Qatar Airways - breach of contract help!!!

Mrs_A_4

Hi,

On Sunday I booked a return flight from Manchester-Bangkok at an excellent price. I received confirmation emails, etickets and was able to select my seats online.

Today I have an email saying that "due to a recent technical error in our system, we are unable to confirm your reservation" (i.e my ticket is cancelled) and if I email reply to them in 24 hours they may offer me "50% discount on any base fare on your intended journey."

I have spoken to Consumer Advice who seem to think this is a breach of contract law but were quite vague on what to do. I then spoke to the CAA who had had several similar calls today but could only suggest I lodge a complaint and take it to court. This would clearly take forever and I want to go to Thailand!!!

Other forums are suggesting that when you speak to Qatar Airways to try and get the 50% off they manage to work it out at an incredibly expensive rate anyway.

I've emailed Watchdog but what can I do??? I have a ticket. How can they take it away because of their mistake?

Please help me!

Dogger69

How "excellent" was the price? Was it an obvious mistake?

Mrs_A_4

About a third of their normal (crazily bloated) price. Should that really make a difference? That was the advertised price and for the last two days I've been going to Thailand...

jpsartre

Yes it was an obvious mistake, there's a thread about it on the TA forum. Prices were about half of the going price. Perfectly reasonable that Qatar won't honour them IMO.

tina360

The same thing happened to me.I booked an excellent fare from Heathrow to India and now received the same email.
Help.What should i do.

Dogger69

Mrs_A wrote: »

About a third of their normal (crazily bloated) price. Should that really make a difference? That was the advertised price and for the last two days I've been going to Thailand...

How much did you pay? If you think their prices are normally "crazily bloated", how do they/ the price you paid relate to other airlines on the same route?

tina360 wrote: »

The same thing happened to me.I booked an excellent fare from Heathrow to India and now received the same email.
Help.What should i do.

Surely you didn't expect them to honour it?

jpsartre

tina360 wrote: »

Help.What should i do.

Wait for a refund and book a genuine fare.

Mrs_A_4

I got a ticket. I got a confirmation. I picked my seats. It's a contract. Next time there's a cheap deal on something should I not buy it and hold out for a more expensive one?

Just found this, for example, though it's American.

http://www.theflightdeal.com/2012/08/10/honoring-mistake-fares/

Dogger69

Mrs_A wrote: »

I got a ticket. I got a confirmation. I picked my seats. It's a contract. Next time there's a cheap deal on something should I not buy it and hold out for a more expensive one?

Just found this, for example, though it's American.

http://www.theflightdeal.com/2012/08/10/honoring-mistake-fares/

You don't seem willing to give us more information on how much you actually paid?

You would be better off Googling "obvious mistake in contract" than "how can I pull a fast one".

Mrs_A_4

I paid around £270. I've seen same route for around £450 with Air India. Proper cheap but hardly impossible to believe as a discount on a new route or whatever. Looks like I can say goodbye to the elephant tour. And the temples. And the sunrises...

jpsartre

If they came back a month later and said "oh wait, we made a mistake and will cancel your booking" I could see why people would be upset. As it happens, they dealt with it in about 48 hours. I don't blame people for trying it on but please have a bit of dignity and don't cry and moan about not getting something that was obviously priced incorrectly.