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Ctrip is getting pricier

Ctrip is getting pricier

Old Oct 6, 2013, 4:02 am
  #16  
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Originally Posted by Chinatrvl
Since the highest surchage is, in my experience, on full fare F tickets (on some routes over 1000 CNY!) and also notable on full Y/W, I highly doubt that. Furthmore, it's also possible to compare booking classes of discounted tickets - you'll also see it's more expensive than on the airline's site.

It's a mark up or simply a fee that isn't explicitly mentioned like it is common at European online flight reservation sites.
I don't see how any price variations within fare classes are possible since they are all mapped to specific percent discounts.
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Old Oct 6, 2013, 6:55 am
  #17  
 
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I found tickets on Taobao are almost always the cheapest.
Of course it is a bit difficult for foreigners to use, being in Chinese and with its Alipay system. However those been in China for long enough should be able to cope with it...
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Old Oct 22, 2013, 5:37 pm
  #18  
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So I went to book a couple of tickets last night.

Did all the searching and booking and in the final stage of payment, ctrip website crashed and requested I contact them by telephone.

When I called them, they said sorry the website is temporarily down. You can book the tickets by phone.

I went to book the tickets and they said there will be a telephone service charge. I refused to pay the telephone service fee. Tried explaining that I wouldn't have to pay the fee if their website was working.

Ended up purchasing the exact same ticket via elong. Same price. Same dates. Same flight. Less hassle.

Really starting to think that ctrip is becoming too big and losing its customer service skills.
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Old Nov 13, 2013, 7:37 pm
  #19  
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Some really good rates to be found for hotels in Japan. Just found a rate for a Saturday in December at a Tokyo Disney Resort Official Hotel that's more than half off the price I could find on any other site.
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Old Dec 31, 2013, 3:14 am
  #20  
 
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BE VERY WARE of cTrip when an airline cancels a flight

If the airline decides to cancel a flight - then they will not find you a reasonable alternative at the same price.

I was offered a flight 5 hours earlier (not realistic given a meeting schedule)or one day later - when Juneayo decided to cancel 5 days in advance - clearly because of very light bookings.

There was an alternative flight with Air China 30 minutes later than the original booking - which was wide open. They would only offer the airlines preferred alternatives - despite some polite but strong persuasion..

I just took the case to my credit card company and they sorted it - but serious hassle and potentially costly unless you have low cost local phone calls and ready internet access.
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Old Dec 31, 2013, 4:48 am
  #21  
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Originally Posted by Modo
If the airline decides to cancel a flight - then they will not find you a reasonable alternative at the same price.

I was offered a flight 5 hours earlier (not realistic given a meeting schedule)or one day later - when Juneayo decided to cancel 5 days in advance - clearly because of very light bookings.
While I don't know exactly what flight you booked, I only tend to end up on Juneyao between SHA and PEK because they tend to be dirt cheap (but, still provide a comfortable experience... when they fly). The reason they are dirt cheap on this route is presumably because their single flight has rather undesirable time slots (outbound gets in really late and return leaves at 630a). CA and MU often come close to matching them on similar flights, but not always.

In any event, in your case, rebooking seems to have been done at the airline's discretion (i.e. they buy you a new ticket). While I would expect Ctrip or any TA for that matter to exert a reasonable amount of pressure on them to make things right, relevant laws provide the airlines with a considerable amount of latitude and I would NOT expect my TA to shoulder a hefty fare difference on their own.
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Old Dec 31, 2013, 7:53 am
  #22  
 
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I have not used ctrip in a while. do they still charge an extra 3% or so for foreign credit card? They used to and so did elong which is why I have been dealing with travelzen.com. Have not checked recently if they dropped this charge.
I have found that dealing with the airlines' english websites to be a big time waster and usually just call them (for international flights)
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Old Dec 31, 2013, 8:42 am
  #23  
 
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Yes they charge 3%

And my credit card also charges a 3% currency loading.

I have no idea how bad Chinese Law is in terms of consumer protection but under European jurisdiction this behaviour would cost the airline a fortune. I'm pretty confident that my UK credit card company will be liable for the difference.

Ultimately Ctrip as agent is earning a commission and has to take liability - when the real world arrives.

This was the e-mail explanation I got when asking for a formal communication for Insurance company purposes.

