Testing my loyalty
#31
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Auckland
Programs: NZ Elite, IHG Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 899
#33
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: New Zealand
Programs: NZ Elite, QF Platinum (LTS), VA Platinum
Posts: 1,671
I realise this is an old-ish thread but have just joined FT. Last night I was booking a SIN-Auck flight, PE class, I clicked to upgrade and a great price with the words 'deal' popped up, business at only $808 to upgrade, so I clicked that, selected the seat and went to the next page, review and pay. I left it open for 5 mins to check with my husband. when i went back to pay, words in red popped up saying it was no longer available at that price and was now $1,500!!! I bit the bullet and paid, that same seat was available and no other seats had been taken in the meantime. What a nasty algorithym, eh?!
#34
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 550
#35
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: New Zealand (most of the time)
Programs: Air NZ Elite *G, Honors Gold, IHG Platinum Elite
Posts: 6,055
There is of course the possibility there are still bugs in the new booking engine.
It took them probably 6-7 months to fix the major issue where once you got to the payment screen that any movements backwards (such as back to the main fare screen) effectively locked out those fares and seats.
On a couple of occasions I booked flights to AU and forgot to select mix fares on one of the sectors (I often book 1 pax with a bag when traveling with my GF). If I'd go back to change the fare type you'd then get the seat select screen telling you the seats you selected were allocated, and then get to the payment screen and find the far class I originally had was now sold out and unavailable. These would both release a few hours later.
It took them probably 6-7 months to fix the major issue where once you got to the payment screen that any movements backwards (such as back to the main fare screen) effectively locked out those fares and seats.
On a couple of occasions I booked flights to AU and forgot to select mix fares on one of the sectors (I often book 1 pax with a bag when traveling with my GF). If I'd go back to change the fare type you'd then get the seat select screen telling you the seats you selected were allocated, and then get to the payment screen and find the far class I originally had was now sold out and unavailable. These would both release a few hours later.
#36
Join Date: Sep 2016
Programs: Air NZ Gold,SQ Krisflyer, Qantas bronze. Accor hotels.
Posts: 19
Nickolash, that is a rather sarcastic reply. I was answering a PP who didn't think the change was due to an algorythm. I don't know how these things work so have joined this site seeking information. Fact is, on an upgrade flagged as a deal at $808, when I cclicked review and pay, some red type appeared saying the fare was no longer available and the the price jumped to $1,500. A near 100% increase seems rather odd. Especially when I then paid the new price and the same seat was available and there were no seat changes elsewhere. So makes one very wary when taking up anything flagged as a deal as you now never really know what the price is going to be.
#37
Join Date: Sep 2016
Programs: Air NZ Gold,SQ Krisflyer, Qantas bronze. Accor hotels.
Posts: 19
NZButterfly, the original PE quote was $2060. The Biz was $3,500. I had clicked PE when a prompt came up with the upgrade offer, PE to Biz at $808. (It also showed an offer of Economy to PE also at $808, flagged as a Deal.)
#38
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 550
Nickolash, that is a rather sarcastic reply. I was answering a PP who didn't think the change was due to an algorythm. I don't know how these things work so have joined this site seeking information. Fact is, on an upgrade flagged as a deal at $808, when I cclicked review and pay, some red type appeared saying the fare was no longer available and the the price jumped to $1,500. A near 100% increase seems rather odd. Especially when I then paid the new price and the same seat was available and there were no seat changes elsewhere. So makes one very wary when taking up anything flagged as a deal as you now never really know what the price is going to be.
#39
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: NZ
Programs: NZ*E, Global Entry
Posts: 300
Pretty sure that there are rules surrounding fare pricing in cases like this. Either the poster was gone for 10'+ and the fare was released (and/or she got signed out), or she got on the wrong side of a bug in the booking engine.
#40
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 550
Mmmmm, I'd tend to disagree. What if you need to pee in the middle of making a booking? She clicked through the purchase process without, apparently, encountering any timeout warnings, account signouts, etc, and the fare changed? That's not right. Sheesh, even when I order lunch at work, I have a timer from when the sandwich is placed into the cart telling me how long I have to complete the order.
Pretty sure that there are rules surrounding fare pricing in cases like this. Either the poster was gone for 10'+ and the fare was released (and/or she got signed out), or she got on the wrong side of a bug in the booking engine.
Pretty sure that there are rules surrounding fare pricing in cases like this. Either the poster was gone for 10'+ and the fare was released (and/or she got signed out), or she got on the wrong side of a bug in the booking engine.
#41
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Auckland
Programs: NZ Elite, IHG Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 899
Mmmmm, I'd tend to disagree. What if you need to pee in the middle of making a booking? She clicked through the purchase process without, apparently, encountering any timeout warnings, account signouts, etc, and the fare changed? That's not right. Sheesh, even when I order lunch at work, I have a timer from when the sandwich is placed into the cart telling me how long I have to complete the order.
Pretty sure that there are rules surrounding fare pricing in cases like this. Either the poster was gone for 10'+ and the fare was released (and/or she got signed out), or she got on the wrong side of a bug in the booking engine.
Pretty sure that there are rules surrounding fare pricing in cases like this. Either the poster was gone for 10'+ and the fare was released (and/or she got signed out), or she got on the wrong side of a bug in the booking engine.
If the website was offering Colours the last 2 seats in J class (as there were 2 pax), it is very likely that one of two things occurred during the 5 minutes that Colours was away from their computer.
1. A person booked a J class seat reducing the availability to J1. This means that the customer would not longer be able to book two people on the 'deal'
2. Someone booked two or more seats in biz reducing J inventory to J0.
This happens all the time. Just try booking flights during a major event period and you will get the "Sorry, no more seats available" message constantly.
#42
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: New Zealand
Programs: NZ Elite, QF Platinum (LTS), VA Platinum
Posts: 1,671
I made a seat selection on NZ just the other day and the seat I wanted was taken right underneath my nose! So someone had completed the process and confirmed things before I did and I had to select elsewhere. I don't think it was just held as I waited a while and it never came free again but it's possible.
#43
Join Date: Sep 2016
Programs: Air NZ Gold,SQ Krisflyer, Qantas bronze. Accor hotels.
Posts: 19
NZ Butterfly, there is a small box at the bottom that says Upgrade, next to proceed, when u have selected your flights (if u are logged in with yr airpoints number so system recognises yr relevant status.)
#44
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: New Zealand
Programs: NZ Elite, QF Platinum (LTS), VA Platinum
Posts: 1,671
How funny, I've never made that observation. I've only used the upgrades (although that's RUs and elite APD upgrades) after I've made the booking and gone back into it. I'll have a play with that later - especially if there's the potential for a cheaper price on offer! Cheers!
#45
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: New Zealand (most of the time)
Programs: Air NZ Elite *G, Honors Gold, IHG Platinum Elite
Posts: 6,055
How funny, I've never made that observation. I've only used the upgrades (although that's RUs and elite APD upgrades) after I've made the booking and gone back into it. I'll have a play with that later - especially if there's the potential for a cheaper price on offer! Cheers!