ASA availability changes

[Kangol]

Just been playing around with the booking engine and looked at some MEL-LAX FASAs for next year.
Came across this, a pair of FASAs at classic award prices as shown:

Then if I select the return date to be a day earlier, the outbound cheap Tuesday FASA plus the two cheap Thursday options go to the full fare FASA pricing:

Now it's not due to availability because clearly I can select these outbound cheaply priced ASAs (ie booking into P class).
Is there a rule about if flying one leg during a certain time (eg peak, weekend) then the other leg has restrictions and fares from the more discounted buckets are unable to be selected?

 

[Isochronous]

I noticed this when searching for return JASAs MEL-HKG and MEL-SIN too. I'd like to know the reason why this is the case too.

 

[ozmille]

For some reason I can't see your pictures, what dates are you looking at? Could be the minimum stay for the cheap combination is not met hence the system goes to the more expensive one? (offcourse without the dates that is just speculation)

 

[Kangol]

For some reason I can't see your pictures, what dates are you looking at? Could be the minimum stay for the cheap combination is not met hence the system goes to the more expensive one? (offcourse without the dates that is just speculation)

The cheap fares were on:
MEL-LAX 1 Oct 2013
LAX-MEL 6 Oct 2013
(ie a 5 day stay)

When the LAX-MEL changes a day earlier to 5 Oct (a 4 day stay), the return leg goes up to over 1 million points.

If I change the outbound leg forward to 3 Oct and the inbound on 6 Oct (a 3 day stay), then the P class ASA is still available.

What is the duration of the "minimum stay"?

 

[Hvr]

I wonder if the black art of yield management is coming into play? If you're going for such a short trip the algorithm might assume you're on a business trip and will pay for the seat if you can't get it for a decent amount of points.

Whereas if the trip is longer it is more likely to be a holiday and more price sensitive.

 

[ozmille]

The cheap fares were on:
MEL-LAX 1 Oct 2013
LAX-MEL 6 Oct 2013
(ie a 5 day stay)

When the LAX-MEL changes a day earlier to 5 Oct (a 4 day stay), the return leg goes up to over 1 million points.

If I change the outbound leg forward to 3 Oct and the inbound on 6 Oct (a 3 day stay), then the P class ASA is still available.

What is the duration of the "minimum stay"?

This looks like the old "you have to stay a Saturday night" rule

 

[oz_mark]

This looks like the old "you have to stay a Saturday night" rule

...or maybe the price is only valid when used as a return fare in the same class.

 

[drron]

There certainly must have been some changes as i now invariably see an F and J Aaward looking at the 331 day mark-at 72500 + $US92.60 for F on the A380.Could this be related to seemingly less ASAs at Classic price?