timster

I'm going to keep highlighting this until it gets fixed.

For as long as I can remember, you get quoted more expensive fares on the main web page flight search engine than if you manage to find the promotions page, for the same flights.

For example, if you select a Y flight in October 2016 for MEL-BKK return on the main page, the best fare you are offered is AUD$1022.76. Ironically, this is titled "Global Escape Save Plus Promotion". It's W class (WL3MAU).

If however you manage to find the promotions page on the web site, and drill down to "Network Sale to Thailand, Asia and Europe - Economy Class", then the exact same flights (same dates) are offered at AUD$826.76, that is 19% cheaper. It's called "I-Escape Saver Plus". It's also W class (WJNY3AUE).

Presumably this failure to offer all fares on the main page is simply due to TG being too incompetent to enter the WJNY3AUE basis fare into their main Amadeus fare database.

Any sensible company would have statistics on the number of people who get a quote from the main page, whether or not they book it, and also the number who actually then find the promotions page when a cheaper price is available for the exact same flight. Indeed since these quotes are served up via the Amadeus engine, those statistics are probably offered by Amadeus, without TG having to do anything other than press the right buttons.

And they wonder why people end up flying with other airlines ?

yosithezet

You think that highlighting it here will impact it getting changed?

vbroucek

Normal business practices... Actually, every time I find some "fantastic deal" online, my old good brick and mortar travel agent can beat it!!! Sometimes by more than 20%!!!

That's how I have been operating for the past 10 years...

Thai-Kiwi

In a way, it rewards those prepared to hunt the fares over those who have a lot of free free time but don't persevere....

timster

Other airlines monitor FT and similar sites and are proactive in solving (some) problems that are brought to their attention that way.

However I am far from confident that anything that TG does could be be categorized as "proactive".

timster

Not for any of the other airlines I have dealt with. Best (ie sales) fares are displayed in the main search engine.

I guess it could be speculated as to whether this practice by TG is actually deliberate - to try to garner higher fares - or incompetence.

However I lean towards Hanlon's razor: "Never assume malice when stupidity will suffice".

travelislife

Yep! I have been highlighting this in posts for years. I know first hand Thai loses revenue because of this. On that exact route people end up booking Jetstar because they compare it to the main page fare!

I have actually contacted Thai directly with this 'issue' in 2012 and the response was: 'not all passengers wish to book on special offers and therefore THAI publishes a separate button for all the special as well as giving the option to book regular fares with not so much restrictions.'

Okay but why not put it all on the one page for the customer to decide!!

travelislife

As an aside to this did they end up employing that Aussie exec to look in to increasing revenue? If so should contact him with this info.

vbroucek

I always get Lufthansa's "sales" fares even cheaper through my TA. So yes, they display them, but TA can do even better. How? Don't know. There was only one case in the past 10 years, where I got cheaper ticket directly from LH and there was different reason for that...

Sam Bee

I'm going to throw this in as was speaking at a trade do in Paris to someone who had left TG for another airline. But they had their hands tied by everything coming out of Bangkok.

But simply there was no-one forward thinking. Sometimes they were only allowed to release fares 4 months ahead, so those looking to book far in advance direct simply could only book with AF (or MH, SQ if travelling to HKT, CNX etc). A huge amount of business was being lost by a lack of forward planning. Frustrated them massively. You can get great prices typically on Thai, but only if you book in the next couple of months. On a positive note, I reecntly managed to access my booking on Thai's website for the first time ever (I may simply have given up bothering in the last couple of years).

They do not hide fares to reward those who have more time to look! It's lack of long term thinking.

Thai-Kiwi

My tongue was in my cheek when I mentioned that above.....at least partially!

Sam Bee

Ah, sorry

It's just that, it may just be possible!

soorox

Good luck trying to book the pomo fares on a specific date, I have encountered the problem many times. I was already to book, picked my flights, then the error page shows up every time! Quite annoying as the flights always come up as available but I could never book them.

I try to call directly to TG and they would just say 'oh sorry that fare is not available even if the booking system shows that it is', but they do try to help me find the best available fare for the promo so kudos to them! Normally about $50 more expensive then the quoted online fare though.

timster

I have not recently had any trouble booking promo fares on a given date ... once I found them via the promo page.

However there are elements of the TG web site that are blocked by certain browser plugins like Noscript. I often have to unblock those elements before it will let me book.

Again a sign of poor internal procedures, when web sites are not tested with all browsers or contain non-standard elements.

Thai-Kiwi

Deals to be had - just booked son and his gf for December on a companion fare to Japan, although SEA is the preferred destination. Latest date for departure (Sat only) was 30 Nov.

The AKL-BKK-AKL fare in December is around $NZ1750-2000 (in V/W - 25% miles), whereas the fare to Japan (via BKK) is $1500 return.
Even better, the outbound is H (100% miles) and return in V (25% miles).

Stopovers allowed both ways, so booked under multi-city tool (but only accessible on the specials page):

AKL-(BKK)-KIX (destination, stay 4 nights) -
KIX-BKK (stopover on return , 23 nights)
BKK-AKL (late Dec)

Needless to say, son and gf very happy with this outcome.....