IMO these fares are introduced for some marketing reasons, and they disappear once those objectives are met. We had attractive SQ CMB-SFO-CMB fares available for almost 2-3 years, and then they disappeared. There used to be frequent postings about that deal in another thread. Did frequent use of that deal kill it ultimately, I don't know. Yes, there have been some abuses in the recent past as UA GSA told me personally, and that could be a contributory factor as well.
Maybe experienced hands on this board can share their insights as to what causes such deals to be withdrawn.
I was told by a TA, current UA CMB-SFO-CMB deal is not even a IATA published fare, so does not appear on booking engines.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jiffy
IMO these fares are introduced for some marketing reasons, and they disappear once those objectives are met. We had attractive SQ CMB-SFO-CMB fares available for almost 2-3 years, and then they disappeared. There used to be frequent postings about that deal in another thread. Did frequent use of that deal kill it ultimately, I don't know. Yes, there have been some abuses in the recent past as UA GSA told me personally, and that could be a contributory factor as well.
Maybe experienced hands on this board can share their insights as to what causes such deals to be withdrawn.
Most of these deals required paper tickets. People were using only the portions they were interested in skipping the first/second leg, so never setting foot in CMB and then getting into NRT or ICN and endorse to other carriers.
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IMO these fares are introduced for some marketing reasons, and they disappear once those objectives are met. We had attractive SQ CMB-SFO-CMB fares available for almost 2-3 years, and then they disappeared. There used to be frequent postings about that deal in another thread. Did frequent use of that deal kill it ultimately, I don't know. Yes, there have been some abuses in the recent past as UA GSA told me personally, and that could be a contributory factor as well.
Maybe experienced hands on this board can share their insights as to what causes such deals to be withdrawn.
I was told by a TA, current UA CMB-SFO-CMB deal is not even a IATA published fare, so does not appear on booking engines.
My 2 c worth.
imho - these fares are set x years ago and forgotten. The currency of the country drops against the dollar (hence we get bargains on rtw tickets) or the price was competetive for the earnings of the country and as such 500 times annual earnings is not a fair price for the people in that country to pay.
and then the westerners with there £ and $ buy up the tickets on the cheap.
Most carriers get the prices absolutely spot on when going to or from the base but when its A > B via X then the routes/ possibilites are to large to manage on a daily basis
IMO these fares are introduced for some marketing reasons, and they disappear once those objectives are met. We had attractive SQ CMB-SFO-CMB fares available for almost 2-3 years, and then they disappeared. There used to be frequent postings about that deal in another thread. Did frequent use of that deal kill it ultimately, I don't know. Yes, there have been some abuses in the recent past as UA GSA told me personally, and that could be a contributory factor as well.
Maybe experienced hands on this board can share their insights as to what causes such deals to be withdrawn.
I was told by a TA, current UA CMB-SFO-CMB deal is not even a IATA published fare, so does not appear on booking engines.
My 2 c worth.
The reason it is not in the booking engine because since mid-2006 it cannot be issued in outside od CMB.
Before 2006 it was in the booking engines.
Deals are withdrawn,as another poster noted these fares were set years ago forgotten or the low earning power of the residents of that particular country.
IMHO EX: CMB fares were set by carriers such as USAIR,ASIAN and forgotten because these carriers did not directly operate out of CMB.
SQ ,CX ,Thai & UA because of the low earning power.
The fares are posted on public forums such as FT.
The carriers rate desk suddenly start getting unusual number of calls.Flag goes up.The carrier sees the Westerners are buying these fares like hot cakes and bingo restrictions are placed and or the fares are withdrawn.
I know of a FT who keep calling UA rate desk questioning the Fuel Surcharge.
Well we know the outcoming.UA increased CMB-YVR-CMB.HNL Stopover nolonger valid.
In 2003 Asian had a great fare from EX. CMB. Again the LAX Asian rate desk started getting calls,after posting on this forum.Asian ICN noticed sudden interest and within a week the fares increased by 50%.RT J was less than 1000K.
USAir fare CMB-PHL-CMB is a good example.Allowed ticketing otside of CMB.It was in the booking engine up until FEB.2007.
One could route: CMB-SIN-CDG (SQ) -CDG-PHL US. J RT USD.1678.00.
Gave this fare to few FT end of 2006 and Jan. 2007.
Their TA's or whoever started calling USAir Rate Desk.Well the fare was pulled off by Feb.2007. This fare was there for years.
Asian & Thai fares were pulled out because of abuse. As other poster noted,
People were pulling coupons out, getting endorsed to other carriers,blantant abuse.
With only handful of book fares left and having learnt from my previous experience I have become very very selective who I give the info to.
Call me paranoid.Better safe than sorry.
Indeed, AC had wonderful F and C fares ex CMB until last year. I was able to route through AKL and fly the AC codeshare on NZ. AC pulled it late last year.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by yyzprincess
With only handful of book fares left and having learnt from my previous experience I have become very very selective who I give the info to.
Call me paranoid.Better safe than sorry.
yyzprincess, (or anyone else for that matter) if you've found a good fare - and not necessarily an ex. CMB one - where and how do you ticket it to avoid sending up red flags?
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C-Class Deals to USA ex Europe for 1.000 Euro
Just have seen, that some airlines published their summer Business Class fares to the USA.
The best deal up to now is 834,00 Euro plus taxes with KL/NW from ATH to NYC: ZSALEGR 834.00 KL/NW 1JUL 31AUG.
But hurry it needs to be ticketed by May 31st.
Another deal: FRA-NYC-FRA with DL/CO/US for 1.300 Euro plus taxes (July 1st-August 31st).
It might be hard to realize for some who doesn't have such experience, but try to think of something you had been taking advantage of and airlines set strict restriction all of sudden, then totally brought down the curtain because of too popularized and misused the deal.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mofomat
I'm aware that people have screwed it up for everybody in the past, but surely the point of a forum like this is to share info?
Do you believe same thing should be happned in the future? From your comment, I feel you don't care much about that.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mofomat
I'm aware that people have screwed it up for everybody in the past, but surely the point of a forum like this is to share info?
There are lots of tips that are only shared when meeting other FT'ers at Do's. For example I spend awful lot of time at hotels and post quite a bit on hotel related forums. I will not, however, share all the info that I have. If I would it would be the fastest way for programs to close the "loopholes".
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Quote:
Originally Posted by J.Edward
yyzprincess, (or anyone else for that matter) if you've found a good fare - and not necessarily an ex. CMB one - where and how do you ticket it to avoid sending up red flags?
I am thinking of one of the CMB fares for late June. I too would be interested in about the best way for reservations and ticketing that would allow all of us continue taking advantage of these fares as long as possible.
yyzprincess, (or anyone else for that matter) if you've found a good fare - and not necessarily an ex. CMB one - where and how do you ticket it to avoid sending up red flags?
This novice MR spent the better part of a weekend of trial and error to book a fare, and did so on Expedia. I certainly have no intention of calling anyone to bring attention to the fare. I have the flights I want, seats etc.
I had no problems having it ticketed, and the ticket arrived by courier several days later.
It's hard to believe "people" are that silly.
I appreciate the reluctance of people to share, especially in an open public forum. In the case of the AZ fare error, there was no real harm in sharing - one shot deal that we all knew would only survive for a very short time, if at all.
