Expensive mistake - learn from my lesson UPDATE

[ILoveMyDVC]

Ding fare came out today - dropped my total fare (2 tickets) 170.00. We're going to have the fly out the night before which will be okay . AND, Southwest agreed to put the credit back on my card!
A big thanks to SWA and to those of you that offered encouragement.






How psyched I was when I booked a trip for my family via SWA June 23 to July 3. I had to play the DING game a few times. Finally got everyone on 100 rt tickets and then decided to fly my daughter and myself to MCO earlier -even posted about the rental car charge increase.
Well, tonight as we pulled into the Chinese restaurant, my daughter said, mommy, I looked at the thing you sent me and it says we're departing from Orlando on the 23rd.....We live in Rhode Island. After a frantic call to SWA and a frantic drive home...I changed to reservation to the correct order for a lovely additional charge of 380.00 I just paid more for the correction in my ticket than I am paying to fly my husband, son and mom combined. And the chance of a DING now are slim to none. Learn from my mistake - check and recheck (and if you'll excuse my sour grapes, it S^cks that SWA doesn't list the flights on the payment page just the passenger names). I've always been paranoid that I'd have the wrong date or month or place. The agent said it's a very, very common error....

 

[winniethepoohsmom]

That's a bummer especially after waiting around for dings and getting a great rate.

 

[dogsmom]

Wow! you just made me look at our ressies to make sure they are correct.
Yep they are

 

[lyzziesmom]

In my experience, a lot of dings come about 2 to 3 weeks prior to the flight, so there is a good chance you might still get one.

Good luck!

 

[tinkerbellmagic]

I am so very sorry that happened. I agree with you that SWA should put the flight info on the payment page. I think about that every time I press that button.

tink

 

[cbrfan]

So sorry that happened to you. Another poster got a surprise fare from SW today so hopefully if you keep checking you'll get a better price. I'm sending some pixie dust your way.

 

[TDC Nala]

I did this, I booked a flight for Labor Day on September 2. Labor Day is September 3.

So I cancelled it and rebooked it on Jet Blue for the proper day.

 

[ILoveMyDVC]

I've been beating myself up since it happened....my husband dragged me back to the restaurant I fled when I discovered the mistake. I foolishly decided I would rather not eat tonight on the start of my quest to 'earn' the money back and to punish myself for making such an error (oh, and I'd lose some weight, too ) Anyway, we're back home and I logged back on to read 6 very nice replies from 6 very nice people.
Thank you.

 

[skjuls]

I have done this twice.

I was in Louisville and then it say departing from Baltimore to Louisville. After I did it once, I vowed to be more careful. However, I did it again in February.

My problem is Baltimore is up at the top and Louisville is in the middle of the Ding page and I just get excited when a DING fare pops up.

It's very frustrating!!

But I have used my travel credits from my mistake so no worries! and sometimes I pay a bit more.

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

I agree that Southwest needs to put the itinerary that is being purchased on the last page where the PAY button is located. I've not made your error yet but I'm always worried that I'm going to!

BobK/Orlando

 

[PatMcDuck]

I did it once, too. Booked my trip in reverse. I noticed it the same day, and was able to get credit and rebook for same price, I was lucky!

 

[cloverkat]

I'm sorry this happened to you.I am a nervous wreck every time I am purchasing airline tickets for this very reason. I've never had to change a flight due to incorrect dates yet but I have been hit with some pretty steep change fees when I had to change my flights before.Because of change fees last year we ended up paying $350 each to fly from Flint to Orlando. I've never paid anywhere near that much for a domestic flight.

 

[MAGGIED]

Add me to the group that did this on SWA also... I caught mine withing minutes of booking and was able to call them... they didn't charge me any fees but I did have to rebook right then and the fares were higher than I would have paid on a normal basis....ugh!!!!

 

[MarylandMommy]

Check and recheck with Southwest! New fares pop up all the time, even for just a couple of hours. When I fly, I check and re-check their schedule and sometimes I get it less than a ding price. I was checking for a flight in October and thought I'd just check on a flight I had in July and it was $34 one way. Less than any ding I've ever gotten from BWI (Baltimore). Keep checking and checking!!!!! Good luck!!
BTW, I accidently deleated our car reservation one time and ended up paying $50 for the same car. I know how you feel!

 

[5boyz]

Ok I just checked my flights, they are both fine.....sorry to hear that happened to you....I would have done the same thing, left the restaraunt...lol,keep looking for your dings or summer specials. I got a summer special on May 25th for $34. one way from buffalo.

 

[zurgswife]

I've done it before but it wasn't on SWA...I was up a creek without a paddle. No way to rebook without huge change of fare fees....I lost almost $600 on this mistake....

 

[dcfromva]

ILoveMyDVC,
I'm sorry this happened to you. (I'm hoping you'll still be able to get a Ding! fare.)
ITA the flights should be listed on the payment page. Kuddos to your DD for pointing out the discrepancy--give her a really big hug! It would have been worse if you didn't realize the mistake until you tried to print out your boarding passes. By then, you would have been paying full fare (if the plane was not already full)... so your DD has really saved the day!

-DC

 

[2Princes2Princesses]

Sorry to hear this happened. Ugh. I also wish they would put the flight info on the payment page. And DH wonders why I recheck our reservations 50 times after I make them. I have this overwhelming fear I booked us on the wrong date, wrong time, wrong city. lol

 

[faindrops27]

I did this, I booked a flight for Labor Day on September 2. Labor Day is September 3.

So I cancelled it and rebooked it on Jet Blue for the proper day.

TDCNALA,
I love your sigg's how or where do you find this stuff. I want some things in my signature like that!!TIA

 

[jmpellet]

I was looking over someone's shoulder at work where she was showing me her flights which were around the same period as our free dining trip. She had booked herself going out of PVD on Sunday and returning the very next day. She may have never noticed until it was too late!