QRC3288

I'm hopeful this is the case. I looked at SFO in August, and A fares seem to be completely gone for the most part, and only a few F fares.

Is anyone who is familiar with TAs / fare releases see any pattern? Is it possible CX still has heavily restricted F inventory as they lick their wounds, and we might see some more seats come available for purchase later? Or is basically a ton of 2019 F class cash inventory just gone for good?

HKGglobaltrotter

I am quite sure the lack of A fare availability is somehow related to this mistaken fare incident - about a week plus ago I checked dates for my HKG - LAX round trip in March, First cabin was wide open with availability mostly F5 A5 on most dates I checked. Now, I checked again and A fare all wiped out almost. On the dates I wanted to travel it now shows F6 A1 or F4 A0 mostly. This I have never seen before. I was hoping to use my Bookable Upgrades as I still have 7 of them and now it looks like it's near impossible to use!

londonexpert

percysmith

Think it will be guesswork unless CX chooses to announce how many error fares it sold (hardly likely it will want to create more embarrassment).

This isn't like Great Dane, where DOT will receive complaints and disclose how many were received (15,190 https://flightchic.com/2016/02/18/pa...usdot-reports/ )

Cambo

I've seen a figure of something like 15-16k tickets sold, being reported by CX to that press outlet, though I forgot where and whether that was only F or both F/J. Probably only F, though most people would have booked a lucky F fare anyway, given the small difference in price.

s0ssos

Ironically many people booked J. For reasons incomprehensible to me.
And many times there was no difference in price

sxc

There will be gnashing of teeth when their aircraft get swapped to non F planes. Particularly going to happen to SFO.

s0ssos

Actually many people never have flown premium class long-haul period. I wonder how they will feel. Will they be delighted they can fly premium class anyway, cause it is such a step above?
I think back to how many friends were impressed when I told them I flew "first class" internationally. Wow, that must be nice. I flew first class between (2 US cities) once.
It isn't even comparable. And then only people who have flown first know what a drag flying business is. To others it is a treat.

380Flyer

Nothing is wrong with CX. Mistake fares happen to airlines.

Singapore Airlines had their share of mistake fares in Australia and their initial reaction was not to honor this (in true Singaporean style) but after a backlash from the consumers, they had to honor these.

What CX did was in good spirit of the mistake that happens in this industry. More power to CX for their decision. More business will be flowing to them as a result of their heroic action. Well done CX!

s0ssos

My friend said it was good advertising to honor the fares. I countered that it wasn't, because it is too expensive an ad campaign. And most of these passengers wouldn't have bought premium class tickets anyway (or cannot afford to).
But in terms of the name, reputation, that might be something. Because maybe some passengers will come into money later, and remember how Cathay did something nice for them once, before they made it ...

percysmith

Looked around (Apple/OD/SCMP/HK01). Can't find the 15-16k figure. Danny said "thousands" but he's not sure.

If you do come across the source again pls post here.

Happy

The A fares being wiped clean for certain periods and routes is a big problem for some. Close friends based in Hong Kong almost always travel on the A fares on their 3 to 4 trips a year to US for example.
Lucky for us, our 2019 travel plan dont involve CX much - it will be largely on Star Alliance, and on QR.

I cannot remember which newspaper / media has claimed that CX source estimated 15 to 16K tickets sold. Hardest hit route should be the HKG-JFK-HKG because that was what being mentioned by the initial "breaking news". YVR and EWR followed. I saw BOS also being mentioned. Not a lot of West Coast. nor ORD, just from the posts on OMAAT blog.

Oh yeah, someone booked 34 F R/Ts...

There are some interesting things to ponder now the initial dusts have settled -

From normal business stand point, CX should not eat the losses. Yet they chose to...

Personally I feel CX made such decision not out of Goodwill, but after It has gone over the actual revenues from 2018 incl both the normal revenue and the revenue from both Asia miles and partner redemption, then may be the money brought in from this feeding frenzy would be more than offset the revenue from partner redemption? Asia miles redemption should also be accounted for as well... Instead of settling the cost of redemption with the partners, CX now rakes in similar or even more, cash for 2019 in just a few hours...

This is just another rub on the stingy release of saver level award to Asia Mile redemption.

There is a poster in Gary Leff's blog mentioning about "insurance" on "fat finger mistake" is another possible clause that CX decided to honor the fares. The poster claimed that such insurance exists for financial institutions which traders could make this type of mistakes... Is this kind of insurance even exists? Even it exists, seriously doubt CX would have the foresight to purchase coverage, considering how poorly it has been run in recent years.

One thing could be certain - CX would have yet another back to back year of loss for 2019,

AJ747M

I booked J for two reasons:
1. I thought there was absolutely 0% chance they'd honour the F fares. Many people predicted the F fares would be downgraded to J as well; I'm sure I'm not the only one who booked J with this line of reasoning.
2. I have DM upgrade certificates I thought I could use to get me into F anyway. This seems unlikely now...

There was probably no difference in price, but I could barely find dates for J anyway and booked after many thought the deal was already dead. Kinda wish I booked F, but definitely not complaining about J for under 1000USD. I'm still shocked they didn't cancel all tickets...

Platy

Why gnashing of teeth?! Because the great unwashed, who apparently according to some don't deserve to access premium per these cheap fares, would have ignorant expectations about the probability of an equipment swap and be inexperienced in handling the situation (continuing the somewhat derogatory undercurrent evident in some of the posts on this thread as already discussed above)?

In any case, surely a traveller would stand their ground for some decent compo, or rebooking to a flight with F, or both....?!

Platy

But there is an element of discrimination in your argument, if only to the extent that you do not consider that those who have bought these fares should have their contracts honoured. And the reason for that (apparently) is that you expect to be able to access an A class fare personally just when you want and the purchasing of a "mistake" from the airline is a good enough reason (in your personal perception) to put yourself apart from those folk.

Would you extend that argument to other forms of deep discounting - staff travel, a group discount, whatever?

The weakness in your argument is that your access to the A classic inventory is not a right, but rather totally subject to the commercial decisions / yield management strategy adopted by CX of which honouring the mistakes fares is just one element.

In any case, your fears may be somewhat over inflated:

1. The seats sold may not be in the numbers you fear
2. Many purchasers (accepting a strong US based audience of the frequent flyer blogs) may cancel once they confront the reality of two positioning flights, arranging the eVisa, etc., etc.

The latter case may even result in the release of an unpredicted bonanza of A class inventory in due course.

Your perfectly entitled to your position of course.