Mistake fare LHR - TLV [Tickets now cancelled by BA]
Jun 20, 2018, 4:36 pm
#346
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The main issue is that this was a YBH fare which sophisticated travellers might have picked up on (flexible terms and conditions, 70 TPs and high Avios earning was a clue), so people were able to book for under £200 on days where the cabin was almost full. That's why BA are making their claim of manifest error and have calculated that the lost revenue potential of selling even a few hundred of those 2,000 seats at their full price was worth the bad PR and £200k of vouchers to go after.
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Jun 20, 2018, 4:50 pm
#347
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 8,750
Back in the day before mistake fares were blasted over social media, many carriers honored their mistakes largely because there tended to be relatively few tickets issued and the entire out-of-pocket and brand damage far exceeded the small number of tickets issued.
Now, when any number of social media types send out what amount to notices, the numbers move in the other direction. If the people who had originally made these purchases had not said anything, I warrant that they would be flying on those tickets.
Now, when any number of social media types send out what amount to notices, the numbers move in the other direction. If the people who had originally made these purchases had not said anything, I warrant that they would be flying on those tickets.
Jun 20, 2018, 8:19 pm
#348
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bear in mind selling classes were not shown on momondo or omega (where I booked) and even as a semi-sophisticated traveller like me only found out the booking class when looking at it on BA MMB after booking. Selling classes were mentioned in this thread part way though but not initially.
Jun 20, 2018, 8:39 pm
#349
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I would hazard a guess that for most travelers that booked that fare, the flexibility, TP and Avois were irrelevant. I feel booking class wasn't as important as BA think.
Jun 20, 2018, 11:33 pm
#350
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On the TV, BBC Breakfast (on BBC1) are apparently going to be speaking with some 'angry would-be passengers' who have had their tickets cancelled. Due on at 0740hrs this morning!
Jun 21, 2018, 12:51 am
#355
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bear in mind selling classes were not shown on momondo or omega (where I booked) and even as a semi-sophisticated traveller like me only found out the booking class when looking at it on BA MMB after booking. Selling classes were mentioned in this thread part way though but not initially.
Only trouble is that they forgot the first rule about fight club...it was too widely publicised, and obviously not just here. People say it wasn't that cheap, but there were quite a few booking it because it was that cheap and booking when they previously had no intention of going to TLV and organising a do.
If it was only a little cheaper than I would consider normal fare, or even just a normal sale fare, I wouldn't be rushing to book a route I hadn't considered the way many were on here and I don't think it was all that different elsewhere either.
Jun 21, 2018, 12:57 am
#356
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Indeed. And I am sure some did know based on that before booking. The point I am making though is that I didn’t know - and I did try to find it during the booking process without success - and I am sure it may be the case that others didn’t know either. This isn’t as clear cut as I think you were suggesting in your earlier post.
Jun 21, 2018, 1:00 am
#357
Join Date: Jul 2007
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Seems to me that BA/ IAG are not going to be too bothered about the bad publicity of this story as they are showing healthy profits and customers (such as me) keep jumping on board... same goes for Ryanair who are one of the, most profitable airlines in the world
Jun 21, 2018, 1:02 am
#358
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By the way, interested in any thoughts, if the OTA really drag their heels on the refund about the pros and cons of initiating a chargeback through Amex. I don't know the process that well (never done it before), and maybe it's too heavy handed, but I can see this dragging out.
Jun 21, 2018, 1:03 am
#359
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Only trouble is that they forgot the first rule about fight club...it was too widely publicised, and obviously not just here. People say it wasn't that cheap, but there were quite a few booking it because it was that cheap and booking when they previously had no intention of going to TLV and organising a do.
If it was only a little cheaper than I would consider normal fare, or even just a normal sale fare, I wouldn't be rushing to book a route I hadn't considered the way many were on here and I don't think it was all that different elsewhere either.
If it was only a little cheaper than I would consider normal fare, or even just a normal sale fare, I wouldn't be rushing to book a route I hadn't considered the way many were on here and I don't think it was all that different elsewhere either.
Jun 21, 2018, 1:06 am
#360
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the fact it was cheap is not relevant, neither is the fact I booked because it was a very atttactive fare despite not previously having plans to book to TLV, that’s not the test as I noted above. Sure I booked because it was cheap and of course I didn’t have an intention of going to TLV before someone highlighted the fare. The test is did I know or ought to have known the time of booking that there was an error on the part of BA - well in my case no. I didn’t know the selling class and it was comparable to other carriers’ fares to TLV.