[Premium Fare Gone]: EK：KUL-DXB in First Class RT for $1307
Jan 5, 2019, 4:02 pm
#106
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
Posts: 14,406
With all of these fares it is never worth the risk to call the airline. When they access your booking the agent will see everything, including the fare. It doesn't hurt to wait a few days.
Jan 5, 2019, 4:19 pm
#110
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: UA, AA
Posts: 17
Thanks, noted.
Although I do think reasonable people can have a difference of opinion here. This seems like extremely small risk -- usually when I call an airline, the agents can barely perform the most basic function like change a seat assignment. The likelihood of the agent (who probably has a queue of many calls) taking the time to look through the res and proactively noticing something and then taking action seems infinitesimally small. It's not like I called and asked a question about the fare, the booking class, where I would be seated, or anything else that might trigger suspicion. I guess I'm just smarting a bit from someone calling me selfish for having called. I certainly wouldn't have done so if I thought it would jeopardize the deal for others.
BTW, I think the biggest risk to the deal is all the people booking it. The airline is far more likely to have automated systems that detect unusual booking patters -- like a ton of people all of a sudden booking a specific flight in a specific fare basis -- than a human in a call center catching based on someone simply asking for a conf number, which probably happens many, many times a day for totally innocuous reasons.
Although I do think reasonable people can have a difference of opinion here. This seems like extremely small risk -- usually when I call an airline, the agents can barely perform the most basic function like change a seat assignment. The likelihood of the agent (who probably has a queue of many calls) taking the time to look through the res and proactively noticing something and then taking action seems infinitesimally small. It's not like I called and asked a question about the fare, the booking class, where I would be seated, or anything else that might trigger suspicion. I guess I'm just smarting a bit from someone calling me selfish for having called. I certainly wouldn't have done so if I thought it would jeopardize the deal for others.
BTW, I think the biggest risk to the deal is all the people booking it. The airline is far more likely to have automated systems that detect unusual booking patters -- like a ton of people all of a sudden booking a specific flight in a specific fare basis -- than a human in a call center catching based on someone simply asking for a conf number, which probably happens many, many times a day for totally innocuous reasons.
Jan 5, 2019, 4:29 pm
#111
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: AS 75K, DL Silver, UA Platinum, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Platinum + LT Gold
Posts: 10,503
Jan 5, 2019, 4:33 pm
#112
Join Date: Nov 2013
Programs: NZ
Posts: 1,554
For folks not based in SE Asia, more positioning flights to get there, and even if you are connecting error fares together, you would still have to find yourself home. There is also the $ issue, no matter how cheap each fare might be; as well as having to go back to work at some point for most people
Jan 5, 2019, 4:33 pm
#113
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Silver, SPG Gold, Hilton Gold, Melia Gold, Shangri-La Jade, BA Amex PP, Iberia+, Nandos Card
Posts: 1,523
Thanks, noted.
Although I do think reasonable people can have a difference of opinion here. This seems like extremely small risk -- usually when I call an airline, the agents can barely perform the most basic function like change a seat assignment. The likelihood of the agent (who probably has a queue of many calls) taking the time to look through the res and proactively noticing something and then taking action seems infinitesimally small. It's not like I called and asked a question about the fare, the booking class, where I would be seated, or anything else that might trigger suspicion. I guess I'm just smarting a bit from someone calling me selfish for having called. I certainly wouldn't have done so if I thought it would jeopardize the deal for others.
BTW, I think the biggest risk to the deal is all the people booking it. The airline is far more likely to have automated systems that detect unusual booking patters -- like a ton of people all of a sudden booking a specific flight in a specific fare basis -- than a human in a call center catching based on someone simply asking for a conf number, which probably happens many, many times a day for totally innocuous reasons.
Although I do think reasonable people can have a difference of opinion here. This seems like extremely small risk -- usually when I call an airline, the agents can barely perform the most basic function like change a seat assignment. The likelihood of the agent (who probably has a queue of many calls) taking the time to look through the res and proactively noticing something and then taking action seems infinitesimally small. It's not like I called and asked a question about the fare, the booking class, where I would be seated, or anything else that might trigger suspicion. I guess I'm just smarting a bit from someone calling me selfish for having called. I certainly wouldn't have done so if I thought it would jeopardize the deal for others.
