Crazy Fare - $85 from San Jose, Ca to Paris
Feb 4, 2001, 8:08 am
#196
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 294
With the thousands upon thousands of fares out there - it is not unlikely that these mistakes will happen again. If you think about it, all airlines have fares from each city they serve to every other city - including all those connections....
I have taken advantage of cheap fares in the past - that were clearly misatakes - and they have allowed me to travel on it. In fact, they have even let me make changes at the regular change fee. The res agent said "Wow - you got us on this one... good for you" It is nice to know that they honor their mistakes and don't punish the customer for them....
I have taken advantage of cheap fares in the past - that were clearly misatakes - and they have allowed me to travel on it. In fact, they have even let me make changes at the regular change fee. The res agent said "Wow - you got us on this one... good for you" It is nice to know that they honor their mistakes and don't punish the customer for them....
Feb 4, 2001, 8:43 am
#197
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Northern California
Programs: Inf Elite CO, lifetime AA Platinum
Posts: 1,937
Though at some point they may call these free tickets (which they are) and in the end deny mileage for the flights? I doubt that they would do this, but they may be within their rights to do so.
Feb 4, 2001, 9:08 am
#198
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Sunny SYDNEY!
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freakflyer .. more to the point UA reserves the right to not grant mileage credit on ANY flight they designate as being excluded, and that includes "certain promotional and non-published fares" of course. They might fly the guys there and back, but with no guarantee or prospect of any points. 
A mileage run is fun. A 12-14 hour or whatever flight each way in coach for no miles fast loses its appeal - to me anyway. And let's face it, you'd never know. They issue the BP, you do the flying and points never turn up - game is over right there, and UA have played by their rules entirely.
------------------
~ Glen ~
A mileage run is fun. A 12-14 hour or whatever flight each way in coach for no miles fast loses its appeal - to me anyway. And let's face it, you'd never know. They issue the BP, you do the flying and points never turn up - game is over right there, and UA have played by their rules entirely.
------------------
~ Glen ~
Feb 4, 2001, 9:29 am
#199
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Programs: Many
Posts: 2,496
We have to play by their rules, one
way or another...
way or another...
Feb 4, 2001, 12:00 pm
#200
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Texas, U.S.A.
Posts: 19,523
freakflyer writes:
Ahhh, thank you freakflyer! I was hoping someone would mention that. I just didn't want to be the person that might be breaking bad news.
I have flown on 2 zero error fares (that is 0.00 fare, just paying taxes) in the past, and on both I was denied mileage.
But once ticketed, the airlines usually honor these mistake fares. As posted at the "Goof Fare" portion of www.air-fare.com web site:
I'm not saying one way or the other if United is legally required to honor these (although it's my opinion at least here in the United States that they would have a strong case to legally back out) or if they should. Depends on the circumstance of purchase and what other irreversable arrangements you made based on the expectation of this being a legitimate offering. IMHO. 
That and the issue of "precedent" I mention above would be pretty strong arguments to present to United, I would think.
[This message has been edited by PremEx (edited 02-04-2001).]
Though at some point they may call these free tickets (which they are) and in the end deny mileage for the flights?
I have flown on 2 zero error fares (that is 0.00 fare, just paying taxes) in the past, and on both I was denied mileage.
But once ticketed, the airlines usually honor these mistake fares. As posted at the "Goof Fare" portion of www.air-fare.com web site:
AIRFARE GOOFS:
With hundreds of thousands of new fares coming into the airline systems each day, mistakes are bound to happen. Sometimes it is as simple as dropping the last digit off a fare (as when American posted a First Class roundtrip fare between Southern California (Orange County) and Cincinnati for $200 instead of $2,000). Sometimes its a low fare meant for night flights -- but allowing it for daytime travel as well. On Feb. 2 United goofed bigtime by posting $0 (that's zero) fares between Denver and New York, Washington, Chicago, Atlanta Baltimore and Dallas, etc. After adding assorted taxes and fees you could have traveled round trip for about $16 -- if you had exploited it early. The mistake was withdrawn within 6 hours.
With hundreds of thousands of new fares coming into the airline systems each day, mistakes are bound to happen. Sometimes it is as simple as dropping the last digit off a fare (as when American posted a First Class roundtrip fare between Southern California (Orange County) and Cincinnati for $200 instead of $2,000). Sometimes its a low fare meant for night flights -- but allowing it for daytime travel as well. On Feb. 2 United goofed bigtime by posting $0 (that's zero) fares between Denver and New York, Washington, Chicago, Atlanta Baltimore and Dallas, etc. After adding assorted taxes and fees you could have traveled round trip for about $16 -- if you had exploited it early. The mistake was withdrawn within 6 hours.
That and the issue of "precedent" I mention above would be pretty strong arguments to present to United, I would think.
[This message has been edited by PremEx (edited 02-04-2001).]
Feb 4, 2001, 12:47 pm
#201
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: United 1K - Manhattan, Nueva York
Posts: 182
does anyone knows who's flying first to paris (and on what date) in between all of the people who got that fare?
Feb 4, 2001, 1:31 pm
#202
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Programs: Many
Posts: 2,496
unitednyc -
The earliest I have seen is 3/9. Seems a lot
mimicked Benjamin's originall itinerary of 3/16 - 3/18.
