[Price Error] Melbourne to Azerbaijan $360 Return on Virgin/Etihad

[MathNerd]

Mods, feel free to delete, move to Etihad forum, or to another appropriate spot

Not too sure how many AFF'ers are on OzB as well, but I saw this deal this morning:

Melbourne to Azerbaijan $360 Return on Virgin/Etihad @ Flight Centre

Just booked a return flight From Melbourne to Azerbaijan $360 return. This will be my stepping stone to Europe.
Flight examples i experimented with are:
31st Jul to 8th Aug
31st Jul to 14th Aug
31st Jul to 15th Aug
24th Jul to 14th Aug
11th Jun to 19th Jul : $450

The fare is now long gone, but there's reports of people having EY PNRs (see Here, here, here and here).

I've never booked an error fare before (neither have I booked this one), however does anyone have any experiences with prices and tickets such as these? It looks like Flight Centre has legitimately sent through all these bookings to EY, which has given people confirmed tickets (at least in terms of PNRs, not too sure about actual e-tickets).

Incredibly cheap way to kickstart a Europe trip. Let's see where the discussion goes in the next week or so, I'm guessing there'll be some cancellations heading these people's way (either that, or a rude shock when they turn up to MEL next July and get told that their ticket doesn't exist in VA's/EY's system).

Personally, flying that long on EY, especially with their rampant cost cutting, even a price as low as this wouldn't tempt me. AFF has taught me that flying for that long must be done in premium cabins

 

[henrus]

I saw it within minutes this morning and actually was able to get the same price directly through the EY website (although didn't book it - was sitting on the fence for awhile though).

It appeared to be an incorrectly loaded "economy deal" fare as it didn't have any fare rules just a price without any conditions.

I highly doubt that it'll be honoured but if it is then good job to those who got it. Some are saying they've been "ticketed" which many seem to imply is just their PNR being accepted by the Etihad and Virgin website. Tripcase is a good way to check the ticket status in real time.

For those that did book it, the fares were all in T class with the cheapest routing a MEL-SYD (VA coded), SYD-AUH-GYD-AUH-MEL (EY coded) ticket. This would net 4469.5 VA points and 117 status credits.

 

[SydneySwan]

I bought VA error fares for both myself SYD To LHR return flying on SQ in Feb 2017 A$775 and my wife SYD to CAN return A$280 flying SQ in May 2017. The error was that carrier charges were not loaded - not an error in my book!

Both bookings were fully honoured.

 

[henrus]

Both bookings were fully honoured.

​

Yeh I remember those as well. The big difference this time is it's an Etihad error not a Virgin one so we'll see if this makes a difference or not.

These fares had the correct taxes but just a very low fare component of ~$80.

 

[Danger]

Using the e and m words should be completely avoided. It only aids airlines in cancelling tickets.

 

[MathNerd]

The big difference this time is it's an Etihad error not a Virgin one so we'll see if this makes a difference or not.

These fares had the correct taxes but just a very low fare component of ~$80.

Is this why EY is in such financial distress? They have IT systems that give away fares at peanut prices?

 

[Mattg]

I'm rather disappointed to have missed this - would have been nice! I also slept though the $199 return fares to Europe last week

A few years ago I flew SQ (booked on VA codeshares) from SYD to ICN for $350 return. It was honoured and I flew without any problems.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Pffft... the $199 fares supposedly offered by Air Asia (or rather their booking site kiwi)? Lots of $199 fares displayed on the calendar but when you went to book them they turned into $1450 QR fares. If the $199s were there, they must have been few and far between (and good luck to the folk that could find them!)

Who knows... with any 'special deals' the airline may or may not honour them. They can cancel them right up to departure, even if fully ticketed.

 

[Mattg]

Pffft... the $199 fares supposedly offered by Air Asia (or rather their booking site kiwi)? Lots of $199 fares displayed on the calendar but when you went to book them they turned into $1450 QR fares. If the $199s were there, they must have been few and far between (and good luck to the folk that could find them!)

My cousin successfully booked SYD-MAD for $199 return with flights on Emirates.

 

[henrus]

Is this why EY is in such financial distress? They have IT systems that give away fares at peanut prices?

​

I wonder if it'll be factored into the decision of giving away a few hundred seats to Baku.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

My cousin successfully booked SYD-MAD for $199 return with flights on Emirates.

Wow!!! I spent a good two hours looking. And i wasn't even going to use it

 

[henleybeach]

I'm rather disappointed to have missed this - would have been nice! I also slept though the $199 return fares to Europe last week

A few years ago I flew SQ (booked on VA codeshares) from SYD to ICN for $350 return. It was honoured and I flew without any problems.

Likewise , I flew SQ ADL-ICN return for $320 in may 2017 with a error fare and they honoured it. It was a VA codeshare but booked on a online TA
I hope it sticks for the lucky ones , Azerbaijan is such a great country , we enjoyed immensely last year

 

[Captain Halliday]

My cousin successfully booked SYD-MAD for $199 return with flights on Emirates.

I missed this too, but out of curiosity where were these deep discount fares available?

How did you become aware of them?*

*PM on the second question if you’d prefer

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I missed this too, but out of curiosity where were these deep discount fares available?

How did you become aware of them?*

*PM on the second question if you’d prefer

They were advertised via a banner on the Air Asia site (they are migrating to kiwi.com as their booking engine IIRC), and there was also a media release widely published in various online media (not The Age, but it was on news.com )

 

[Captain Halliday]

Thanks. I saw the Air Asia thing... but didn’t realise EK tickets were part of the deal. Bummer.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Thanks. I saw the Air Asia thing... but didn’t realise EK tickets were part of the deal. Bummer.

It's because they have switched over to Kiwi.com, which is essentially just a big OTA like Expedia (etc). So they offer all airline combinations, not just Air Asia.

 

[moa999]

Assume it was a D7/EK combination fare?

But seems a weird way to go and can't imagine EK would be that cheap on KUL-MAD. I'd initially assumed D7 must have been launching MAD

 

[The-Aviator]

I missed the $199 Madrid fare but did get the next offer they had, $399! And even better it was on Etihad, so I'll get to use my VA status privileges!

 

[Wheretonext]

I was lucky enough to get this deal. First time I have been lucky enough to find a flight at this price. Eticket is showing in Tripcase and status of Ok to fly.

How long has it taken the airline to cancel the flight in the past for fares like this? Would a month be long enough to wait before booking other flights etc

 

[henrus]

How long has it taken the airline to cancel the flight in the past for fares like this? Would a month be long enough to wait before booking other flights etc

​

Who did you book through?

BYOJet have been canceling already ticketed booking so I'd wait a bit longer.
Probably best following along on OzBargain

Melbourne to Azerbaijan $360 Return on Virgin/Etihad @ Flight Centre

Deal: Melbourne to Azerbaijan $360 Return on Virgin/Etihad @ Flight Centre, Store: Skyscanner Australia, Category: Travel (Page 2)

www.ozbargain.com.au