Purchase FareLock to hold your itinerary and fare for 72 hours or 7 days
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Seattle, WA
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Posts: 833
Purchase FareLock to hold your itinerary and fare for 72 hours or 7 days
I noticed this during the blue page that comes up while co.com is doing a search:
I was using the preview site when I saw this, but I did not see any option to buy such a FareLock. I doesn't seem to always appear, but it helps to have a search that takes longer to produce results. I also see a reference on the 24hr booking policy page (normal CO site):
New upcoming feature?
Code:
Purchase FareLock to hold your itinerary and fare for 72 hours or 7 days* * Some restrictions apply. Not offered on all flights. All customers booking at continental.com have the opportunity to request a 100% refund within 24 hours of ticketing. The FareLock fee, however, is non-refundable. Terms and Conditions apply.
Code:
Any FareLock fees paid to hold a reservation will not be refunded.
#2
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 7,541
I can see it now, pay $49.99 and have a FareLock on your itinerary!
#3
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Interesting. A quick Google search revealed that they aren't the first to think of this:
http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/ai...th-new-fa.html
My bet is the next "enhancement" will be that the 24 hr cancellation period will go away and be replaced with a FareLock option.
http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/ai...th-new-fa.html
My bet is the next "enhancement" will be that the 24 hr cancellation period will go away and be replaced with a FareLock option.
#4
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I doubt it. The regulators would have some fun with them if there were no free hold or free refund policy. They already threatened regulation which is why this came to be.
FareLock sounds interesting though. 7 days is a lot of time.
#5
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: BOS
Posts: 3,534
The 24 hour cancellation policy will be "enhanced" as a customer friendly benefit into a paid 7 day cancellation period in no time at all. I guess if the extended warranty racket works for the big box stores, why not the airlines?
#6
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Hmm, as far as I know, Jetblue doesn't offer a 24 hr cancellation period. Do they offer a "hold" feature other than for Western Union purchases (I only know that thanks to Google; I'd never buy a ticket that way myself)
#7
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The 24 hour refund policy is super important when things go wrong with the booking engine online. I would be very upset if it were to disappear.
#8
Join Date: May 2008
Location: new york
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B6 hold feature
I think they will refund your money if you call withing 2 or 4 hours of making the reservation. They do give you credit if your flight goes down in price (I have done this multiple times on 1 flight ) .
#9
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If they offered an extension of a 24 hold/refund option that extended it to a longer period for a fee, that would be fine.
#10
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I hope UA does not decide to adapt this FareLock. I suppose if it does, I hope GreaseMonkey will continue to function
#11
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Manchester, NH
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I can't see them getting rid of the 24 hour hold.
The thing is Travel agents always can do this -- our corp travel agent often just "reserves" flights for us, and we have 24 hours before we have to ticket it.
The thing is Travel agents always can do this -- our corp travel agent often just "reserves" flights for us, and we have 24 hours before we have to ticket it.
#12
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Portland, OR
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United already mostly eliminated 24 hour holds awhile ago (you can still technically get one by causing your credit card to be declined, be very convincing with a phone rep (no phone charges should apply), or using a GreaseMonkey script which tricks .bomb to trigger the hold.
24 hour refund policy is a regulation; US Airways recently implemented it due to it. UA holds however do not hold prices; if the fare bucket goes while the ticket is held, the PNR goes poof.
24 hour refund policy is a regulation; US Airways recently implemented it due to it. UA holds however do not hold prices; if the fare bucket goes while the ticket is held, the PNR goes poof.
#13
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#14
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: USA
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Asked Alex about this (just type in "fare lock").
Her reply:
Alex: FareLock allows you to hold your reservation and fare for 72 hours or seven days, for a fee, and is available on Continental-operated flights only. If offered, you can purchase FareLock after you have selected your flights.
(No link offered)
This coming from the CO site (not preview, the official site).
I guess it's something in progress? I'm okay with it, as long as they keep the 24-hour cancellation period.
Her reply:
Alex: FareLock allows you to hold your reservation and fare for 72 hours or seven days, for a fee, and is available on Continental-operated flights only. If offered, you can purchase FareLock after you have selected your flights.
(No link offered)
This coming from the CO site (not preview, the official site).
I guess it's something in progress? I'm okay with it, as long as they keep the 24-hour cancellation period.
#15
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Location: Bay Area, CA
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United already mostly eliminated 24 hour holds awhile ago (you can still technically get one by causing your credit card to be declined, be very convincing with a phone rep (no phone charges should apply), or using a GreaseMonkey script which tricks .bomb to trigger the hold.
24 hour refund policy is a regulation;
US Airways recently implemented it due to it.
UA holds however do not hold prices;
if the fare bucket goes while the ticket is held, the PNR goes poof.