Sudden BIG price bump for my route rest of the year - pricing error?
Apr 4, 2019, 8:00 am
#16
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: HEL
Programs: AY+ Plat (OWE)
Posts: 493
I don't know your preferred schedules but have you tried multi-city bookings AMS-HEL-KUO and v.v. ?
Sometimes you can squeeze 50-100€ off from simple return bookings this way since AY booking engine will not always offer all possible alternatives.
If you can find a cheaper price it is practically always on the expense of longer transfer times in HEL.
Sometimes you can squeeze 50-100€ off from simple return bookings this way since AY booking engine will not always offer all possible alternatives.
If you can find a cheaper price it is practically always on the expense of longer transfer times in HEL.
Apr 4, 2019, 12:56 pm
#17
Moderator, Finnair
Join Date: May 2011
Location: MMX (CPH)
Programs: Eurobonus Diamond, QR Gold, AY+ Platinum, A3*G, Nordic Choice Lifetime Platinum, SJ Prio Black
Posts: 14,174
Yes, look up the term "Married segments".
The AMS-KUO route is priced-controlled separately from AMS-HEL and HEL-KUO. Just because lets say fare class Z is available on both AMS-HEL and HEL-KUO, it doesn't mean Z is available on AMS-HEL-KUO. On AMS-HEL-KUO they perhaps cheapest available fare class is K and thus a much higher price.
This is revenue management working, looking to get the highest price possible on a route they think will accept it, while not raising prices on the separate legs individually, as they think those customers will not accept it.
The AMS-KUO route is priced-controlled separately from AMS-HEL and HEL-KUO. Just because lets say fare class Z is available on both AMS-HEL and HEL-KUO, it doesn't mean Z is available on AMS-HEL-KUO. On AMS-HEL-KUO they perhaps cheapest available fare class is K and thus a much higher price.
This is revenue management working, looking to get the highest price possible on a route they think will accept it, while not raising prices on the separate legs individually, as they think those customers will not accept it.
Apr 4, 2019, 1:51 pm
#19
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2018
Programs: AY+ Platinum / FlyingBlue Gold
Posts: 835
Alright peeps, thanks a lot. I know what to do, and that's gonna be one of the three depending on the situation:
But c'mon guys. Increasing prices with 60%+ to 420 euro minimum for a return from AMS to KUO, while they offer €200 return trips from ARN to LAX. What a joke.
Revenue management my *ss
- Booking seperate Finnair tix
- And if cheaper: avoiding Finnair on the AMS-HEL route. They are definitely losing me here with such ridicilous prices to see my loved one
- Or tricking the system by booking reversed trips, as I usually book a bunch of trips at once anyways. Prices from KUO are luckily priced normally
But c'mon guys. Increasing prices with 60%+ to 420 euro minimum for a return from AMS to KUO, while they offer €200 return trips from ARN to LAX. What a joke.
Revenue management my *ss
Apr 4, 2019, 2:45 pm
#20
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 2,016
So are you saying that fewer people who do KUO-AMS-KUO now travel in business class than before? Wouldn't this only bump KUO-AMS-KUO prices but not AMS-KUO-AMS prices?
Apr 4, 2019, 3:13 pm
#21
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2018
Programs: AY+ Platinum / FlyingBlue Gold
Posts: 835
Last edited by EuroFlash; Apr 4, 2019 at 3:20 pm
Apr 4, 2019, 3:33 pm
#22
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2018
Programs: AY+ Platinum / FlyingBlue Gold
Posts: 835
Apr 5, 2019, 4:09 am
#23
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: HEL
Programs: AY, SK, TK
Posts: 7,598
Another plat here who is demeaned by the same robot who saw, by infiltration capability to SAS systems, that I switch to fly to SK if the AY prices are not attractive so I am now in fact enjoying platinumcheapo pricing to ARN.
Also, the same robot realized that my shoe number is big so now the robot automatically assignes me extra legroom seats.
I also fly to KUO few times and prices for me are low there too since the robot sees that I dont want to go there and my business is not medical
Also, the same robot realized that my shoe number is big so now the robot automatically assignes me extra legroom seats.
I also fly to KUO few times and prices for me are low there too since the robot sees that I dont want to go there and my business is not medical
Apr 7, 2019, 11:53 am
#24
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2018
Programs: AY+ Platinum / FlyingBlue Gold
Posts: 835
I just remembered this email a fellow FT’er got a while ago. Funnily enough they announce the below chance as per 1st of April. That’s the exact date on which the prices from Amsterdam were raised with 60%. Could it have anything to do with this?
