Airline Gltiches - Gotta love them!

[bignbeefy]

In 2009 I was playing around with fares looking at going to Hawaii for Easter. Thought I would check out some LAX to Australia deals whilst on the Hawaiian Airlines site. We had 2 teens and an infant then. Priced LAX to SYD for all 5 of us and the grand total that came up was $US100.

The phrase never look a gift horse in the mouth couldn't have been truer, so I bought them there and then - and the tickets were emailed within seconds! I then had to build a full itinerary around those flights. So we did Honolulu, Vegas & LA in 12 days and the all the flights for the 5 of us were less than $ 6k for MEL - HNL - LAS then LAX to SYD. The most expensive leg of the trip was for the five (four seats) of us to fly SYD to MEL on the Friday night when we got back - over $ 1200!!!!

I was fearing that the tickets could have been voided when we got to LAX, but there was absolutely no problems whatsoever. Probably the best $ 100 I ever spent!!! Hawaiian Airlines were great too! Looked after us all and especially the baby!!!

Beefy
MY LIFE OF SPORT | Beefy's Diary of Wild and Whacky Sport Events (and Music!)

 

[SQ421]

Well there as some tips given;

1/ If you get one...act immediately (or cross check on a different computer)
2/ If you find one...DO NOT RING THE AIRLINE INVOLVED!!!!
3/ If you find that the search engine is acting strangely...try some dummy bookings (this has been quite fruitful for me...)

With SQ, it used to be the case that when metal changes were happening that one could get some interesting results. System is more stable now.

4. Do NOT share the glitch on Facebook. Many a golden goose have been killed that way in the recent past.

 

[shbap]

Don't know if it counts as a glitch per se (probably more just pricing strategies) but I enjoyed the favourable outcome:

I was trying to book last minute (fly within 3 days) tickets for the better half from Delhi to Sydney just last week. The prices to Sydney were coming up between $1700 to $2100 (return), then one particular search gave me flights via Perth on MAS/QF for $1400. As my extended family live in Perth, it worked out quite well with a few days added to the "Perth stopover". DEL-KL-SYD on MAS was still >$1700 so not sure how that works - maybe they were just trying to fill the KL-PER flight. Also, I was able to select any QF flight from PER-SYD (which was also surprising given that it was at the end of the Oz day long weekend).

Nice savings with brownie points from the family thrown in for free.

 

[penegal]

Glitches in booking systems are rare, but can be quite advantageous for passengers from time to time. As many here suggest, the discussion of such things in public forums tends to result in a swift removal.

Glitches also occur in flight attendant's brains from time to time which results in abhorrent service on $10,000 + tickets... So it works in swings and roundabouts

 

[moa999]

While I understand you are being cryptic, can you give something more on this:

and to just try different things. ie Booking 5J seats on SQ on the one flight, and also to be alert when something looks different.

I have managed to get flights, for 2, from Europe back to Australia upgraded from J to F for no points and only a few Euro extra for a slight difference in taxes and charges.

That I assume is the cash payment on a well known airline here

 

[markis10]

I am not sure how true it is but the glitches do seem to be more common, or perhaps its just the internet spreading the word more. Kudos to airlines that honour them, QF and VA stand tall in this regard, now swiss is another story!

 

[Duffa]

Glitches in airline booking systems happen from time to time, and manifest in various ways from cheaper (wrongly priced) paid fares, to airline awards being able to booked at cheaper point costs, or to gain availability to numbers of tickets ( ie their may be a cap of 2), or types of tickets when ordinarily you should not be able to.

So I have learnt to be alert, and to just try different things. ie Booking 5J seats on SQ on the one flight, and also to be alert when something looks different.

My next trip to Europe has been quite fruitful as I have managed to get flights, for 2, from Europe back to Australia upgraded from J to F for no points and only a few Euro extra for a slight difference in taxes and charges.

This was after, on another airline, gaining intra-Europe award flights (several hours long) for 2 for 2 J flights and 1 Y flight each for only taxes and charges

I am being deliberately vague as I am yet to fly, but the moral of the story is that it pays to "look" and make "dummy" bookings and to be alert for unusual things.

