Advertised Price Not Available To Buy

Flight_Justice_Please

My fiancee and I tried three times yesterday (morning, lunchtime and evening) to book some flights at a price which was advertised by the airline all day and was also advertising through flight search sites.

When we reached the point of entering our card details and clicking "Complete Purchase" button, a message appeared to say that the price had risen (within pennies of doubling) and we could either buy at the new price or change our booking.

I called the airline today and neither bookings nor complaints could do anything to help. I was told by the bookings person that the price isn't confirmed until payment is processed. I pointed out that they are not allowed to advertise something they have no intention of selling but it fell on deaf ears. The price has now gone up on the website.

What can I do now? I have timed and dated screenshots of the whole process.

Thanks!

ttoli

Not all travel companies Websites are "Live" , sometimes it takes a while for the reservation systems scrapers to update the fares, Did you delete your cookies are re-try ?

antenna

Were your three attempts direct to the airline,and what airline was it?

Westin

Was it with an airline site or were you trying to book via a 3rd party on line travel business? There are some very dubious OTAs that advertise flights at prices that don't exist.

Flight_Justice_Please

Thanks for your replies.

I didn't delete cookies and re-try but the three attempts were actually all from different computers in different locations. Approximately 2 hours passed between the first two attempts and then approximately 6 hours before the third.

I think that my fiancee tried on the airline's website. That's certainly where both of my attempts were made.

I guess it can't hurt to name the airline since I'm reporting facts and have evidence to support them. It was Delta.

Westin

Unfortunately, even assuming this was the delta.com website rather than one of the OTAs that appear as advertising links in search engine results, Delta are not obligated to sell you the ticket at the 'advertised' price.

It sounds like perhaps a mistake or that the fares hasn't been refreshed in the system if that fare class was now full when you attempted to purchase. I use delta.com frequently and have to say that in my experience I haven't come across any fare errors like the one you describe. The fare quoted on a search comes through as the fare I book at.

It was good that you took screen shot. You of course could contact their customer services team and if you wish Trading Standards to report the error but I don't believe this will really change your situation or get you the flights at the price you say you saw. The screen shots will be useful in this regard.

Although Delta have a UK office in Hammersmith it seems that customer services is dealt with from their (Air France's actually) office in Paris.

This is the address although only you can decide how much of a fight you want to put up.

Delta Europe Customer Care Centre, TSA 21235, 75564 Paris, Cedex 12, France.

Flight_Justice_Please

Many thanks

I understand that it's possible for them to sell out of a fare class while I'm in the process of trying to buy them. That has happened to me before. That's definitely not what happened here though.

I will continue pursuing this for now. I don't honestly expect to get the flights but it seems so wrong to let them get away with it.

richardw

Delta is an enormous airline and has a lot of website traffic, I find it best to book in the morning when Honolulu is in Bed and Boston isn't up yet.