Expedia bait and switch
Apr 24, 2001 | 8:34 pm
#1
Original Poster
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Detroit, MI
Posts: 2,681
Expedia bait and switch
Grrr. Planning to go somewhere over Memorial day. Have noticed that LH has good availability from FRA to ATL on the 28th, so I start playing.
Find ATL-EWR on DL, EWR-ARN-FRA on SK, FRA-ATL on LH pricing at $575.
Hold the itinerary, come back in 3 hrs later, it's up to $1575.
The sites had been squirrelly all day, so I figure I'm out of luck.
Book the flights anew on Expedia, and get the same fare. This time, decide I'd better ticket right away.
After I put in my CC number, it comes back that the fare is now the $1575...wonder what's going on?
I should call Expedia, but I think I'll just call the ladies at UA in Atlanta who know these things...
jl
Find ATL-EWR on DL, EWR-ARN-FRA on SK, FRA-ATL on LH pricing at $575.
Hold the itinerary, come back in 3 hrs later, it's up to $1575.
The sites had been squirrelly all day, so I figure I'm out of luck.
Book the flights anew on Expedia, and get the same fare. This time, decide I'd better ticket right away.
After I put in my CC number, it comes back that the fare is now the $1575...wonder what's going on?
I should call Expedia, but I think I'll just call the ladies at UA in Atlanta who know these things...
jl
Apr 24, 2001 | 11:47 pm
#2
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Dallas - AA PLT Hilton Gld
Posts: 206
DL and UA both have $474.70 RT (includes tax) ATL-FRA. Several others do as well, but you may have to play with the carriers to get your dates. Several are sold out of the cheap seats ($408 before taxes)on certain days. Look at the Travelocity Dream Maps.
http://dps1.travelocity.com/dreamMap...15469982649155
http://dps1.travelocity.com/dreamMap...15469982649155
Apr 25, 2001 | 12:22 am
#3
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: IAH
Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist, HH Diamond, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 160
I have had this happen to me a few times in the past, but could never explain it. Either the fares are extremely dynamic or there is something wrong with expedia/worldspan! (I tend to believe the latter)
Aloha
Aloha
Apr 25, 2001 | 1:21 am
#4
Join Date: Aug 1999
Posts: 749
It happens to me all the time on Travelocity. Even when CO and every other site is showing one fare, Travelocity shows a different (higher) fare. I've just about given up on them. I started using another site that uses Galileo and find it much more reliable.
Apr 25, 2001 | 3:08 am
#5
Join Date: Mar 1999
Location: (SNA) Orange County, California USA
Posts: 3,641
I'm inclined to think it is not so much bait and switch as it is just the nature of the beasts. For example, last month I priced a round trip LAX-ATL on Continental's web site for $209.50 and by the time I had filled in all the necessry information and attempted to purchase, the fare had increased to $674.00! I immediately jumped to Travelocity and Expedia and it was still $209.50 on their sites. I again attempted CO and no deal, still $674. The 1,000 mile online purchase bonus on CO's site wasn't worth $464.50. I purchased through Travelocity. Within a couple hours, after purchasing for $209.50, both Expedia and Travelocity showed $674 for that itinerary.
Apr 25, 2001 | 6:34 am
#6
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: Warwickshire, England
Posts: 616
Jamiel: Lufthansa's own Infoflyway booking site (via lufthansa.com) is showing ATL-FRA-ATL at 342 (=$490) for outbound on 28th and return on 30th. You don't say when you're planning to return though. US-based consolidators should be able to beat that price though.
Apr 25, 2001 | 11:19 am
#7
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Hartford, CT
Programs: AA Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 178
Originally posted by keithnj973:
It happens to me all the time on Travelocity. Even when CO and every other site is showing one fare, Travelocity shows a different (higher) fare. I've just about given up on them. I started using another site that uses Galileo and find it much more reliable.
It happens to me all the time on Travelocity. Even when CO and every other site is showing one fare, Travelocity shows a different (higher) fare. I've just about given up on them. I started using another site that uses Galileo and find it much more reliable.
This has happened to me countless times on Travelocity (both cars and flights), and for a while they did not even point out the fact that the fare changed! The new rate just magically appears in the LAST confirmation screen, no more than 15 seconds after I had already confirmed the rate twice!
For what it's worth, it happens to me FAR less often on Expedia, so I believe this is a conscious policy/glitch by Travelocity to cheat its users. Of course they will deny it, but it happens too often there.
Apr 25, 2001 | 8:09 pm
#8
Original Poster
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Detroit, MI
Posts: 2,681
Post script--it worked tonight...
$463.18 EWR/ARN/FRA/ATL on SK and UA (LH metal).
I have a Record Locator and everything.
I tried LH's site but the LH flights out of ATL on Friday were pricy.
Add around $100 to get up to EWR and it's a quick jaunt, for about $600 airfare plus miles on UA!
JL
$463.18 EWR/ARN/FRA/ATL on SK and UA (LH metal).
I have a Record Locator and everything.
I tried LH's site but the LH flights out of ATL on Friday were pricy.
Add around $100 to get up to EWR and it's a quick jaunt, for about $600 airfare plus miles on UA!
JL