Online Travel Booking and Bidding Agencies - Changing a non-changable/non-refundable flight

Alright,

So I had to book a trip from LAX > SAT flight for work, and I used priceline negotiator (name your own price) (side note, lesson learned) which gave me a random flight out/in. The flight out definitely doesn't work for me and I've put in calls to both AA and priceline about changing the flight time and just paying a penalty + change in fare. However Priceline informed me that they are unable to change the ticket, and AA told me to talk to Priceline.

Are there any know methods to get a flight changed when booking tickets through this route? Obviously I don't think I'll be using the name your own price function again :(

BTW apologies if this is in the wrong section. Feel free to move if so

Interesting factoid,
I called and said I had my assistant book the flight and they booked it under the wrong name. He offered to cancel it for a $150 dollar fee +8 dollars processing. After our call I received the following email.

Dear priceline Customer

In order to better assist you, we have made arrangements for you to speak with a Customer Care Consultant.

Please call us at 1-800-340-0575 (when calling from the United States).

When you call this number, you will need to enter the following information:
Your request number ####-####-###.

Sincerely,

priceline Customer Care Team

Wait... you booked a NYOP flight and agreed to the rules regarding such a booking, were told (correctly) that the ticket cannot be cancelled for any reason, then called back and told them (untruthfully) that the name on the ticket is wrong? Am I understanding this correctly?

IIRC they won't let you cancel for a "wrong name" unless you agree to re-book immediately under the correct name. So if you used the correct name the first time, then re-book with the same name, they have every right not to refund your first purchase and frankly, I don't think they should either.

Did you call customer care after receiving that email?

As you said, lesson learned in using NYOP flights.

Alright,

So I had to book a trip from LAX > SAT flight for work, and I used priceline negotiator (name your own price) (side note, lesson learned) which gave me a random flight out/in. The flight out definitely doesn't work for me and I've put in calls to both AA and priceline about changing the flight time and just paying a penalty + change in fare. However Priceline informed me that they are unable to change the ticket, and AA told me to talk to Priceline.

Are there any know methods to get a flight changed when booking tickets through this route? Obviously I don't think I'll be using the name your own price function again :(

BTW apologies if this is in the wrong section. Feel free to move if so

Interesting factoid,
I called and said I had my assistant book the flight and they booked it under the wrong name. He offered to cancel it for a $150 dollar fee +8 dollars processing. After our call I received the following email.

I'm totally confused. Why would you use priceline name your own price for work flights? Did you not understand what you were bidding on and the conditions that came with those tickets, where they pick the time and you can't cancel or change them?

Were you guessing that they would come up with a time that worked for you?

As a bit of advice for the future, don't use Priceline name your own price for anything unless you fully understand what you are bidding on, what they can give you, and the restrictions offered.

Also it's probably not the best idea to post that you booked the tickets, and then lied to them try to change it. Reps from many companies read these boards, it's totally possible priceline now knows what you are trying to do.

Normally we just book our flights outright, but this was a case of "Do we have enough room in the budget to squeeze in an extra person." So I was told if I can get the flight under a certain price, that I need to fly out to the event.

My event is late at night, and I hadn't used NYOP before...I figured i would at least get into the city same day. So I placed my bid for a RT flight and it gave me something...just not what I need.

Luckily, I just found out that our budget has grown a bit...so I'm just booking myself another flight and leaving this one alone.

NYOP can definitely be a good deal...but as I've learned through this experience...it's not good for work flights :)

Alright,

So I had to book a trip from LAX > SAT flight for work, and I used priceline negotiator (name your own price) (side note, lesson learned) which gave me a random flight out/in. The flight out definitely doesn't work for me and I've put in calls to both AA and priceline about changing the flight time and just paying a penalty + change in fare. However Priceline informed me that they are unable to change the ticket, and AA told me to talk to Priceline.

Are there any know methods to get a flight changed when booking tickets through this route? Obviously I don't think I'll be using the name your own price function again :(

BTW apologies if this is in the wrong section. Feel free to move if so

Interesting factoid,
I called and said I had my assistant book the flight and they booked it under the wrong name. He offered to cancel it for a $150 dollar fee +8 dollars processing. After our call I received the following email.
I wouldn't do anything more without consulting with your travel people / manager about whether they want the fraud committed for work-related travel. Most businesses frown on business-to-business fraud. So, it's not career enhancing.

All I can say is that you might as well call Priceline, tell the truth and see what they can do. Probably won't be anything, but maybe you win the lottery since it's a toll-free call.

BTW - It's not just PL. Even if you were booking in-person at a carrier's city ticketing office, you still need to absolutely review the exact rules of the ticket you are about to purchase.

Not to condone what OP did here, but it occurred to me... wouldn't PL tickets be covered under the new DOT rules that allow cancelations without penalty in the first 24 hours?

Not to condone what OP did here, but it occurred to me... wouldn't PL tickets be covered under the new DOT rules that allow cancelations without penalty in the first 24 hours?

Do you have a link to these rules?

Not to condone what OP did here, but it occurred to me... wouldn't PL tickets be covered under the new DOT rules that allow cancelations without penalty in the first 24 hours?

Probably not, the rules are to allow you to compare prices without risking a price increase, in name your own price you are setting the price, so the intent would not be to get a lower price in 24 hours.

I'm also not sure the regulations apply at all to travel agent purchased tickets.

The rules do not always allow cancellations, they allow for the ability to hold a ticket for 24 hours or the ability to cancel the ticket, I believe at the airlines choice.

Going into it purchasing a non refundable ticket I think ends the option.

Not to condone what OP did here, but it occurred to me... wouldn't PL tickets be covered under the new DOT rules that allow cancelations without penalty in the first 24 hours?

If that were the case, then NYOP would be dead and Priceline would discontinue it.

Not to condone what OP did here, but it occurred to me... wouldn't PL tickets be covered under the new DOT rules that allow cancelations without penalty in the first 24 hours?
Priceline is not an air carrier. DOT regulates air carriers. PL would be subject to FTC rules and enforcement if PL were false or deceptive. It's not. PL rules are clear and concise and the consumer knows exactly what he's getting.

Edited - not relevant.

OP could probably ask AA to take over the reservation. It's 25$ fee with United and I'd try the same with AA...

OP could probably ask AA to take over the reservation. It's 25$ fee with United and I'd try the same with AA...

I wasn't even aware that was an option, is there a special name of the the act of the carrier "taking over" a 3rd party res?

The poster seems like an intelligent person - wonder what part of non-refundable/non-changeable they didn't get??

I wasn't even aware that was an option, is there a special name of the the act of the carrier "taking over" a 3rd party res?
I don't think carriers take over P/Line bookings. They will generally take over a TA reservation for a fee. But, that doesn't get OP anything here, because "taking over" the reservation doesn't change the t&c under which it was purchased.

OP ought to just look at this as a bad business decision and move on.