The other key point with glitches, is that they are normally very temporary...so you have to act. Often immediately. In the case of these recent good deals, I think all were just temporary computer glitches, that would not have lasted. so in each case I booked immediately without logging out. Oh, and never ever be silly enough to ring and check with the airline!!!

In the past with SQ, it was often fertile ground to "look" when equipment changes were happening, as various possibilities could occur. Though this seems less prevalent now.

Hey, LTO! Can you empty your mailbox please. Haven't actually looked or sent you one but I'm sure it's full by now!!

 

[Globetrotter]

I'm excited! I need to book 2 x business class to Los Angeles for travel in May (ex BNE). Message me if you have any secret tips for getting an amazing fare.

 

[Metabourke]

I scored a number of the Myanmar bargain fares in 2012. As others say "don't call the airline". A colleague of mine booked a Myanmar special, but made a minor mistake entering his name (probably wouldn't have been a problem) and called the booking site to request a change and they promptly cancelled the ticket.

If your 'special' will work for itineraries to/from or via the US, then try to include the US in your itinerary if possible, as you'll then gain the benefit of US consumer protection legislation that mean once the ticket has been issued the airline is not allowed to contend that there was a 'mistaken contract' and void the ticket. With the Myanmar specials Korean Airlines initially cancelled all the bookings after suddenly finding a significant proportion of their trans-pacific F inventory for the next 12 months had been sold for peanuts. Once the matter was brought to the attention of the US DoT, and they explained US law (which had changed on 1 Jan 2012?) to Korean, Korean then reinstated all the bookings. The potential fine for dishonouring a ticket means its usually going to be better for the airline to honour the ticket.

I was fortunate that my main bookings were via the US, booked through a US-based site and ticketed on AA stock. There was never a murmur from any of the airlines about cancelling the bookings (although that doesn't mean that I wasn't just a little nervous at check-in at Rangoon for the first sector). I did RGN>BKK>LHR>JFK>LHR>KUL>RGN with all but the first and last sectors being in F, and then RGN>BKK>LHR>IAD>SFO>SYD with all but the first sector in F. The total cost for the 2 bookings was about $1,200. This included flights on Thai, BA, AA, Malaysian, and United. Being the only F passenger on a Malaysian A380 flight is a great way to fly! Apart from some great travels in comfort, it also meant I easily requalified for *A Gold and for QF Plat (before the end of the 1st month of the qualifying year). To get to Rangoon I used points to book LHR>HKG in F on Cathay, and a cheap F seat on Emirates for HKG>BKK. So in the space of a couple of weeks got to sample long haul F on Cathay, Emirates, Thai, BA, American, Malaysian, and United.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

While I understand you are being cryptic, can you give something more on this:




That I assume is the cash payment on a well known airline here

No. It was the difference in T&C due to fluctuations in the $Aust from the time of the first booking. We are talking like 3 beers worth of $.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

I am not sure how true it is but the glitches do seem to be more common, or perhaps its just the internet spreading the word more. Kudos to airlines that honour them, QF and VA stand tall in this regard, now swiss is another story!

While yes the speed of information exchange via internet is frenetic these days (to the extent that it actually tends to get any "open" glitch shut-down)...............I think that it is more that we are doing our own bookings now on the on-line rather than via TA or over the phone, and so 1/ notice them and 2/ can play around to see what happens. So we can seize the day!

By being on-line and with scores of different browsers, a multitude of different other programs, different hardware etc, it is probably impossible to make a 100% stable systems.

E-tickes etc mean that humans from the airlines etc are often note involved, and so glitches slide through. But if them are coughulative enough they get noticed.

Airlines can live with the occasional snowball, but not if it becomes an avalanche!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

If your 'special' will work for itineraries to/from or via the US, then try to include the US in your itinerary if possible, as you'll then gain the benefit of US consumer protection legislation that mean once the ticket has been issued the airline is not allowed to contend that there was a 'mistaken contract' and void the ticket.

this is not always true.

As the following article points out, AA unilaterally cancelled $1200 fares on QF F, and BA also cancelled fares.

KRALEV: Airlines refuse to honor mistake fares - Washington Times

On the Swiss mistake fares from Burma, the DOT refused to get involved even though many itineraries were via the USA.

