Delta overcharged?

[sam_gordon]

In case you haven't heard...

http://travel.usatoday.com/flights/post/2012/05/delta-overcharges-some-fliers-because-of-computer-glitch/695130/1


I love this part...

Customers who think they were affected by the glitch should contact Delta with proof of a price discrepancy. The airline will make refunds on a case-by-case basis.

Because there is such a discrepancy (even when things work right) with ticket prices, how would a passenger have proof?

 

[Sandi]

Wow. As a fairly loyal Delta customer, I always check prices by logging in. I guess I won't do that anymore (even if they "fixed" the problem). How would anyone know there was a price discrepancy unless they were doing exactly what the guys in the story did -- and how often does that happen?! I have no proof, but I feel like I could have been snookered in one or more of the last several Delta flights I've made.

 

[bdklein]

Whose to say that FF should get lower airfares?? Many businesses give new customers discounts or other incentives. Seems like that was what Delta was doing here.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Whose to say that FF should get lower airfares?? Many businesses give new customers discounts or other incentives. Seems like that was what Delta was doing here.

Frequent flyers are the backbone of the airline industry. If discounts are offered to a certain class of PAX, it should be them, rather than someone who flies once a year, if that.

I remember something similar happened on Amazon years ago.

 

[sam_gordon]

Whose to say that FF should get lower airfares?? Many businesses give new customers discounts or other incentives. Seems like that was what Delta was doing here.

Keep in mind those businesses (cell phone, cable/satellite providers, etc) are selling a long term contract. Not quite the same business model as airlines.

If non-FF get better deals than FF, what's the incentive to join FF?

 

[bdklein]

Frequent flyers are the backbone of the airline industry. If discounts are offered to a certain class of PAX, it should be them, rather than someone who flies once a year, if that.

Why? they aready have that customer. They are looking for new customers.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Why? they aready have that customer. They are looking for new customers.

No, that's not the business model for airlines. Frequent flyers, especially business travelers, are where they make their money. Someone who travels once or twice a year and goes with the lowest fare doesn't have any loyalty to the brand. If you have ever been an elite member of a frequent flyer program, you would see how the airlines go out of their way to make your travel more pleasant to keep you as a customer (free upgrades, more help for re-bookings, preferred seating, bonus FF miles, etc.). Even frequent flyers jump ship (check out the United Airlines forums on flyertalk,com; many very high level elites are moving to other airlines because of all the problems caused by the Continental/United merger), so the airlines try hard to keep their most loyal customers.