UPDATE: Thai not honouring £0 tickets
 

Well, after a nice meal out with my Italian host in Tuscany, I arrived at my hotel to find a message from my wife bearing the bad news that we all feared.

When my wife went to get our tickets issued at the London CTO, the staff had already been alerted to the fare error. They told my wife, very pleasantly, that they would be very willing to accomodate us on our selected flights for the standard first-class fare of £6000 each, but that they would not be issuing these error fare tickets. They said they would have corrected the error sooner, but with the time difference between Bangkok and London means that all of the programmers had already gone home in BKK before they realised the error.

So I'm sorry that I got everyone on FT excited about this miracle fare only to have it fall at the last hurdle. Still, the importance of FT is in the sharing...

You know what they say -- 'tis better to have loved and lost, than to never have loved at all.

Next time, eh?

Well I can't say I'm surprised.

But hats off to everyone who shared their experiences. While I chose not to participate, I had a great time watching the chaos. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Maybe next time...

SGM

Oh well, what a hoot! Thanks for sharing the information and for your initial post alerting us to the possibility.

Thanks for the tip and the expected, but not wished for, update. It did give me time to think about a summer trip- Thailand sounds good, but there are many other places too.

Next time

I wouldn't have missed it for the World!!!

Oh well -

I was out of clean underwear anyway.

But what a rush! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

It was indeed great fun, esspecially the "moral" issues that were once again raised http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/rolleyes.gif...one of the most exciting days on FT in a long time.

P.S: I hope somebody tells Gabala, our danish FT'er, he seems to be drinking a rather large supply of Carlsberg in celebration... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

Edited to add:

Big Thank you to Matthew for sharing this in the first place, happy to buy you a pint or two of nourishing ale the next time I'm in London

[This message has been edited by JohnG (edited 04-23-2003).]

MatthewClement, thanks for your great work anyway in alerting all of us to the possibility of free first class travel. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/thumbsup.gif Although this deal was just too good to be true, as we have seen in the past, sometimes the airlines honor their mistake fares. So it helps to be vigilant in sharing your newfound knowledge with the rest of the FlyerTalk community so many of us can get in on the action and put our heads together to make it work!

This was a lot of fun...I can hardly wait for the next glitch to surface!

Matthew - thanks Mate! This was fun http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif Thanks for keeping all of us apprised as it happened!

It sure was fun to think about.

Matthew...obviously your wife didn't "push" hard enough, not being a FlyerTalker and all.

She should have stood her ground, pounding on the counter, demanding, threatening lawsuits, tossing Mustard Pretzels in their faces etc, etc!

I say you fly back to London immediately and take charge yourself. Your reputation and the lives of every FlyerTalker hang in the balance!!!

In other words...this is all your fault!!!

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

How dare they?!?! I want my free tickets...

Who will join me in a class action suit?! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif


Cheers.

Wouldn't be the first time, mate. Definitely wouldn't be the first time.

I secretly think my wife got the tickets cancelled because she doesn't want me ogling the Thai cabin crew. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

[QUOTE]originally posted by JohnG:
I hope somebody tells Gabala, our danish FT'er, he seems to be drinking a rather large supply of Carlsberg in celebration...

Usual story:

FT'er meets GF. GF leaves FT'er. FT'er drowns sorrows in Carlsberg & FT. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif


[This message has been edited by galaba (edited 04-23-2003).]

Matthew..Thanks for your prompt possible deal..it diddn't work out..but it does show a very close community...We sure tried !

------------------
MRKEY

That was fun. Oh well... Thanks for the info -- next time! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

Matthew,

Thank you for allowing me to participate in my first FT website glitch excitement, and then letting us know they wouldn't be honoured quickly enough that I could stop begging my unbelieving, inebriated London friend to collect the tickets for me before he had actually agreed to do so!

Thanks for posting it, MatthewClement! It certainly perked up an otherwise-routine day.

------------------
Middle_Seat

Thanks for nothing, I say. I haven't been able to get any work done since noon. Yeah, real good going pal. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

I WANT A PALM TREE IN MY FRONT YARD!!!

The irony was that it would have cost me 90,000 miles to get to LHR (First wasn't available) so that I could make the connections on TG. For about those same miles I could have flown straight to BKK.

But it would have been fun. And my friends at this point expect a good travel story out of me once in a while. Ever since I had a garage full of Nutrigrain bars...

Here's an idea!

Why doesn't everyone who was planning to go down to the London TG ticket office meet outside at 10:00am. We can call a couple of local newspapers to cover the story.

If it's a mob, who knows what you might get? A packet of peanuts?

I agree! Everyone in London SHOULD do this! Get the papers involved!!!

My thanks also to Matthew and the others who offered help.

But having read up a bit on how truly awful Thai is these days I'm actually glad they are not honouring it so I don't have to decide whether 55 quid for TG F is better values than <lots more> for CX J. From what I read I am surprised that TG can sell their first class at any price!

