Dec 31, 2014, 12:15 am
Last edit by: J.Edward
Related New Articles for United/Orbitz vs. Skiplagged.com
(Mod Note: While some FTers have chosen to contribute to skiplagged's legal defense we request a direct link to do so not be placed in the wiki.)
(Mod Note: While some FTers have chosen to contribute to skiplagged's legal defense we request a direct link to do so not be placed in the wiki.)
UA sues "hidden city" search site Skiplagged.com
Jan 1, 2015, 10:58 pm
#241
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Between who and whom?
Hint: I go to Skiplagged, search for a ticket, it shows me a hidden fare routing and gives me a link to buy it. I follow the link but don't buy it. With whom was there a contract?
At the time the potential customer goes to Skiplagged's website, there is no Ticket purchased.
Hint: I go to Skiplagged, search for a ticket, it shows me a hidden fare routing and gives me a link to buy it. I follow the link but don't buy it. With whom was there a contract?
At the time the potential customer goes to Skiplagged's website, there is no Ticket purchased.
Jan 1, 2015, 11:08 pm
#242
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And this is the important point. People keep bringing up examples or making an argument that they bought something and only consumed part of it, so what's the problem.
Example:
UA offers a flight from SFO to JFK for $500.
UA offers a flight from SFO to CIN for $600.
You pay for SFO/JFK but consume SFO/CIN. You have ripped UA off for $100.
The fact that the SFO/JFK flight stops in CIN is irrelevant. You didn't purchase 2 flights. You didn't purchase stops. You purchased A to C but consumed the more expensive A to B. The fact that you don't agree with the fare structure or don't like the fare structure or don't understand the fare structure is not relevant. It is what it is.
Example:
UA offers a flight from SFO to JFK for $500.
UA offers a flight from SFO to CIN for $600.
You pay for SFO/JFK but consume SFO/CIN. You have ripped UA off for $100.
The fact that the SFO/JFK flight stops in CIN is irrelevant. You didn't purchase 2 flights. You didn't purchase stops. You purchased A to C but consumed the more expensive A to B. The fact that you don't agree with the fare structure or don't like the fare structure or don't understand the fare structure is not relevant. It is what it is.
That may very well be how a contract lawyer would see it, but if the general public doesn't see it that way (even if that's "don't understand the fare structure") -- and there's good reason to think they don't -- then this has the potential to end up as a major PR problem for United.
Jan 1, 2015, 11:52 pm
#243
Join Date: Jun 2013
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deleted
Last edited by doug68; Jan 2, 2015 at 10:50 am
Jan 1, 2015, 11:57 pm
#244
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 97
why is this not a big deal if you do not fly AT ALL and simply not show for any of the ticket's segments to begin with?
Jan 2, 2015, 12:06 am
#245
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This is IMO an airline problem. O&D is the mantra of profitable fares. Why they even sell connections for less is beyond me.
Jan 2, 2015, 12:44 am
#246
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I've yet to see a profitable LCC do so (indeed, some of the Asian ones seem to charge slightly more for a connecting ticket than for two point-to-point tickets, presumably because they're taking the risk of a misconnect rather than keeping the risk on the passenger.)
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Jan 2, 2015 at 1:32 am Reason: OT comment removed
Jan 2, 2015, 1:26 am
#247
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I was hoping for that interpretation too ... but German courts (and politicians) indulge in sloppy language, so how the airline have responded to this is by offering a a $12K price tag for "out of sequence" and a $200 one for in-sequence and now they have obfuscated the process enough in order for no one else to dare to challenge it.
Much like the courts taught them to call any failure WX as MX is no longer covered and there are not standards provided for what WX actually is.
Much like the courts taught them to call any failure WX as MX is no longer covered and there are not standards provided for what WX actually is.
Jan 2, 2015, 1:35 am
#248
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Any Year 2014 examples of the airlines marketing a $12k pre-purchase price tag ticket in Germany for "out of sequence" and a $200 price tag ticket in Germany for "in sequence" and then successfully hiking the $200 purchased ticket price to $12,000 after the $200 ticket purchase? Some say such examples are all myths.
LH would also not hike your ticket if you flew it out of sequence, they would simply cancel it. But of someone would indeed buy the 12K domestic flight, then I am sure they'd have no issue with you flying it out of sequence.
Jan 2, 2015, 2:33 am
#249
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The more some look at some airline practices, the more obvious it is that the airline practices can be rather sleazy, to the extent that some airlines are willing to skirt the law in anticipation of payment for its violations being less costly than continuing violations, most of which will result in no challenges by the customers and/or by governmental authorities. Huge class action lawsuit losses may be the only way to effectively try to rehabilitate corporate players willing to play the part of unethical rapscallions willing to violate set law and regulations or otherwise ignore court rulings.
Last edited by GUWonder; Jan 2, 2015 at 5:59 am
Jan 2, 2015, 5:30 am
#250
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They are suing because they have plenty of money and he doesn't. Well, didn't. I'm sure they thought this would be a quiet way to shut down this website. Were it Google doing it, they'd sit on their hands and shut up. I think that was all this lawsuit was about. I don't think they actually planned to have a case. United and Orbitz are going to try to settle as soon as proceedings start. I hope he turns them down. If he didn't take it, I'm sure they'd drop it before it hit trial. Strangers are giving him $50,000 just to flick off the airlines. He'll soon have the $75,000 damages they're seeking in legal funding to fight them. You know you're running your business well when that happens.
Jan 2, 2015, 6:12 am
#251
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Hint. On customer site, we bill at 650 per hour. On travel, We consume 100-300 per hour.
Jan 2, 2015, 6:25 am
#252
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Both UA and Orbitz each listed a $75k number in the claim, but that's not really the total being sought. And it isn't like he can just write a check and the case goes away; there are other claims as well.
Jan 2, 2015, 7:41 am
#253
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The airlines often charge a higher ticket price for connecting flights than for non-stop flights. And often the dynamic is the opposite of that.
Airline pricing practices are many things but they are not everywhere a mere product of supply and demand in a fully competitive market.
Jan 2, 2015, 8:51 am
#254
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So yes, I reckon the scam scheme is working for them.
..there and probably elsewhere where the airlines haven't got the government running a legal protection racket for the industry?
The more some look at some airline practices, the more obvious it is that the airline practices can be rather sleazy, to the extent that some airlines are willing to skirt the law in anticipation of payment for its violations being less costly than continuing violations, most of which will result in no challenges by the customers and/or by governmental authorities.
Huge class action lawsuit losses may be the only way to effectively try to rehabilitate corporate players willing to play the part of unethical rapscallions willing to violate set law and regulations or otherwise ignore court rulings.
Jan 2, 2015, 9:36 am
#255
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The competitive price in a market is set (by the market) based on the origin and destination without regard to the various connecting cities that each airline might use to provide the service.
Sometimes this results in a connecting flight costing more than a flight to the hub and sometimes it results in the connecting flight costing less.
The airlines can't charge more for the city-pair when the market price is less just because the market price for a flight stopping in the hub they use is more. If they did, their fare would be not be competitive and nobody would book them.
Sometimes this results in a connecting flight costing more than a flight to the hub and sometimes it results in the connecting flight costing less.
The airlines can't charge more for the city-pair when the market price is less just because the market price for a flight stopping in the hub they use is more. If they did, their fare would be not be competitive and nobody would book them.