On-line vs. phone booking price dichotomy
Jan 28, 2009, 3:23 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: USA
Programs: AA MARRIOTT Lifetime Plat Premier ; Marriott Vacation Club
Posts: 1,650
On-line vs. phone booking price dichotomy
We're heading from PHL-SAT in March to attend our son's graduation from AF basic training. I look at several routings to get there from PHL. We elect a PHL-CLT-SAT routing. We find direct CLT-SAT flights and because of our own time constraints, we'll fly to CLT on a Wed evening & will catch the CLT-SAT flight the next morning.
Using the on-line multi-city tool produces several choices which accomodate our needs and at a total price of $585 each. After tracking this down, I call reservations to book the flights as we have a $100 E-ACP voucher. The same itinerary booked by a human being comes to over $1000 each. The agent says this is because of the broken itineray from PHL-CLT. I point out to her that given the evening hours that we fly, there is no flight/connect from CLT-SAT on the same date of departure, so I do not get how the system automatically jacks up the PHL-CLT leg while the on-line system seamlessly accomodates the flight itinerary at half the price.
Obviously, I go back on-line and book that way instead. Buyer beware when you try to book multi-city trips on different days. That said, I'm satisfied with the on-line price we get.
Barry
Using the on-line multi-city tool produces several choices which accomodate our needs and at a total price of $585 each. After tracking this down, I call reservations to book the flights as we have a $100 E-ACP voucher. The same itinerary booked by a human being comes to over $1000 each. The agent says this is because of the broken itineray from PHL-CLT. I point out to her that given the evening hours that we fly, there is no flight/connect from CLT-SAT on the same date of departure, so I do not get how the system automatically jacks up the PHL-CLT leg while the on-line system seamlessly accomodates the flight itinerary at half the price.
Obviously, I go back on-line and book that way instead. Buyer beware when you try to book multi-city trips on different days. That said, I'm satisfied with the on-line price we get.
Barry
Jan 28, 2009, 6:25 pm
#2
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: YYJ
Posts: 4,137
My experience is that you can often get the Website support desk to match the online fare and then book with them.
Jan 28, 2009, 6:33 pm
#3
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Programs: DL Silver, UA Silver, Marriott Lifetime Silver, IHG Plat, Hilton Silver
Posts: 5,695
I have had this happen on many of the vouchers I have redeemed. Could not hurt to try website support.