Is Delta Airlines Using Bait and Switch Tactics?

[700UW]

Is Delta Airlines Using Bait and Switch Tactics?

 
A funny thing happened to me this morning, while I was trying to book a round-trip flight from New York to Salt Lake City. After finding a low $324 fare, selecting my seats, entering my personal information, providing my credit card and hitting Submit, I got this message:
 
The fare quoted earlier of $324.30 has changed. The new fare for this itinerary is $383.20. To continue your purchase click Continue. Otherwise click Start Over to return to the Reservations input screen and select different dates and times. After accepting the fare change, you may need to re-select your seats.
 
Huh? This was like going into BestBuy, telling the salesman you want a $399 color TV, going to the cash register, handing over your credit card, and then having the cashier telling you that the new price of the TV was $499. No business in the world changes the price of a product after a customer has agreed to pay the quoted price.

 
http://www.forbes.com/sites/brucekasanoff/2014/08/07/is-delta-airlines-using-bait-and-switch-tactics/
 
Now wait for it, wait for it.
 

 

[yoyodyne]

Is Delta Airlines Using Bait and Switch Tactics?
 
http://www.forbes.com/sites/brucekasanoff/2014/08/07/is-delta-airlines-using-bait-and-switch-tactics/
 
Now wait for it, wait for it.
 
 

LOL,
 
 
Parker is using the same tactics, sorta, you expect AA level service, but wind up with US/HP service...

 

[737823]

Who is Delta Airlines?  There is no Delta Airlines.  I only know of Atlanta, GA based Delta Air Lines.
 
Josh

 

[737823]

Its not a bait and switch topic.  When the customer searched the inventory/availability for the lower fare was there.  Either someone else purchased the fare or the RM system loaded a different fare.  See if you actually were a revenue Delta passenger you would know that their website clearly indicates fares are subject to change until the ticketing process is complete, as is the case with all airlines.  Is it frustrating?  Absolutely.  But this is hardly newsworthy or unique to Delta Air Lines.
 
Josh

 

[700UW]

Who is Delta Airlines?  There is no Delta Airlines.  I only know of Atlanta, GA based Delta Air Lines.
 
Josh

So who is US Air?

There is no US Air, there is US Airways since 1996.
 
Hypocrite.
 

 

[700UW]

Its not a bait and switch topic.  When the customer searched the inventory/availability for the lower fare was there.  Either someone else purchased the fare or the RM system loaded a different fare.  See if you actually were a revenue Delta passenger you would know that their website clearly indicates fares are subject to change until the ticketing process is complete, as is the case with all airlines.  Is it frustrating?  Absolutely.  But this is hardly newsworthy or unique to Delta Air Lines.
 
Josh

And I guess you didnt read the article, the person had it happen to them twice once on Delta.com and once on Orbitz.
 
Try again. 
 
Are you missing your bromance Partner Tim?

 

[robbedagain]

Dont knw bout that last part but there is a model kit of a DC-6 by Roden w Delt Airlines decals.. I knw bec I have the kit!

 

[eolesen]

Back to something closer to the topic... It's odd to have the price change after you've booked, but it's entirely entirely possible to see the price change between shopping queries.

It's not too far off to see a scenario by which the first time you search for a price it will be $200, and as you keep returning, your IP address or DL login gets recognized and it's now $220 or $250. DL knows from repeated requests you are probably not just browsing, but actually shopping.

I've seen live examples of this with other carriers in the last year, and as dynamic revenue management and customer-specific fare quoting take hold, you're probably going to see more and more of it.

 

[robbedagain]

E  what are some of the common causes of the price changes like that?   I know fuel has a role in it.   for example  I brought a WN tkt round trip BWI-MCO for Aug 18 for 4 nites  the air fare alone was (1 Senior, 2 adults and 1 12 yr old) with the early bird check in for less than 1200.  round trip w taxes included

 

[eolesen]

The reason for price changes is called "getting customers to pay as much as you can get them to pay for the seat"... External factors like fuel aren't going to be driving daily changes. It's all about demand. If demand goes up, you raise the price.

You paid less than $300 per person for a 900 mile trip with Early Bird? Entirely reasonable from a consumer perspective. You couldn't drive yourself for 16c per mile.

From what I've seen, WN doesn't tweak their pricing to the degree others do. Not sure if it's a system limitation or if it's just their brand & culture at work. They also supposedly don't do schedule change tweaks inside their booking window...

 

[robbedagain]

thanks E