Thailand - Europe return for £140 in tax

**Lostandfound** · 26-05-2015, 08:00 PM

I didn't believe it either, but a Thai friend has booked Paris - Singapore via an online agent on eco G class (last leg re-routable) with Air India. Two tickets totsl cost 280 quid with full mileage accrual. Not a bad deal!

Obviously an airline pricing error. He is in Europe now, traveled here on EVA in biz class - fully flat bed etc. return fare was 20,000 baht (2 pax 40k baht inc into AMS)

EVA tried wriggling out but contractually bound to honour the tickets

All down to occasional data entry glitches. If I hear of any other anomolies I'll post!

**Exit Strategy** · 26-05-2015, 09:03 PM

Originally Posted by Lostandfound

I didn't believe it either, but a Thai friend has booked Paris - Singapore via an online agent on eco G class (last leg re-routable) with Air India. Two tickets totsl cost 280 quid with full mileage accrual. Not a bad deal!

Obviously an airline pricing error. He is in Europe now, traveled here on EVA in biz class - fully flat bed etc. return fare was 20,000 baht (2 pax 40k baht inc into AMS)

EVA tried wriggling out but contractually bound to honour the tickets

All down to occasional data entry glitches. If I hear of any other anomolies I'll post!

Not bad at all, good luck, wish all goes ok for your friend. I book directly with specific airlines online as it is so easy with ready profiles etc and reliable.

I never use online agents, even if their prices are always a bit or significantly lower - they might or might not deliver - and yes, there can always be the final "surcharge/documentation/whatever requred to proceed" after the (what you thought was) final click after you gave your credit card details (=paid). I think you might risk using online agents if your travel is not that important and you are desperate to save a few quid, but otherwise... (OK End of rant) )

But sometimes I pop into actual travel agency and ask about "promotions". If lucky, some interesting stuff might come up! Some wires might get crossed.... take the good offer right away (as long as you are sure YOU are not being scammed

) And check asap your booking shows up in whatever airline's system is...

**Lostandfound** · 26-05-2015, 11:28 PM

If it's obviously an erroneous fare its best to book with big online agency as they force airline to honour ticketed reservation. An agent in Thailand where consumers have less protection will not have the same clout

400 quid return business class to Europe from BKK gives airline motivation to stamp on a smsll agent as they are losing 1500 quid on each ticket sold

**toslti** · 27-05-2015, 09:42 AM

Unfortunately the days of mistake fares are over... in the US at least, a ruling has been made dy their DOT that airlines are no longer obliged to honour mistake fares.

Mistake Fares Are Officially Dead ? Now What? | Frugal Travel Guy

I can see other airlines persuading their ruling bodies to act in the same manner.

**Exit Strategy** · 27-05-2015, 04:20 PM

Originally Posted by Lostandfound

If it's obviously an erroneous fare its best to book with big online agency as they force airline to honour ticketed reservation. An agent in Thailand where consumers have less protection will not have the same clout

True. But you never know which is reliable "big online agency" as you never know if it's going to go under next week, has just changed ownership and everything has changed, or is just a front (I mean you must take time to study them, like check registered businesss addresses etc - time consuming, lots of hassle, etc and not worth it IMHO).

Also, online agent might just not be interested in your case and you migth have great difficulty even contacting them (especially difficult without working contact details

). Local agent might not have much clout but they might try harder to solve the problem. And you would know where to find them... to send strongly worded letter at least

Originally Posted by Lostandfound

400 quid return business class to Europe from BKK gives airline motivation to stamp on a smsll agent as they are losing 1500 quid on each ticket sold

In my experience (regularly flying between faraway destinations and mainly BKK sometimes in business and sometimes in cattle class (depending on situation...), bargaining position (as there are some problems occasionally) of business class customer is much better, since airlines get far higher profit margin from business class customers and want to keep them, and there are bound to be more empty business class seats so it's easier just to give empty seat or deny frequent miles upgrade to some poor soul. For this reason I would further recommend booking directly with actual airline or using local physical agent - some online third party agent might just not care. IMHO.

**Lostandfound** · 27-05-2015, 07:54 PM

The Air India rt Paris to Bkk at £180 is being honoured by last minute.com

The 20k baht return bkk to Amsterdam was honoured by ebookers despite heavy pressure by Eva to downgrade to eco or cancel

People who booked fare via Thai agents got shafted and lost their reservations on both BR and Air India according to thai mate who keeps abreast of this via closed forum group

Seems the big online have more clout.

**Exit Strategy** · 29-05-2015, 04:42 PM

I'm sorry to argue about this with you, but it was exactly this company - lastminute that made me dislike online agents - although this was many years ago, perhaps it is all different now...

I bought several LHR-BKK e-tickets from lastminute.co.uk as it was called back then (e-tickets specificially in order, since I would not buy any other).

After I paid, I got email "You will get paper tickets delivered within 2 weeks of departure date" = SCAM.

Even if I was gullible idiot just checking my mailbox for the tickets every day "2 weeks before departure" I could not have waited that long due to other arrangements.

So I complain immediately - please send valid e-tickets I paid for, or return the money. All I got was copy and paste and cannot this is our policy, procedure, cannot, cannot. I don't remember if there was working telephone number but if there was I sure called it number of times.

