Vent: Dropped Prices
Dec 6, 2023 | 8:30 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2023
Programs: QRPC Silver
Posts: 75
Vent: Dropped Prices
As the title says, this is just to vent.
I booked HKG-LAX return for the December holidays on 5 October because I thought the prices would go up. I paid HKD16000 for Economy Essential (only to realize I could have gone light with my OWR with free seat selection).
Prices today, two months later at 7 December are HKD10000. So annoyed but I guess there's nothing I can do. I think it's because CX reinstated 13th weekly flight so prices dropped (?)
Since Premium Economy prices are still somewhat the same, I'm thinking of spoiling myself to upgrade to Premium Economy class because it really is a long flight just to make me feel better about the price drop in Economy and how much extra I paid...
Bleh.... rant over.
I booked HKG-LAX return for the December holidays on 5 October because I thought the prices would go up. I paid HKD16000 for Economy Essential (only to realize I could have gone light with my OWR with free seat selection).
Prices today, two months later at 7 December are HKD10000. So annoyed but I guess there's nothing I can do. I think it's because CX reinstated 13th weekly flight so prices dropped (?)
Since Premium Economy prices are still somewhat the same, I'm thinking of spoiling myself to upgrade to Premium Economy class because it really is a long flight just to make me feel better about the price drop in Economy and how much extra I paid...
Bleh.... rant over.
Dec 7, 2023 | 2:26 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2023
Programs: QRPC Silver
Posts: 75
I wish I could but its my first CX flight after the pandemic and all the previous AM I had were the ones that still expired back in the day
Dec 7, 2023 | 6:08 am
#5
Ambassador, Hong Kong and Macau
Join Date: May 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: Non-top tier Asia Miles member
Posts: 22,137
Dec 7, 2023 | 9:41 am
#6
Join Date: May 2023
Location: UK/HK/USA
Programs: BA Executive Club, CX Asia Miles, FlyingBlue, TrueBlue
Posts: 584
Sorry to hear about it but whenever prices are cut it will almost always impact some people who purchased tickets in advance...but impacts us all better going forward.
Dec 7, 2023 | 11:20 am
#7
Ambassador, Hong Kong and Macau
Join Date: May 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: Non-top tier Asia Miles member
Posts: 22,137
Put it this way - if tickets were a financial contract, your exposure to loss is one times the cancellation fee. If the ticket reprices to more than that then it is to your advantage to cancel and rebook.
Dec 9, 2023 | 12:39 am
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2023
Programs: QRPC Silver
Posts: 75
Thanks all. I cancelled the ticket and rebooked.
Note, they won't tell you how much you get refunded. I even called and the agent said it's Cathay policy not to tell you how much you will be refunded except that I will be charged cancellation fee.
Then I read him the notes on the Cathay website saying:
I then logically asked him does that mean that I will be refunded 16000 minus 1800 for the cancellation fee after which he replied "yes". I don't know how much value it holds but hopefully he sees that he just told me how much I will get refunded. I hope I'm right.
Cathay needs to pay me for staff training.
Note, they won't tell you how much you get refunded. I even called and the agent said it's Cathay policy not to tell you how much you will be refunded except that I will be charged cancellation fee.
Then I read him the notes on the Cathay website saying:
Cancellation fee You can cancel and refund fully unused tickets by paying a cancellation fee. You can also cancel and refund a partially used ticket--minus the used portion--by paying a cancellation fee.
Cathay needs to pay me for staff training.
Dec 9, 2023 | 4:12 am
#10
Ambassador, Hong Kong and Macau
Join Date: May 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: Non-top tier Asia Miles member
Posts: 22,137
Thanks all. I cancelled the ticket and rebooked.
Note, they won't tell you how much you get refunded. I even called and the agent said it's Cathay policy not to tell you how much you will be refunded except that I will be charged cancellation fee.
Then I read him the notes on the Cathay website saying:
I then logically asked him does that mean that I will be refunded 16000 minus 1800 for the cancellation fee after which he replied "yes". I don't know how much value it holds but hopefully he sees that he just told me how much I will get refunded. I hope I'm right.
Cathay needs to pay me for staff training.
Note, they won't tell you how much you get refunded. I even called and the agent said it's Cathay policy not to tell you how much you will be refunded except that I will be charged cancellation fee.
Then I read him the notes on the Cathay website saying:
I then logically asked him does that mean that I will be refunded 16000 minus 1800 for the cancellation fee after which he replied "yes". I don't know how much value it holds but hopefully he sees that he just told me how much I will get refunded. I hope I'm right.
Cathay needs to pay me for staff training.
(cf US$120/$936 must be paid up front for Cathay AM redemption tickets, and then the tax and surcharges are refunded in full. No option to be refunded net even if taxes and surcharges exceed $936)
We have quite a long rap of things post-pandemic agents get wrong CX can make it really hard to be a customer
Dec 9, 2023 | 5:19 pm
#11
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: HKG/HND/OOL
Programs: QF Emerald. SQ Gold.
Posts: 3,588
in their defense (i seldom defend cx) their recent refund money appeared on my card within 5 days.
i also stoppes calling English line.which is handled by barely competent india or fillipine rule followers with no common sense typical of outsourced operations. they can speak language and press a button and thats where those ppl use ends. i am non native HK but i make the effort to call Cantonese line with my limited languistic skills, who seems to be human with sone brain that can action/answer
i also stoppes calling English line.which is handled by barely competent india or fillipine rule followers with no common sense typical of outsourced operations. they can speak language and press a button and thats where those ppl use ends. i am non native HK but i make the effort to call Cantonese line with my limited languistic skills, who seems to be human with sone brain that can action/answer