OT: Plane Ticket Pricing Policy - What A Rip-Off!

[Marilyn Manson]

SWMBO has to fly to visit her ailing Mom. We have some plane fare money stashed with United from a trip that was cancelled back in 2020, so I said "Have some fun...fly First Class."

The trip will consist of a flight from our local airport to ORD then on to the final destination. A standard "Economy" ticket is $350, First Class (FC) is $650.

The flight she wants to take does not have any FC seats on the first leg. It's not that they are sold out of FC seats, it's that the plane that they are using doesn't have FC seats. The best you can get is a "Preferred Seat" such as an aisle seat with more leg room. Those seats are available to anyone that wants to pay an extra $20.

Here's the ridiculous part(s): Not only do you pay the full $650, even though there are no FC seats on the first leg of the trip, they actually charge you the extra $20 (plus tax) for a Preferred seat on the first leg.

The United rep said that it is considered a "through flight" so if you book FC, you are considered FC on both legs, even if one of the legs uses a plane without FC seats. Preferred seats are not FC seats, so if you want a Preferred seat, you have to pay extra for it. "Extra", as in above and beyond the "extra" you are already paying for FC without getting a FC seat. The best she could offer was a different flight that has FC seats on both legs - at 5 AM and with a layover of close to 3 hours.

SWMBO said "Screw them!" and paid the Economy fare plus $40 for Preferred seats on both legs.

[Wade Garrett]

Truly astounding how some companies let their accounting-types- guys who lack any measure social intelligence or understanding of the psychology of how to treat customers- set rules and make policy!

[Marilyn Manson]

The rep kept telling us that the "system" treats it as a 'through flight' so that is how the pricing calculation is done. I guess if you blame the "system" you supposedly remove the "people" from the process.

I calmly informed her that:

1 - It's "people" that wrote the program that does the calculations so it's "people" that can fix it. 2 - It's "people" - like you - that should be able to discount a portion of the flight or do something creative to make up for the difference.

Rep: "I apologize, the only thing I can do is help you book a different flight." Me: "Isn't there a fee if I book the flight through you?" Rep: "Yes, but I can waive that fee." Me: "It would be better if you could waive the First Class charge on the first leg of the flight we are trying to book since First Class isn't even an option." Rep: "I'm sorry sir, that is not something that I am able to do. The system won't allow it."

[Ed Pawlowski]

I've been in FC quite a few times and never paid for it. They have ways in some circumstances.

One trip every passenger was in FC. Los Angeles to DC in a 747 with 10 people.

[gfretwell]

That difference is shown in the first class price which is typically 3 times a regular coach. I also avoid those regional carriers in the little Buddy Holly planes whenever possible. They are pilots who couldn't make it in the "bigs" or simply don't have enough hours.

[Ralph Mowery]

Sometimes it is the computers that will not work with the people. The agent sometimes does not have much of a way around it.

At work we filled out our time cards on the computer. I worked something odd and computer would not take it. Talked with the 'computer woman' about 5 times that day. She finally asked if she could put it in the computer a certain way and I would get the money even though it showed time and hours that I was not even at the plant.

[micky]

Good for her. She can save the 300 for a fc flight when that's the whole way. And, you shouldn't cooperate with people who have crackopot rules.

[Marilyn Manson]

Not even twice in this case.

However, what is interesting is that the same flight from my local airport to ORD as a single flight is $349. Continue on to the west coast from ORD and the _total_ cost goes *down* to $344. The leg from ORD to SFO is $5 better than free.

IOW, if you book the 7:00 AM flight from XYZ to ORD and I book the 7:00 AM flight from XYZ to SFO, we will be on the same plane to ORD. However, you will pay $349 just to get to ORD and I will pay a total of $344 to go to ORD then switch planes and fly to SFO.

'splain that one to me. ;-)

That does not apply in this case. Our local airport is an International airport with Customs and Border Patrol on site. Both legs of the flight we're discussing are UA flights.

[Marilyn Manson]

To some extend, I have to cooperate. After this flight, they will still hold over $1500 of my money which has to be used up by YE 2022. Some of it will be used, assuming that SWMBO decides to come home from her Mom's, but we're still going to have about a grand's worth of flights to book in the next year. Luckily we can apply the credits to anyone we want (which doesn't include you, so don't ask) so I'm guessing that one or more of my kids is going to fly for free at some point.

[gfretwell]

Dunno, flight prices are strange. When we were in California I had tickets for Reno to LAX to Fla. I wanted to dump the Reno to LAX leg and they told me the ticket would cost more if I did, not a change fee, just the ticket price. I hung up and called right back. I got another lady who said "no problem, I will leave your ticket the same and trick up the flight so it looks like you flew to LA". Avis was a little confused when I turned the car in at LAX but that worked out OK too. No extra charge. When I was in Phoenix I turned in a Phoenix to DC ticket for LAX to DC and got almost enough money back to rent a car for a month. It turned a business trip into an extra 3 weeks of vacation in Arizona on IBM's dime. That made a little more sense tho I suppose LAX > IAD was a more popular route.