So I went UK Companies House registry (now changed to https://www.gov.uk/government/organi...ompanies-house) to check their real physical London address and contact details. Called several people there, long story in itself so skipping it here.

Considering my options, I found lastiminute was either Swedish-owned or has strong subsidiary there. Sweden has very strong customer protection laws and easy access to company information. So I went directly to management there and from that point on everything went fine, with many apologies. I got my tickets as promised ASAP.

I was considering taking legal action through credit card company, or directly as it was getting busy. I went through all this for the principle of it and the several tickets were not particularly cheap either.

But perhaps this year they are owned by respectable russian or nigerian family, so feel safe paying them - but I still avoid them like the plague.

So my recommendation remains,
1) book directly with airline
2) Check prices and routes with booking website that shows you prices and gives direct links to booking systems of real airline websites, and do the actual booking there. Like momondo.com - previously I thought all their links led to airline's own booking system which was great but sadly that does not seem to be the case anymore (they are bit confused with their business model?). But you can check realistic airline prices there and then go to said airline and make the booking.
3) As before, use real bricks-and-mortar agency close to you who might not have that much clout but will try harder to help you. This is also a bit more expensive but you get customer service and possibly info on some inside promotions.

Additionally,
d) If it seems too cheap, it probably is a scam

**Exit Strategy** · 29-05-2015, 04:58 PM

Originally Posted by Lostandfound

The Air India rt Paris to Bkk at £180 is being honoured by last minute.com

That would explain, having seen how unprofessionally lastminute (at least at that time) was ran, pricing error is a possibiility.

Another possibility is that they they tried to scam your friend but your friend had more clout than them and perhaps went my way.

**Horatio Hornblower** · 29-05-2015, 05:02 PM

If buying from UK just make sure the company is ATOL protected.

**Exit Strategy** · 29-05-2015, 05:14 PM

And just to mention, airline for LHR-BKK was BA ie. nothing dodgy there, and everything went fine with the flighth, and I want to mention good service for the family by BA. So, very clearly, without any doubt, it was the mentioned online agency trying to do the scam - only the good Swedes stopping them before legal action would have been taken.

**Lostandfound** · 20-08-2015, 06:23 PM

I booked BA on Expedia this morning ftom Frankfurt to Kuala Lumpur return via LHR in First class over Christmas for 45,000 thb

Ive received the booking confirmation. Waiting to see what BA does to wriggle out as it's obviously an error fare

**Dillinger** · 20-08-2015, 06:36 PM

So you have to make your way to Frankfurt then fly back to Heathrow then onto KL ?

Are you spending Xmas in Malaysia?

Fuck that for a game of soldiers

**Lostandfound** · 20-08-2015, 08:05 PM

A day or two in Frankfurt will be interesting. I'm planning on a ten week Asian (KL/Cambo mostly) trip so it's only a small inconvenience.

Being able to sleep on a reasonable flat bed makes it worth the hassle.

Also thefirst class mileage accrual will give me a free Europe ticket (just)

**Dillinger** · 20-08-2015, 08:39 PM

Good luck with it, they do have some nice Christmas Markets in Frankfurt, if you get stranded

**Exit Strategy** · 26-08-2015, 10:11 AM

Originally Posted by Lostandfound

A day or two in Frankfurt will be interesting

Hmm. Nothing to see there, better to sleep off your jetlag in hotel. Listen to Merkel speak on alles channel maybe 555

**ShrewedPunter** · 30-09-2015, 05:16 AM

The thought of traveling with "Air India" makes me shiver

**Lostandfound** · 14-10-2015, 04:22 AM

Ba cancelled the flight, claim its an error.

Meanwhile booked London-Barcelona-london-kL for £160 on BA. Not bad for three flights and circa 6500 miles

Gives a few nights in Bcn before heading off to Asia for the cold months

**baldrick** · 14-10-2015, 06:42 AM

some one mentioned the other week 380 pound returns to the UK with air china

**hazz** · 14-10-2015, 08:53 AM

Originally Posted by Lostandfound

Ba cancelled the flight, claim its an error.

Meanwhile booked London-Barcelona-london-kL for £160 on BA. Not bad for three flights and circa 6500 miles

Gives a few nights in Bcn before heading off to Asia for the cold months

Given that they took your money and accepted your business, one has to wonder what their rights are to say 'oops mistake' cancellation after so many days.

**Exit Strategy** · 16-10-2015, 01:26 AM

Originally Posted by hazz

Originally Posted by Lostandfound

Ba cancelled the flight, claim its an error.

Meanwhile booked London-Barcelona-london-kL for £160 on BA. Not bad for three flights and circa 6500 miles

Gives a few nights in Bcn before heading off to Asia for the cold months

Given that they took your money and accepted your business, one has to wonder what their rights are to say 'oops mistake' cancellation after so many days.

Oops... hope you best of luck but prepare for a scam. BA is not responsible for fake "sales" by some agent.

Key words: They took your money (the agent, not BA)...

**Lostandfound** · 16-10-2015, 01:46 AM

Expedia was the agent. Still arguing with BA via them to honour the booking

**Exit Strategy** · 17-10-2015, 06:51 AM

Originally Posted by Lostandfound

Expedia was the agent. Still arguing with BA via them to honour the booking

No point at all arguing with BA since it's expedia who sold you the tickets. Did you pay by credit card? Contact them and let them handle it.

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