[This message has been edited by christep (edited 04-23-2003).]

I am shocked that Thai is not honouring these!!! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif Sarcasm aside, who really expected them to??

Well, another exciting day on FlyerTalk! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif Thanks for the rush...

deleted for poor behavior http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

[This message has been edited by brm744 (edited 04-23-2003).]

No doubt the TSA had something to do with TG not giving us each $10,000 - $30,000 worth of free tickets! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/mad.gif

Matthew- My most sincere thanks for both the "discovery" and the "update"!! Wish the news had been much, much different, but I'd still be pleased to buy you the beverage of your choice this coming November on the FT LHR MR.......

(seeing as how I missed you last November!) http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

Thanks again and best wishes, Dave

Admiral Loy and Norm Mineta tipped them off to it.

Matthew,

Thanks for posting the offer. Just like winning the lottery, I knew that there was a minuscule chance of getting my hands on the tickets but you gotta be in it to win it.

Thanks for sharing!!!!!

Keba

Matthew. Thanks for the excitement for the day. It would have been interesting. You know they could have accomodated us all since purchasing the used 747s from UA. This does show that we need FTs strategic at every CTO in the world. I'd cover SMF but we don't have a CTO anymore. I'll check our credit lines to see if we can handle the massive amount of "upfront" money. It got down to me offering a fellow FT US$, GBP or Euros to pay my taxes. It was fun. Enjoy.

i just got this via email at 1055pm eastern time:

THIS DOCUMENT IS AUTOMATICALLY GENERATED.
PLEASE DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS MAIL.

PNR ADDRESS : YBGYJW

AN E-TICKET IS UNABLE TO BE ISSUED BECAUSE YOUR BOOKING
IS NOT ELIGIBLE OR YOU DID NOT SELECT ETICKET OPTION.

PLEASE CONTACT THAI CITY OFFICE IN THE COUNTRY OF
DEPARTURE NO LONGER THAN 72 HOURS AFTER BOOKING,
IF A PAPER TICKET IS REQUIRED.

SORRY FOR INCONVENIENCE

THAI FLIGHT RESERVATIONS

Which makes me think they expect me to come in and ticket it....

Thoughts?

I got the same e-mail. I am sure everyone did.

Why dosen't someone call TG in BKK.

Office:THAI AIRWAYS
Address: THAI LARN LAUANG
6 LARN LUANG ROAD, POM PRAB SATRUPAI DISTRICT, BANGKOK 10100
Phone1: (66-2) 280-0060
Phone2: (66-2) 628-2000

It is 1030am in BKK on Thursday afterall

The wierd thing about th email is that it isn't saying anything we didn't already know. We knew we couldn't e-ticket, so everyone chose the paper option.

Why not just write an email stating sorry buster, you're out of luck!

I feel like they are toying with me now. In addition to that $0 ticket and the 20K miles, I better get some bonus miles for my distress. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif


Edited because apparently I can't spell "weird".

[This message has been edited by notsosmart (edited 04-23-2003).]

Just an auto-generated E-Mail. Means nothing towards the current specualtion or situation, IMHO.

[This message has been edited by PremEx (edited 04-23-2003).]

Dagnabbit... just when I thought I might finally get the chance to enjoy one of these glitches. Oh well, back to searching for XC mileage runs.

Is was a fun distraction for the day though! My boyfriend just about passed out when I told him we were going to Thailand. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Thanks for the original posting.

I called girlfriend YYCOllie (whose closest to STN), and she lost it. Sadly, I'm losing it that we can't hop over to BKK for a 36 hour 'trip-o-fun'

Just received this email :

----- Original Message -----
From: "pilun intarat" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, April 24, 2003 8:29 PM

Subject: Notice of Fare Change

24th April 2003


Dear Passengers,

On 23rd April 2003, the prices shown on Thai Airways International's
website for flights on the London to Bangkok route contained an error.
All fares quoted for all the applicable classes showed a zero fare.

Although you have sought to make a booking, I regret to inform you that
the nature of this unfortunate but obvious mistake was such that Thai
Airways International is unable to issue you with tickets on the basis
that no fare is to be paid. The airline would, of course, be pleased to
accept bookings on the basis of its usual applicable fares.

I sincerely apologise on behalf of Thai Airways International for any
inconvenience this may have caused you.

Yours faithfully,


Kriangkrai Manomaiphan
General Manager,
United Kingdom & Ireland

Does this mean they would have honoured tix if the fare had been £0.01? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

[This message has been edited by galaba (edited 04-24-2003).]

Well, in hindsight, its just as well. I like Olafman would have had to spend as much in getting to LHR for the 'Free' trip as it would for a CO BF direct EWR-BKK (HoKeY $1000 + 50,000miles) or EWR-LGW (HokeY $1200 +40,000 miles)!!