TOD offered at ticket purchase
Mar 28, 2013, 2:32 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Costa Rica
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TOD offered at ticket purchase
Please move if this is already being discussed.
I purchased a ticket today SJO-EWR-FRA-CAI and after paying for it, I had a pop up window, offering me to upgrade each individual flight as I pleased, except FRA-CAI since it is LH operated.
Looking at the pop up, it even stored my credit card information and if I had given the wrong click I would have been charged for $4.440 for the first two legs of the reservation.
It seems to me that with this new approach Upgrades definitely will be harder to get! I can see someone getting a ridiculous buy up offer and going for it, just like the ones being offered during check in.
I purchased a ticket today SJO-EWR-FRA-CAI and after paying for it, I had a pop up window, offering me to upgrade each individual flight as I pleased, except FRA-CAI since it is LH operated.
Looking at the pop up, it even stored my credit card information and if I had given the wrong click I would have been charged for $4.440 for the first two legs of the reservation.
It seems to me that with this new approach Upgrades definitely will be harder to get! I can see someone getting a ridiculous buy up offer and going for it, just like the ones being offered during check in.
Mar 28, 2013, 2:39 pm
#4
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: London, UK
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Looking at the pop up, it even stored my credit card information and if I had given the wrong click I would have been charged for $4.440 for the first two legs of the reservation.
It seems to me that with this new approach Upgrades definitely will be harder to get! I can see someone getting a ridiculous buy up offer and going for it, just like the ones being offered during check in.
It seems to me that with this new approach Upgrades definitely will be harder to get! I can see someone getting a ridiculous buy up offer and going for it, just like the ones being offered during check in.
Now if you had seem that up-fare being offered at $444 for that itinerary then I might be concerned.
Mar 28, 2013, 2:49 pm
#7
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SJO-EWR and EWR-SJO were less than $400, EWR-FRA was what made the difference. I have gone back into my reservation and I can not buy up anymore, it was just offered while purchasing. All flights are on a W fare.
Mar 28, 2013, 2:54 pm
#8
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: London, UK
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I can't tell if you mean $400 roundtrip or each way; $200 each way for the SJO-EWR upgrade isn't bad, but still hardly scandalous.
If you click on the redeem upgrade link on your reservation is it saying buy up to first isn't available?
If you click on the redeem upgrade link on your reservation is it saying buy up to first isn't available?
Mar 28, 2013, 3:01 pm
#9
Original Poster
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Location: Costa Rica
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Yes, buying up to first is not available on the reservation after I denied the buy-up option, only wait list for miles/cash/RPU/GPU.
I usually do my ticket purchases and for me this was the first time I have had this pop up. I know that saying I was offered a $4,440 is a terrible example but this has been the only ticket this has shown.
What has me thinking is what if the ticket was not to CAI, but somewhere in the US and I would have been offered a lower buy-up, like the one for SJO-EWR? I have to book soon to SJO-YHZ that will give me more clarity on this, and if this will be a standard practice form know on.
I usually do my ticket purchases and for me this was the first time I have had this pop up. I know that saying I was offered a $4,440 is a terrible example but this has been the only ticket this has shown.
What has me thinking is what if the ticket was not to CAI, but somewhere in the US and I would have been offered a lower buy-up, like the one for SJO-EWR? I have to book soon to SJO-YHZ that will give me more clarity on this, and if this will be a standard practice form know on.
Mar 28, 2013, 3:04 pm
#10
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Yes, buying up to first is not available on the reservation after I denied the buy-up option, only wait list for miles/cash/RPU/GPU.
I usually do my ticket purchases and for me this was the first time I have had this pop up. I know that saying I was offered a $4,440 is a terrible example but this has been the only ticket this has shown.
What has me thinking is what if the ticket was not to CAI, but somewhere in the US and I would have been offered a lower buy-up, like the one for SJO-EWR? I have to book soon to SJO-YHZ that will give me more clarity on this, and if this will be a standard practice form know on.