 

[Flyer 777]

A couple of months back I booked a VA flight on points when it got to the payment section it showed nil points and $12.60 in taxes but in US dollars I confirmed the booking received my ticket checked points and none was deducted so booked a heap more trips was great value.

 

[Clivem]

A couple of months back I booked a VA flight on points when it got to the payment section it showed nil points and $12.60 in taxes but in US dollars I confirmed the booking received my ticket checked points and none was deducted so booked a heap more trips was great value.

Travel taken ? no issue / problem ?

 

[markis10]

Travel taken ? no issue / problem ?

None that I hear of, some wicked PE and J trips were had, ironically at the time when they earned SCs.

 

[Metabourke]

this is not always true.

As the following article points out, AA unilaterally cancelled $1200 fares on QF F, and BA also cancelled fares.

KRALEV: Airlines refuse to honor mistake fares - Washington Times

On the Swiss mistake fares from Burma, the DOT refused to get involved even though many itineraries were via the USA.

I'm not sure about the relevance of the Washington Times article - it appears to relate to the period prior to 14 CFR 399.88, which became effective from 24 January 2012.

The DoT's view of how the new rules work are in section XI (starting on page 40) of the EAPP_2_FAQ_01-11-2012final.pdf document issued by the DoT. Its available on the DoT website (AFF won't led me post the link).

Not sure about the DoT involvement with Swiss on the Myanmar mistake fares. Travellers may be in a stronger position if they are ticketed on ticket stock of a USA airline.

 

[anat0l]

I'm not sure about the relevance of the Washington Times article - it appears to relate to the period prior to 14 CFR 399.88, which became effective from 24 January 2012.

The DoT's view of how the new rules work are in section XI (starting on page 40) of the EAPP_2_FAQ_01-11-2012final.pdf document issued by the DoT. Its available on the DoT website (AFF won't led me post the link).

Not sure about the DoT involvement with Swiss on the Myanmar mistake fares. Travellers may be in a stronger position if they are ticketed on ticket stock of a USA airline.

The UA 4 miles to HKG case seems to expose some of the toothlessness of the DoT, though debates do go back and forth as to whether the DoT was justified in its final decision (i.e. the airline did not have to honour the mistake fares so booked). It's likely "protection worth having" anyway, but it's not a surefire way to ensure compliance. Certainly, whilst the DoT complaint is being handled, in the mean time the passenger may have had to endure some temporary but significant financial burden (i.e. a cancelled fare mid-trip resulting in a walk up to get home). I think one or two LX mistake fares may have ended like this. I haven't heard of how or whether they got any resolve.

I'm not sure what exactly the provisions were that the DoT may have noted to KE and SQ that put them under the gun enough for them to concede and honour their mistakes (i.e. under what exact ruling grounds would the DoT have charged KE and SQ with if they had not honoured the mistake bookings).

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I'm not sure about the relevance of the Washington Times article - it appears to relate to the period prior to 14 CFR 399.88, which became effective from 24 January 2012.

The DoT's view of how the new rules work are in section XI (starting on page 40) of the EAPP_2_FAQ_01-11-2012final.pdf document issued by the DoT. Its available on the DoT website (AFF won't led me post the link).

Not sure about the DoT involvement with Swiss on the Myanmar mistake fares. Travellers may be in a stronger position if they are ticketed on ticket stock of a USA airline.

good point. I didn't look at the effective date.

the DOT however did rule in United's favour on the 4-mile fares ex HKG (which was under the new regulations). plus the DOT's lack of interest in the Swiss mistake indicates there is potentially scope for some wriggle room in the future depending on the nature of the mistake.

 

[Bali Belly]

Garuda last year had return flights for the price of $ 352 They had made a mistake in their system and were booking this return fare instead of a one way fare
It was posted on a select few travel sites and only lasted approx. 4 or 5 days
! managed to book 4 trips and all were honoured
Great find and deal

 

[sumthinfornuthin]

Garuda last year had return flights for the price of $ 352 They had made a mistake in their system and were booking this return fare instead of a one way fare
It was posted on a select few travel sites and only lasted approx. 4 or 5 days
! managed to book 4 trips and all were honoured
Great find and deal

I reckon that shows integrity from the airline even if they know it was a mistake. i would be more inclined to then book with them again in the future at full fare so they might then claw back some of their prior loss