BTW, I think the biggest risk to the deal is all the people booking it. The airline is far more likely to have automated systems that detect unusual booking patters -- like a ton of people all of a sudden booking a specific flight in a specific fare basis -- than a human in a call center catching based on someone simply asking for a conf number, which probably happens many, many times a day for totally innocuous reasons.
"Airlines don't pay any attention to internet forums"
"There's no way that's enforceable"
"The risk of it is infinitely small"
And other associated statements claiming it's not an issue.
That was until an airline actually used the fact people had drawn attention to it and referred to it in that way as leverage and named it as one of the reasons they cancelled the tickets. https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/27610841-post2414.html
The longer things go without having attention drawn to them, no matter how irrelevant you think that attention is, the better for everyone's collective outcome. Patience is key with these great sale fares - I've had agents from airlines comment how great the fare was I paid when phoning for various things on tickets that weren't anywhere near as good as this one - you think they won't notice and flag it up the chain if the fare is amazingly good? Please, don't call the airline.
Jan 5, 2019, 4:37 pm
#114
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: London, Singapore
Programs: SQ *G, QR OWS
Posts: 21
CheapOair allows you to view the fare rules (though not the fare basis) which clearly states it is an Economy fare despite being presented by the OTA as First Class.
Jan 5, 2019, 4:46 pm
#115
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
Posts: 14,406
Thanks, noted.
Although I do think reasonable people can have a difference of opinion here. This seems like extremely small risk -- usually when I call an airline, the agents can barely perform the most basic function like change a seat assignment. The likelihood of the agent (who probably has a queue of many calls) taking the time to look through the res and proactively noticing something and then taking action seems infinitesimally small. It's not like I called and asked a question about the fare, the booking class, where I would be seated, or anything else that might trigger suspicion. I guess I'm just smarting a bit from someone calling me selfish for having called. I certainly wouldn't have done so if I thought it would jeopardize the deal for others.
BTW, I think the biggest risk to the deal is all the people booking it. The airline is far more likely to have automated systems that detect unusual booking patters -- like a ton of people all of a sudden booking a specific flight in a specific fare basis -- than a human in a call center catching based on someone simply asking for a conf number, which probably happens many, many times a day for totally innocuous reasons.
Although I do think reasonable people can have a difference of opinion here. This seems like extremely small risk -- usually when I call an airline, the agents can barely perform the most basic function like change a seat assignment. The likelihood of the agent (who probably has a queue of many calls) taking the time to look through the res and proactively noticing something and then taking action seems infinitesimally small. It's not like I called and asked a question about the fare, the booking class, where I would be seated, or anything else that might trigger suspicion. I guess I'm just smarting a bit from someone calling me selfish for having called. I certainly wouldn't have done so if I thought it would jeopardize the deal for others.
BTW, I think the biggest risk to the deal is all the people booking it. The airline is far more likely to have automated systems that detect unusual booking patters -- like a ton of people all of a sudden booking a specific flight in a specific fare basis -- than a human in a call center catching based on someone simply asking for a conf number, which probably happens many, many times a day for totally innocuous reasons.
In this case you might turn out to be right. But the standard request for all these things is to not risk it. To leave it alone if yuor enquiry is not an emergency.
Understand you may be smarting... but don't take it personally
Every one of these threads is the same.
Jan 5, 2019, 5:06 pm
#116
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Southern Cali
Programs: AA ExPlat, Marriott Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 2,022
For folks not based in SE Asia, more positioning flights to get there, and even if you are connecting error fares together, you would still have to find yourself home. There is also the $ issue, no matter how cheap each fare might be; as well as having to go back to work at some point for most people
The CX and AZ fares had destinations available to US cities which allowed people like myself to book and use miles/points or one ways to fill in the rest, or nest with a RT fare originating in the US.
Last edited by FlyingFrZ; Jan 5, 2019 at 5:19 pm
Jan 5, 2019, 5:12 pm
#117
Join Date: Jul 2010
Programs: CX DM
Posts: 202
How does calling an airline and just asking for a confirmation number going to make this deal go away? I never mentioned that this was a great deal, or that I wasn't sure if it would put me in business or first, or anything else other than ask for a confirmation number so I could choose seats on the website. The rep then said she could just give me seats, so I said sure, go ahead.
