Flight booking follies

[dr_whom]

So I was trying, this afternoon, to book a flight for NWAV in Chicago the weekend of October 24th, and having a bad time doing it.

First I try to book a flight on Porter Airlines, the low-cost airline I usually use, which flies out of the Toronto City Airport—but for some reason all of their flights from Chicago to Toronto in the afternoon of October 26th are over $700. (I've never before seen a one-way flight on Porter that wasn't available for under $200.)

Then I try to use CheapOAir to find an affordable flight. I click on one round trip that's about $300 and fits my schedule—but between when I select it and when I enter my credit card information, it becomes sold out and I can't buy it. I click on another, and this time by the time I enter my credit card info, the price has changed from $300 to over $1600. (Fortunately it gives me a chance to opt out at that point rather than just charging my credit card the full $1600.)

That was this afternoon. I tried it again just now, one last check before going to bed, and got the same results. Oh well, time for bed.

And then my phone rings at 1:30am—someone's calling from CheapOAir to say 'we noticed just now that you selected a flight on our website and then canceled the transaction because the price changed, I'm calling to help you find a flight that meets your needs,' and she proceeds to run through the same list of possibilities I saw on the website myself (do I want to fly at 6am, or on a different day, or change planes in Washington DC, or…). Once I realized she wasn't going to just sell me the ticket I wanted at the originally-advertised price, I had to say 'You just called me at 1:30am, that's not okay, I'm going to bed, I'll think about this later' more than once before she got the message.

I guess I appreciate CheapOAir's eagerness to help me find a flight that I can afford, but… seriously, who thought phoning a customer at 1:30am would be a goodwill-generating business strategy? Who does that?

Comments

[tiamat360.livejournal.com]

Then I try to use CheapOAir to find an affordable flight. I click on one round trip that's about $300 and fits my schedule—but between when I select it and when I enter my credit card information, it becomes sold out and I can't buy it. I click on another, and this time by the time I enter my credit card info, the price has changed from $300 to over $1600. (Fortunately it gives me a chance to opt out at that point rather than just charging my credit card the full $1600.)

that kind of sounds like a bait-and-switch scam to me :(

[cynara-linnaea.livejournal.com]

That's ridiculous. Both the questionable bit with the changing prices, and also the calling at 1:30am. Good grief.

In other news, have you got any time outside NWAV to hang out in Chi-town? If you do wind up having to stay an extra night, I have a futon.

[dr_whom]

I'm probably okay for crash space—my sister's living in Chicago now—but I appreciate the offer! And it'd be great to hang out; I'll definitely keep you posted on what my schedule ends up being. (Fortunately staying an extra night is compatible with my schedule; I don't teach on Mondays this semester.)