I usually do my ticket purchases and for me this was the first time I have had this pop up. I know that saying I was offered a $4,440 is a terrible example but this has been the only ticket this has shown.
What has me thinking is what if the ticket was not to CAI, but somewhere in the US and I would have been offered a lower buy-up, like the one for SJO-EWR? I have to book soon to SJO-YHZ that will give me more clarity on this, and if this will be a standard practice form know on.
Again, this isn't new - these happen very, very frequently.
By the way, the reason you don't see an offer in the reservation to buy-up could be because of the LH segment. I've noticed that in the past.
Mar 28, 2013, 3:13 pm
#11
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Gold, UA Nobody, Hilton Gold
Posts: 2,372
Yes, buying up to first is not available on the reservation after I denied the buy-up option, only wait list for miles/cash/RPU/GPU.
I usually do my ticket purchases and for me this was the first time I have had this pop up. I know that saying I was offered a $4,440 is a terrible example but this has been the only ticket this has shown.
What has me thinking is what if the ticket was not to CAI, but somewhere in the US and I would have been offered a lower buy-up, like the one for SJO-EWR? I have to book soon to SJO-YHZ that will give me more clarity on this, and if this will be a standard practice form know on.
I usually do my ticket purchases and for me this was the first time I have had this pop up. I know that saying I was offered a $4,440 is a terrible example but this has been the only ticket this has shown.
What has me thinking is what if the ticket was not to CAI, but somewhere in the US and I would have been offered a lower buy-up, like the one for SJO-EWR? I have to book soon to SJO-YHZ that will give me more clarity on this, and if this will be a standard practice form know on.
I'm still struggling to see your point about upgrades becoming harder, are you suggesting that UA shouldn't be offering upfare to discount first when available?
Mar 28, 2013, 3:53 pm
#12
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Ok thanks for that clarification. I still don't think that $400 SJO-EWR is a significant issue (or the $300 ORD-DCA), that's simply discount F fare levels.
I'm still struggling to see your point about upgrades becoming harder, are you suggesting that UA shouldn't be offering upfare to discount first when available?
I'm still struggling to see your point about upgrades becoming harder, are you suggesting that UA shouldn't be offering upfare to discount first when available?
Will not happen.
Mar 28, 2013, 4:17 pm
#13
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I wonder what the best discounted C fare would have been had he simply booked that originally? Compare that to the fare paid + buy-up offered and I venture to guess that there's not that much difference.
I fail to see why that's even remotely an issue. Unless one wants to argue that UA shouldn't sell premium fares (where it makes 90% of its profit on long-haul).
Clearly UA believes that it can sell the seats for fare+$4,400. If it can't, it can cut the buy-up or eventually give them away to a cert / award.
I fail to see why that's even remotely an issue. Unless one wants to argue that UA shouldn't sell premium fares (where it makes 90% of its profit on long-haul).
Clearly UA believes that it can sell the seats for fare+$4,400. If it can't, it can cut the buy-up or eventually give them away to a cert / award.
Mar 28, 2013, 4:23 pm
#14
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I agree that the pop-up box at res confirmation is annoying and somewhat shady business practice since as OP alludes to the wrong box being clicked might result in an undesired upfare since it reads as though the upgrade is processed immediately to the same card with which the reservation was paid. Never done it so do not know how it works.
Clearly not a TOD situation, but obnoxious, yes.
Clearly not a TOD situation, but obnoxious, yes.
Mar 28, 2013, 4:25 pm
#15
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I agree that the pop-up box at res confirmation is annoying and somewhat shady business practice since as OP alludes to the wrong box being clicked might result in an undesired upfare since it reads as though the upgrade is processed immediately to the same card with which the reservation was paid. Never done it so do not know how it works.
Clearly not a TOD situation, but obnoxious, yes.
Clearly not a TOD situation, but obnoxious, yes.
Is it really one click and it's done? If so that is shady.
I would have thought it would take you to a confirmation screen before charging, no?