”Finnair is preparing to launch a new travel class, Premium Economy to our offering in 2021 and to ensure that we are able to start selling this new travel class, we need to make technical changes to our booking class structure.
Therefore, four booking classes, P, T, W and R, will be taken out of our inventory to make room for the upcoming Premium Economy Bookings.
(...) We hereby inform you that as of 1st of April 2019, any of the applicable of the four booking classes (P, T, W and R) will no longer be available."
”Finnair is preparing to launch a new travel class, Premium Economy to our offering in 2021 and to ensure that we are able to start selling this new travel class, we need to make technical changes to our booking class structure.
Therefore, four booking classes, P, T, W and R, will be taken out of our inventory to make room for the upcoming Premium Economy Bookings.
(...) We hereby inform you that as of 1st of April 2019, any of the applicable of the four booking classes (P, T, W and R) will no longer be available."
Apr 7, 2019, 12:04 pm
#25
Moderator, Finnair
Join Date: May 2011
Location: MMX (CPH)
Programs: Eurobonus Diamond, QR Gold, AY+ Platinum, A3*G, Nordic Choice Lifetime Platinum, SJ Prio Black
Posts: 14,174
Very interesting observation and could very well be connected.
The removal of P,T,W,R, while replaced by other fare classes, could have triggered the problem with the through-fare not being able to book in lower priced classes.
The removal of P,T,W,R, while replaced by other fare classes, could have triggered the problem with the through-fare not being able to book in lower priced classes.
Apr 7, 2019, 11:10 pm
#26
Join Date: Oct 2008
Programs: AY Plat Lumo+LTG, FI Gold, DL Silver, BA, SK, AX Plat, Priority Pass, Marriott Ambassador & others
Posts: 634
Apr 10, 2019, 11:21 am
#27
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2018
Programs: AY+ Platinum / FlyingBlue Gold
Posts: 835
Update: now prices the other way around (so from KUO to AMS) have risen to great heights for many dates (not all though...) I do expect it does have something to do with the removal of P,T,W,R and I filed a complaint about it, but obviously this can take a while and will probably have 0 effect.
Last edited by EuroFlash; Apr 10, 2019 at 11:27 am
Apr 10, 2019, 2:31 pm
#28
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Platinum, TK Elite, BT VIP, AA, BA, SK, DL, NT, WB + hotels
Posts: 8,749
What you need to do if you want them to really investigate is to call in as many times as needed until you need an agent who understands that there really is something wrong here. That agent then knows how to proceed and whom to talk to.
By the way, looking at ARN prices, simple ARN-HEL-ARN roundtrips seem to be priced €100+ during the summer. I don't think I've ever seen them this high.
Apr 11, 2019, 8:24 am
#29
Moderator, Finnair
Join Date: May 2011
Location: MMX (CPH)
Programs: Eurobonus Diamond, QR Gold, AY+ Platinum, A3*G, Nordic Choice Lifetime Platinum, SJ Prio Black
Posts: 14,174
May 16, 2019, 3:22 am
#30
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2018
Programs: AY+ Platinum / FlyingBlue Gold
Posts: 835
UPDATE:
"You are right, Finnair made some changes on booking classes from 1st of April on. I forwarded your inquiry to the department in charge and they have investigated the case. They say that they have not made any bigger fare adjustments as such, meaning true fare changes. One thing that of course has happened is that since we are not any more selling for example the previous R class the next fare basis Z has been adjusted to have same fare level that R has been.
Also the adjustment of availability of certain fare classes has been made in inventory after your inquiry and availability should be better now compared to the situation in early April. As you surely know there are always restricted amount of each fare available though and unfortunately I am not able to influence on that. However, I have forwarded your valuable feedback to the team in question. "
"You are right, Finnair made some changes on booking classes from 1st of April on. I forwarded your inquiry to the department in charge and they have investigated the case. They say that they have not made any bigger fare adjustments as such, meaning true fare changes. One thing that of course has happened is that since we are not any more selling for example the previous R class the next fare basis Z has been adjusted to have same fare level that R has been.
Also the adjustment of availability of certain fare classes has been made in inventory after your inquiry and availability should be better now compared to the situation in early April. As you surely know there are always restricted amount of each fare available though and unfortunately I am not able to influence on that. However, I have forwarded your valuable feedback to the team in question. "