Example of Price Change
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Hong Kong
Posts: 612
Example of Price Change
Back in April 2012, I booked TK HKG/IST/FCO/IST/HKG premium economy Comfort class, outbound on 25 Aug, return 07 Sept, from Expedia, fare was $818 plus taxes $440, total $1258.
Yesterday, 06 Aug, looked on Expedia for same routing/dates/class for a friend who wished to travel with me, fare is now $1400 plus taxes $388, total $1788.
Just a couple of days ago, I called TK HKG office for seat selection, and it seemed plenty of seats still available (maybe tickets booked but seats not yet selected, but didn't seem so), so not sure why the big increase in fare price.
Just go to show, when you find an acceptable fare price, better book it right away and not wait, hoping that price will drop in future.
Yesterday, 06 Aug, looked on Expedia for same routing/dates/class for a friend who wished to travel with me, fare is now $1400 plus taxes $388, total $1788.
Just a couple of days ago, I called TK HKG office for seat selection, and it seemed plenty of seats still available (maybe tickets booked but seats not yet selected, but didn't seem so), so not sure why the big increase in fare price.
Just go to show, when you find an acceptable fare price, better book it right away and not wait, hoping that price will drop in future.
#2
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: SOF
Programs: A3 Gold, IHG Platinum, Marriott Silver
Posts: 849
This could be due to the airlines' many fare rules - what comes to mind is that getting close to the travel date (less than 3 weeks), the fare you got in April required at least 30 days advance purchase. That would explain the difference in price you're getting now.
#3
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: HKG, BOS
Programs: CX SL, AB Gold, AF/KL FB Silver, HU/HX Silver, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,596
The number of seats occupied on the seat map is not a good indicator of passenger load. Many passengers may not have yet selected their seats.
And fares increase based on time till departure date. You should realise that late-August is still high season (where Europeans may be returning home on TK from Asia), hence the lack of any low booking classes in Comfort anymore.
And fares increase based on time till departure date. You should realise that late-August is still high season (where Europeans may be returning home on TK from Asia), hence the lack of any low booking classes in Comfort anymore.
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Hong Kong
Posts: 612
This could be due to the airlines' many fare rules - what comes to mind is that getting close to the travel date (less than 3 weeks), the fare you got in April required at least 30 days advance purchase. That would explain the difference in price you're getting now.
#5
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: ORD
Programs: AA EXP,2MM, DL Gold,Starwood PLT
Posts: 3,876
This is called pricing 101 for airlines. Fares change all the time, irrespective of perceived loads on a given flight. Fares change daily (sometimes multiple times), and you often hit fare fences with regards to advance purchase requirements, length of stay, days of week etc.
#6
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: DTW
Programs: TK E+, WY, Radisson R
Posts: 2,360
FYI, fares for Comfort have increased dramatically since April 1st, 2012.
Just to give you a quick example, in late March 2012, a RT JFK-IST-HKG in A class was $1600. Starting April, the same fare class has gone up to $2150. An increase of one third, let's not even get into the O and U fare territories, which you might be better off just flying into Europe in economy and spend a few days around CDG, AMS, or LHR and hop on C or J with carriers like MS, RJ, WY, or UL.
Just to give you a quick example, in late March 2012, a RT JFK-IST-HKG in A class was $1600. Starting April, the same fare class has gone up to $2150. An increase of one third, let's not even get into the O and U fare territories, which you might be better off just flying into Europe in economy and spend a few days around CDG, AMS, or LHR and hop on C or J with carriers like MS, RJ, WY, or UL.
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Hong Kong
Posts: 612
FYI, fares for Comfort have increased dramatically since April 1st, 2012.
Just to give you a quick example, in late March 2012, a RT JFK-IST-HKG in A class was $1600. Starting April, the same fare class has gone up to $2150. An increase of one third, let's not even get into the O and U fare territories, which you might be better off just flying into Europe in economy and spend a few days around CDG, AMS, or LHR and hop on C or J with carriers like MS, RJ, WY, or UL.
Just to give you a quick example, in late March 2012, a RT JFK-IST-HKG in A class was $1600. Starting April, the same fare class has gone up to $2150. An increase of one third, let's not even get into the O and U fare territories, which you might be better off just flying into Europe in economy and spend a few days around CDG, AMS, or LHR and hop on C or J with carriers like MS, RJ, WY, or UL.
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Hong Kong
Posts: 612
I also tried a multi-city HKG/IST/JFK/IST/HKG and even selecting TK, neither Expedia nor Kayak able to come out with a routing or quote.
About 2 weeks ago, I did see on bt-store a Prem Econ fare with BA for HKG/BOS Rt via LHR of $2,800 (BOS is where I really needed to end up), but didn't book it then and a day later when I looked again, that fare was no longer visible or accessible and price had gone up to $3,600.
And then I was away when I happened upon the few hours window of RGN/YYZ RT of $400 in C/J class, but decided to wait until the morning when I could work out the dates/timing a bit better, and by the morning the fare had been pulled by the various Expedia sites (UK, de, fr, etc). Frustrating, but will keep looking and hoping for another "jumbo" fare.
Last edited by tangoll; Aug 21, 2012 at 5:07 pm Reason: Added few lines.