS PERMITTED EXCEPT FOR PRICING UNITS
WITHIN/BETWEEN US AND CANADA - INCLUDING PR/USV1 -
SURFACE AT FARE BREAK IS NOT PERMITTED.

COMBINATIONS
FARES MAY BE COMBINED ON A HALF ROUND TRIP BASIS WITH
ANY FARE FOR ANY CARRIER IN ANY RULE AND TARIFF TO
FORM ROUND TRIPS/CIRCLE TRIPS.
END-ON-END
END-ON-END COMBINATIONS PERMITTED. VALIDATE ALL FARE
COMPONENTS. SIDE TRIPS PERMITTED WITH NO
RESTRICTIONS.
END-ON-END NOTE -
THE MOST RESTRICTED RULE WILL BE APPLIED WHEN
FARES COMBINED
OPEN JAWS
FARES MAY BE COMBINED ON A HALF ROUND TRIP BASIS
-TO FORM SINGLE OR DOUBLE OPEN JAWS.
PROVIDED -
THE OPEN SEGMENT MUST BE
-BETWEEN NEW ZEALAND AND AUSTRALIA
-WITHIN ANY ONE COUNTRY
COMBINATIONS ARE WITH ANY FARE FOR ANY CARRIER IN
ANY RULE AND TARIFF.

BLACKOUT DATES
NO BLACKOUT DATES APPLY.

SURCHARGES
NO SURCHARGE REQUIREMENTS APPLY.

ACCOMPANIED TRAVEL
ACCOMPANIED TRAVEL NOT REQUIRED.

TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS
NO TRAVEL DATE RESTRICTIONS APPLY.

SALES RESTRICTIONS
NO SALES RESTRICTIONS APPLY.

PENALTIES
ORIGINATING SOUTHWEST PACIFIC -
NOTE - TEXT BELOW NOT VALIDATED FOR AUTOPRICING.
THE MOST RESTRICTED RULE WILL BE APPLIED WHEN
FARES COMBINED
NON-REROUTABLE
CHANGES
ANYTIME
FREE CHANGE PERMITTED
CANCELLATIONS
ANYTIME
CHARGE AUD300.00 FOR REFUND
CHARGE AUD100.00 FOR NOSHOW
AND REFUND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE FARE PAID AN
D THE APPLICABLE FARE FOR THE TRANSPORTATION USE.
ORIGINATING SOUTHEAST ASIA -
NOTE - TEXT BELOW NOT VALIDATED FOR AUTOPRICING.
THE MOST RESTRICTED RULE WILL BE APPLIED WHEN
FARES COMBINED
NON-REROUTABLE
CHANGES
ANYTIME
CHANGE PERMITTED.
CANCELLATIONS
ANYTIME
CHARGE CNY 1000.0 FOR REFUND/NOSHOW
AND REFUND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE FARE PAID AN
D THE APPLICABLE FARE FOR THE TRANSPORTATION USE.

HIP/MILEAGE EXCEPTIONS
THE HIGHER INTERMEDIATE POINT RULE DOES NOT APPLY FOR
STOPOVERS.
AND - THE HIGHER INTERMEDIATE POINT RULE DOES NOT APPLY
FOR CONNECTIONS.

TICKET ENDORSEMENTS
THE ORIGINAL AND THE REISSUED TICKET MUST BE ANNOTATED
- NONEND/RER PEN APPLY - IN THE ENDORSEMENT BOX.

CHILDREN DISCOUNTS
FARE RULE
CNN/ACCOMPANIED CHILD PSGR 2-11 - CHARGE 75 PERCENT OF
THE FARE.
TICKETING CODE - BASE FARE CODE PLUS CH25.
MUST BE ACCOMPANIED ON ALL FLIGHTS IN THE SAME
COMPARTMENT BY ADULT PSGR 12 OR OLDER.
NOTE - TEXT BELOW NOT VALIDATED FOR AUTOPRICING.
UNACCOMPANIED CHILD NOT PERMITTED
OR - INS/INFANT WITH A SEAT PSGR UNDER 2 - CHARGE 75
PERCENT OF THE FARE.
TICKETING CODE - BASE FARE CODE PLUS CH25.
MUST BE ACCOMPANIED ON ALL FLIGHTS IN THE SAME
COMPARTMENT BY ADULT PSGR 12 OR OLDER.
OR - INF/INFANT WITHOUT A SEAT PSGR UNDER 2 - CHARGE 10
PERCENT OF THE FARE.
TICKETING CODE - BASE FARE CODE PLUS IN90.
MUST BE ACCOMPANIED ON ALL FLIGHTS IN THE SAME
COMPARTMENT BY ADULT PSGR 12 OR OLDER.

GENERAL RULE - APPLY UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED
CNN/ACCOMPANIED CHILD PSGR 2-11 - CHARGE 75 PERCENT OF
THE FARE.
TICKETING CODE - BASE FARE CODE PLUS CH25.
MUST BE ACCOMPANIED ON ALL FLIGHTS IN THE SAME
COMPARTMENT BY ADULT PSGR 12 OR OLDER.
NOTE - TEXT BELOW NOT VALIDATED FOR AUTOPRICING.
UNACCOMPANIED CHILD NOT PERMITTED
OR - INS/INFANT WITH A SEAT PSGR UNDER 2 - CHARGE 75
PERCENT OF THE FARE.
TICKETING CODE - BASE FARE CODE PLUS CH25.
MUST BE ACCOMPANIED ON ALL FLIGHTS IN THE SAME
COMPARTMENT BY ADULT PSGR 12 OR OLDER.
OR - INF/INFANT WITHOUT A SEAT PSGR UNDER 2 - NO
DISCOUNT.

TOUR CONDUCTOR DISCOUNTS
NO DISCOUNTS FOR TOUR CONDUCTORS.

AGENT DISCOUNTS
NO DISCOUNTS FOR SALE AGENTS.

ALL OTHER DISCOUNTS
NO DISCOUNTS FOR OTHERS.

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
NO PROVISIONS APPLY.

FARE BY RULE
NOT APPLICABLE.

GROUPS
NO GROUP PROVISIONS APPLY.

TOURS
NO TOUR PROVISIONS APPLY.

VISIT ANOTHER COUNTRY
NO VISIT ANOTHER COUNTRY PROVISIONS APPLY.

DEPOSITS
NO DEPOSIT PROVISIONS APPLY.

VOLUNTARY CHANGES
NO VOLUNTARY CHANGES DATA FOUND.

VOLUNTARY REFUNDS
NO VOLUNTARY REFUNDS DATA FOUND.

NEGOTIATED FARES
NOT APPLICABLE.

INTERNATIONAL CONSTRUCTION
NOT A CONSTRUCTED FARE

IATA standards are standards. They are not mandatory, but not following them does lead to confusion. As we can see.

Airlines don't even follow their own standards. On BA C is generally Club Europe but on domestics there is no Club Class (the aircraft are one class) and C fares are simply the highest, most flexible.

So guys thought I would do an update. Now sitting in Guanghzou airport after flying from Sydney and had good fortune! At Sydney airport they saw the flight details I had and honoured the business class as shown on the ticket. Sadly though the Air France flight is full so back to Y+ but can't complain with the outcome!