Sale fares pulled before midnight PST
Feb 7, 2004, 1:44 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Homer Glen, IL (MDW/ORD)
Programs: WN DL UA AA CO US FL BA, PC Plat
Posts: 282
Sale fares pulled before midnight PST
On Feb. 4, United announced a 48 hour sale ending midnight Feb. 5 for 59/79/99 each way. Most airlines matched immediately. I checked WN most of Feb. 4 but they had not matched. I checked mid-day on Feb. 5 and WN had matched. For example MDW-MSY had a $79 column, LAS-PDX had a $59 column. I picked some flights, hit purchase; the rules and those fares popped up.
Later that day around 10:30 PM I was ready to reserve. Same $59/$79 coulumns appeared, so I picked my flights. When I hit purchase, an error message appeared with wording something like the fare is no longer offered. I picked different flights, same response.
I then tried Expedia and Travelocity, all OAL's except NW had pulled those fares. Next day, OAL's extended the fare, WN did not.
My previous experience was that WN pulls fares at midnight PST. I'll have to be more careful in the future!
Later that day around 10:30 PM I was ready to reserve. Same $59/$79 coulumns appeared, so I picked my flights. When I hit purchase, an error message appeared with wording something like the fare is no longer offered. I picked different flights, same response.
I then tried Expedia and Travelocity, all OAL's except NW had pulled those fares. Next day, OAL's extended the fare, WN did not.
My previous experience was that WN pulls fares at midnight PST. I'll have to be more careful in the future!
Feb 8, 2004, 3:21 pm
#3
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Dallas, TX USA
Programs: Rapid Rewards/AAdvantage
Posts: 1,245
Is it possible there was only a limited number of seats at that price. And someone was faster booking then you by the time you were ready to purchase all seats at that price have been sold??
Feb 8, 2004, 4:15 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Homer Glen, IL (MDW/ORD)
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Posts: 282
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by WN LUVS U:
I can't speak from experience (help me out nsx) but it should be midnight Herb Time a.k.a. Central Time.</font>
I can't speak from experience (help me out nsx) but it should be midnight Herb Time a.k.a. Central Time.</font>
Other fares I've booked(click-n-save internet specials, etc). lasted until 2 am CT, i.e. midnight PT.
Feb 8, 2004, 4:24 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Homer Glen, IL (MDW/ORD)
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Posts: 282
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by john398:
Is it possible there was only a limited number of seats at that price. And someone was faster booking then you by the time you were ready to purchase all seats at that price have been sold??</font>
Is it possible there was only a limited number of seats at that price. And someone was faster booking then you by the time you were ready to purchase all seats at that price have been sold??</font>
No, I tried different flights using the same fare column, same results - fare no longer available. I think WN followed the pack and pulled these fares before midnight, just as OAL's did. There are several comments in the United forum about this.
Feb 8, 2004, 10:28 pm
#6
Join Date: May 2003
Location: RDU
Programs: TSA/INS/FBI Platinum (stopped last 12 of 13 int'l returns - the computer broke once)
Posts: 2,639
The majors seem to schedule based on Central time, so they probably got pulled at 10pm PST, which is why you couldn't get them anymore. You probably hit the system as they were being pulled out.
Feb 9, 2004, 12:23 pm
#7
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 6,367
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by WN LUVS U:
I can't speak from experience (help me out nsx) but it should be midnight Herb Time a.k.a. Central Time.</font>
I can't speak from experience (help me out nsx) but it should be midnight Herb Time a.k.a. Central Time.</font>