Withregard to your flight booking(order 680274937, Shanghai- Macau), the flight was cancelled by the airlines and they informed us you need to try at the airport to change to NX109 but they could not guarantee it. Ctrip is not responsible for any outstanding cost caused by flight change or cancellation. If you are willing to try to change flight at the airport, please inform us as soon as possible. We apologize for any inconvenience you have experienced.
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Old Dec 31, 2013, 8:51 am
  #24  
 
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Originally Posted by moondog

While I would expect Ctrip or any TA for that matter to exert a reasonable amount of pressure on them to make things right, relevant laws provide the airlines with a considerable amount of latitude and I would NOT expect my TA to shoulder a hefty fare difference on their own.
Why should I have to bear a difference that heads to doubling my hotel and flight costs for the two of us from US$500 each to US$800 each - because the airline cant fill enough seats to make the flight it has contracted with me viable. You gamble in the casinos in Macau not on the flights??

The trip is no longer viable to me at that arbitrarily increased rate the day before departure.
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Old Dec 31, 2013, 9:50 am
  #25  
 
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Originally Posted by Modo
Why should I have to bear a difference that heads to doubling my hotel and flight costs for the two of us from US$500 each to US$800 each - because the airline cant fill enough seats to make the flight it has contracted with me viable. You gamble in the casinos in Macau not on the flights??

The trip is no longer viable to me at that arbitrarily increased rate the day before departure.
It is an issue with the airline not the travel agent. Flights changes and cancelled flights happen all the time all over the world.
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Old Dec 31, 2013, 6:09 pm
  #26  
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I have mentioned this on other threads but with Junyao and Spring Airlines, I have thus far purchased tickets on them 3 times.

Never have flown with then as of yet.

Each time, they have cancelled the flight. 30 days prior, 7 days prior and 2 days prior.

Each time ctrip booked me on standby with MU or CA because there was no other flights available at no cost to me.

Not a ctrip issue as much as an airline issue.
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Old Jan 1, 2014, 2:43 am
  #27  
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@modo: it's worth pressing ctrip a little to get confirmed on the nx flight but if that fails sha-hkg is a wonderful use of ba points (I often hope that spring is sold out so I can justify the luxury of ka).
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Old Jan 1, 2014, 5:09 am
  #28  
 
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Originally Posted by Taiwaned

Not a ctrip issue as much as an airline issue.
Sorry it is a ctrip issue.

If I book with the airline then it is the airlines issue.

But ctrip are supposed to be a reputable agent - believe me I'm not going to let go of this "bone" on any forum or with any credit card company or travel insurer until ctrip change their policy. cTrip are a commission agent they must accept they not the airline have entered in to a contract. The airline cannot be allowed to pass its contracted liabilities on to the contracted passenger either directly or indirectly if it chooses to cancel to reduce its losses on an underbooked flight. For F...'s sake that is effectively operating each flight as a separate limited liability corporation and filing bankruptcy if they can't foresee a return on the flight!!!

To be clear I can afford the financial costs easily and without doing a DYKWIA I can kick butt. But my issue is that the average traveller is going to suffer severe distress and not know how to handle this kind of arbitrary behaviour.

Take a look at EC261. I'm certainly no apologist for European regulation in any sector - but in this instance EC 261 would very sensibly grant a passenger travelling in Europe and probably on any European airline anywhere in the world the protection of a rebooking on the next available (and no cheating, available means available not airline preferred available) flight and a hefty chunk of cash compensation, plus as relevant to the time delay sustenance and reasonable quality hotel accommodation.

In these circumstances Chinese airlines as you have referenced would have to cease issuing fantasy schedules.
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Old Jan 1, 2014, 5:26 am
  #29  
 
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Originally Posted by moondog
@modo: it's worth pressing ctrip a little to get confirmed on the nx flight but if that fails sha-hkg is a wonderful use of ba points (I often hope that spring is sold out so I can justify the luxury of ka).
Just used 30K on a weekend in BKK with the missus and am running low. And I value 100K BA Avios at US$150 minimum the way I deploy them. So why should I subsidise NASDAQ listed ctrip who dwarf probably even Expedia (research needed by me I concede) something exceeding US$300 per pax of opportunity costs?? (see ferry cost below and ignoring the value of my time)

Returning home to Macau via HK more than doubles my journey time. And costs another US$30 each for the ferry.

ctrip today are offering the proferred China Eastern flight at 1258 Rmb and the Air China/Air Macau flight I have demanded at 358Rmn - both plus tax.

Is that case closed - ctrip is not fit for purpose?
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Old Jan 1, 2014, 9:30 am
  #30  
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Originally Posted by Modo
Sorry it is a ctrip issue.
At the risk of beating a dead horse, that's not ythe way the law of the land sees things. Furthermore were it not for these "bad" laws it's questionable whether spring or juneyao would exist in the first place. Before they came on the scene $600 fares to hk and Japan were the norm.
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