Paid for sites that "guarantee"cheaper fares
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 9,307
Paid for sites that "guarantee"cheaper fares
After a computer crash I've lost a lot of my bookmarked sites, including two for companies that guaranteed lower fares at a cost. No lower fare equals no charge.
Can anyone pont me in the direction of these sites, that I probably read about on here previously?
Can anyone pont me in the direction of these sites, that I probably read about on here previously?
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 9,307
#6
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Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 1,271
Now all I need to do is set up a 'send me your money sucker' website and 'guarantee' to find lower prices for those naive enough to believe that actually means anything.
#8
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I'm genuinely curious about the premise of these sites.
Guaranteed lower fares...than what? Are these basically consolidator fares? Are they focused on specific international routes?
I don't believe for a second that my mundane regular Dallas flight that is typically $79 on Southwest.com is going to be cheaper (or available at all?) on these kinds of sites.
Guaranteed lower fares...than what? Are these basically consolidator fares? Are they focused on specific international routes?
I don't believe for a second that my mundane regular Dallas flight that is typically $79 on Southwest.com is going to be cheaper (or available at all?) on these kinds of sites.
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 9,307
I'm genuinely curious about the premise of these sites.
Guaranteed lower fares...than what? Are these basically consolidator fares? Are they focused on specific international routes?
I don't believe for a second that my mundane regular Dallas flight that is typically $79 on Southwest.com is going to be cheaper (or available at all?) on these kinds of sites.
Guaranteed lower fares...than what? Are these basically consolidator fares? Are they focused on specific international routes?
I don't believe for a second that my mundane regular Dallas flight that is typically $79 on Southwest.com is going to be cheaper (or available at all?) on these kinds of sites.
#10
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 1,271
My first thought was, 'there's a sucker born every minute'.
I just had a look at Flightstein to see what they do. So they ask you to tell them a price you got and the specific flight details etc. Then they ask you to answer some questions about preferences etc. Then a PERSON at their end tries to find you a lower price for your trip. The assumption of course is that they CAN find a lower price. They may change the airlines you will fly, the departure and arrival times, etc. in their search to find that lower price. What they will not do is guarantee you that they will find a lower price for the trip as you have shown them and the price you already have.
So what are they really guaranteeing? Well as their site says, 'our experts will beat your price or you don't pay our fee'. Now there's an offer to think about.
Gee, let me think. Does that sound like something amazing to me? Umm, no, it sounds like I could have taken another look at where I want to go and how I will get there, myself and come up with another possibility for getting there.
In other words, all they do is what any travel agent does, they do the looking for you. Whoopee.
Nothing changes in the world in regards to human nature. P. T. Barnum was right when he said it and he's till right today. 'There's a sucker born every minute.'
I just had a look at Flightstein to see what they do. So they ask you to tell them a price you got and the specific flight details etc. Then they ask you to answer some questions about preferences etc. Then a PERSON at their end tries to find you a lower price for your trip. The assumption of course is that they CAN find a lower price. They may change the airlines you will fly, the departure and arrival times, etc. in their search to find that lower price. What they will not do is guarantee you that they will find a lower price for the trip as you have shown them and the price you already have.
So what are they really guaranteeing? Well as their site says, 'our experts will beat your price or you don't pay our fee'. Now there's an offer to think about.
Gee, let me think. Does that sound like something amazing to me? Umm, no, it sounds like I could have taken another look at where I want to go and how I will get there, myself and come up with another possibility for getting there.
In other words, all they do is what any travel agent does, they do the looking for you. Whoopee.
Nothing changes in the world in regards to human nature. P. T. Barnum was right when he said it and he's till right today. 'There's a sucker born every minute.'
#11
Join Date: Oct 2015
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It's a kid with ITA Matric and Kayak and Google Flights fiddling around for an hour for fee, figuring he's smarter than the average traveller (and probably right).
Most of us on here could probably provide the same service, kudos to the kid who's actually doing it.
Most of us on here could probably provide the same service, kudos to the kid who's actually doing it.
#13
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA LT Gold; BA Silver; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,081
I just had a look at Flightstein to see what they do. So they ask you to tell them a price you got and the specific flight details etc. Then they ask you to answer some questions about preferences etc. Then a PERSON at their end tries to find you a lower price for your trip. The assumption of course is that they CAN find a lower price. They may change the airlines you will fly, the departure and arrival times, etc. in their search to find that lower price. What they will not do is guarantee you that they will find a lower price for the trip as you have shown them and the price you already have.
#14
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#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 9,307
flyertalk is also a friend. There's a thread with over 15,000 posts about it, although not at all easy to interpret.
I thought (but don't know) these sites may be using something along these lines, particularly as you can put restrictions on routings/airlines/stopovers etc which would restrict some of the issues above.
I thought (but don't know) these sites may be using something along these lines, particularly as you can put restrictions on routings/airlines/stopovers etc which would restrict some of the issues above.