Multiple Book and Cancels on continental.com
Apr 13, 2009 | 7:17 pm
#1
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Multiple Book and Cancels on continental.com
Does Continental care if I book and cancel the same itinerary multiple times on continental.com, using the 24 hour "risk free" policy? Trying to lock in the good ticket price, and keep my flexibility at the same time while finalizing plans. Please let me know if you have any experience with this ....
Apr 13, 2009 | 7:29 pm
#2
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Book and cancel? Too much trouble. Use "pay by cash" instead. However, despite they say it'll hold till midnight central time the next day, some have found that it expires at 5pm instead. But you should be able to do this more or less "continuously".
Apr 13, 2009 | 8:10 pm
#3
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The main problem you may run in to is that you'll either forget to cancel (hence the value of the pay with cash approach) or Super Dupe Snoop will detect that you have multiple reservations on the same flight and cancel one of them out. If you cancel first then buy new that won't happen, but you risk the inventory disappearing.
And Super Dupe Snoop isn't flawless; I've beaten it once recently.
And Super Dupe Snoop isn't flawless; I've beaten it once recently.
Apr 13, 2009 | 9:06 pm
#4
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Yes, you can do it till the fare bucket sells out
Yes, I bought 3 tickets to FCO Rome and cancelled them 3 days in a row, trying to maximize flexilibility.
I just make double-dog-sure I have a printout showing that each PRN is cancelled inside of 24 hours. And they mean exactly 24 hours, not midnight Central time zone of the next day.
B7
I just make double-dog-sure I have a printout showing that each PRN is cancelled inside of 24 hours. And they mean exactly 24 hours, not midnight Central time zone of the next day.
B7
Apr 20, 2009 | 11:11 am
#5
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Be careful out there or it'll cost ya
I've done this on occasion.
This weekend I made a change and discovered that the change fee levied was going to be MORE THAN THE COST OF THE TICKET---$250! This was for an October flight. So unless it was a computer glitch, I'll bet that forgetting to cancel a flight within 24 hours is going to become unconscionably expensive.
This weekend I made a change and discovered that the change fee levied was going to be MORE THAN THE COST OF THE TICKET---$250! This was for an October flight. So unless it was a computer glitch, I'll bet that forgetting to cancel a flight within 24 hours is going to become unconscionably expensive.
Apr 20, 2009 | 1:40 pm
#6
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 354
Also, are you booking a cheap fare? I would think your biggest problem is going to be depleting inventory with no guarantee those cheap fares will come back. No?
Jun 26, 2009 | 12:00 pm
#7
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 354
I'm thinking of employing this strategy. Will I be able to "change my mind" and pay with a credit card on CO.com sans the $15 fee?
Jun 26, 2009 | 12:25 pm
#8
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Jun 26, 2009 | 4:11 pm
#9
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Just a minor point ...
I bet continental.com doesn't do this (allow cancellations within 24 hours) out of the goodness of its heart. They do it because they are constantly monitoring bookings to do anything they possibly can to get a handle on demand for particular flights, destinations and times of day.
So the fact that someone is interested in a particular flight is valuable information to them, even if that person winds up canceling.
After all, figuring out what flights are in demand, and making good predictions so they can boost fares accordingly and selectively is a big part of how they eke out a bit more profit on their generally slim profit margins on selling a seat.
So the fact that someone is interested in a particular flight is valuable information to them, even if that person winds up canceling.
After all, figuring out what flights are in demand, and making good predictions so they can boost fares accordingly and selectively is a big part of how they eke out a bit more profit on their generally slim profit margins on selling a seat.
Jun 26, 2009 | 4:24 pm
#10
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All it takes is one refund that gets hung up somewhere, and you have to catch it, and spend a lot of time remedying it.