The earliest I have seen is 3/9. Seems a lot
mimicked Benjamin's originall itinerary of 3/16 - 3/18.
Feb 4, 2001, 1:38 pm
#203
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Programs: Many
Posts: 2,496
Premex -
I hope that if UA has intention to not honor
the ticket for those who got true e-tickets and have 016 ticket numbers, that they say something in advance and not on departure date when someone is standing at checkin with their wife or husband and kids.
I hope that if UA has intention to not honor
the ticket for those who got true e-tickets and have 016 ticket numbers, that they say something in advance and not on departure date when someone is standing at checkin with their wife or husband and kids.
Feb 4, 2001, 2:05 pm
#204
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Earth
Posts: 1,797
Or with wife, kid, parents, 2 neices, and 3 1K cards. Expect a Kodak moment.
Feb 4, 2001, 2:09 pm
#205
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Texas, U.S.A.
Posts: 19,523
Agree. If you are holding an E-Ticket that is a valid contract of carriage, I would think that United would have to honor it, unless they did somehow notify you of a dispute in advance.
And a reminder of a tip just for the future, that has been reported here before: On another error fare recently, after United caught it and fixed it, we went surfing at some of the other web booking sites and found that there is sometimes a delay in updating databases, apparently. While getting the error fare via United was over, we did find it still sitting there over at Travelocity and were successfull at snagging and traveling on 4 more itineraries!
And a reminder of a tip just for the future, that has been reported here before: On another error fare recently, after United caught it and fixed it, we went surfing at some of the other web booking sites and found that there is sometimes a delay in updating databases, apparently. While getting the error fare via United was over, we did find it still sitting there over at Travelocity and were successfull at snagging and traveling on 4 more itineraries!
Feb 4, 2001, 2:22 pm
#206
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Sweden
Posts: 5,645
Originally posted by PremEx:
And a reminder of a tip just for the future, that has been reported here before: On another error fare recently, after United caught it and fixed it, we went surfing at some of the other web booking sites and found that there is sometimes a delay in updating databases, apparently. While getting the error fare via United was over, we did find it still sitting there over at Travelocity and were successfull at snagging and traveling on 4 more itineraries!
And a reminder of a tip just for the future, that has been reported here before: On another error fare recently, after United caught it and fixed it, we went surfing at some of the other web booking sites and found that there is sometimes a delay in updating databases, apparently. While getting the error fare via United was over, we did find it still sitting there over at Travelocity and were successfull at snagging and traveling on 4 more itineraries!
Feb 4, 2001, 2:42 pm
#207
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Texas, U.S.A.
Posts: 19,523
No. But that's a good example as well.
Feb 4, 2001, 7:41 pm
#208
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Sunny SYDNEY!
Programs: UA Million Miler. (1.9M) Virgin Platinum. HH Diamond + SPG Gold
Posts: 32,333
Or with wife, kid, parents, 2 neices, and 3 1K cards. Expect a Kodak moment.
You'll get to fly methinks, but WILL you get the points? Unless you all have this burning urge to vsit the inside of CDG for a few hours, and chomp up 30-4- hours of your life with travel time to and from home, that is the dilemma.
------------------
~ Glen ~
Feb 4, 2001, 8:50 pm
#209
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Home Sweet Home
Posts: 383
Points are a nice bonus if they happen, but for me, the really great part is getting from SFO to Paris for $24.98.... And a chance to do something that makes NO logical sense just for fun....
Might be a little tired when I get there on Saturday morning after flying all night, but I fully expect to have a wonderful dinner (le Jules Verne?, Altitude 89?), enjoy the atmosphere, pick up a couple of Veronique Sanson CD's (OK, I know I can get em here, but it's a MUCH more interesting story to get em there!) , stay at a nice hotel, and get up on Sunday, and fly home....
And be back at work on Monday
KevinB
Might be a little tired when I get there on Saturday morning after flying all night, but I fully expect to have a wonderful dinner (le Jules Verne?, Altitude 89?), enjoy the atmosphere, pick up a couple of Veronique Sanson CD's (OK, I know I can get em here, but it's a MUCH more interesting story to get em there!) , stay at a nice hotel, and get up on Sunday, and fly home....
And be back at work on Monday
KevinB
Feb 4, 2001, 9:51 pm
#210
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Programs: Many
Posts: 2,496
Just got this in my email:
I am a reporter from the New York Times. I have closely followed your
>'chats' regarding $27 dollar r/t airfare to CDG on the webflyer website, and
>would be very interested in speaking with you. I, too, was able to book a
>bargin r/t flight. However, I am flying not to CDG, but to HKG! For the
>same price!
>
>I think there is a very timely piece of news here, and would be like to
>speak with you about your fare purchase. If you would like to go on the
>record with the Ney York Times on this issue, please respond with your phone
># and a good time to be reached. Thank you for your time.
I am a reporter from the New York Times. I have closely followed your
>'chats' regarding $27 dollar r/t airfare to CDG on the webflyer website, and
>would be very interested in speaking with you. I, too, was able to book a
>bargin r/t flight. However, I am flying not to CDG, but to HKG! For the
>same price!
>
>I think there is a very timely piece of news here, and would be like to
>speak with you about your fare purchase. If you would like to go on the
>record with the Ney York Times on this issue, please respond with your phone
># and a good time to be reached. Thank you for your time.