Cheap airfares offered

[friedbergdvah 0]

tough crowd!

[sing 0]

 

I just tried priceline.com - they only do flights starting in the USA - so it's not possibility to book Munich-Dublin-Munich. Also it is not name your price any more - they "negotiate" a best price for you as you wait - pretty similar to other web sites.

 

So just to test it, I got a price form priceline.com for New York-Dublin-New York return - same dates 5th, 15th September. It gave me a price of US$667 with Delta Airlines - much better than the Aer Lingus option for the same dates of 819.27 Euro.

Hm? I thought they still offer the name your own price option, though now they also have the "regular" option that operates like Opodo, Expedia, etc.

 

And they do have a few other international websites, not only the US one with the US departure airports. But never mind.

[KäptnKnitterbart 45]

You know, Collin, for all your know-it-alling in this thread, you seem very naive about a lot of things -- Opodo is owned by the very airlines and some of the reservation systems you claimed to be an expert on in all of this.

 

http://opodo.com/about/shareholders.html

[colinmanning 200]

 

Hm? I thought they still offer the name your own price option, though now they also have the "regular" option that operates like Opodo, Expedia, etc.

 

And they do have a few other international websites, not only the US one with the US departure airports. But never mind.

You are right, there is still a "Name Your own Price" possibility - I guess you must first create a profile to get to it.

 

However there are no sign of international sites. Both priceline.de and priceline.co.uk bring you straight to "Active Hotels" - an online hotel booking company that priceline bought some years ago - no flight possibilities.

[colinmanning 200]

 

You know, Collin, for all your know-it-alling in this thread, you seem very naive about a lot of things -- Opodo is owned by the very airlines and some of the reservation systems you claimed to be an expert on in all of this.

 

http://opodo.com/about/shareholders.html

I'm not sure why you see this as relevant to the discussion here.. The point is that Opodo et al. are marking the price above the Aer Lingus price (in the cadse of Opodo by a scandalous amount). The reason I went looking at Opodo and Expedia was to expose the nonsence that the guy can offer a price 69 Euros below the airline's quoted lowest price. In other words, the travel agencies must mark up the Aer Lingus price to make a profit, and so confirming that the Aer Lingus web site statement that their web site is the lowest possible price for Aer Lingus seats is correct, and the prices the guy was quoting could not be possible without him losing mega bucks.

[sing 0]

 

You are right, there is still a "Name Your own Price" possibility - I guess you must first create a profile to get to it.

 

However there are no sign of international sites. Both priceline.de and priceline.co.uk bring you straight to "Active Hotels" - an online hotel booking company that priceline bought some years ago - no flight possibilities.

Try www.priceline.com.hk, www.priceline.com.sg, www.priceline.com.tw. There is an English language option on the Hong Kong and Taiwan sites.

[colinmanning 200]

Again, these sites only let you book flights from the respective home country - Hong Kong, Singapore or Taiwan. So still no possibility with priceline to book a flight from a European country.

[sing 0]

Yes. Previously, I meant to say that there are other possibilities besides the US departure options. (EDIT) Because you said "they (priceline) only do flights starting from the US". I should have clarified that there are other possibilites besides US, but out of the other possibilities, none from Munich.

[planetmoni 5]

 

I thought it was hilarious (though I would hate to be at the wrong end of the stick!!!)

agree. (but i do think someone must be really bored at work.)

[L8knight 28]

Don't tase me bro!

 

Personally I jump around a bunch of sites shopping fares then comparing them to the website's advertised price. Most of the time the airline's site is the cheapest. I spent 2 days looking for airfare for my return home to Chicago... finally got my tickets for 466€ through Cheaptickets.de (although normally they don't have the better price). Lastminute.de is usually pretty good. What I don't like is they don't display the price with ALL fees (including theirs) until the time to collect your money. So you have to go through a few steps to really see what you're paying.

[Orla_inka 4,637]

 

(but i do think someone must be really bored at work.)

Well, for me it is either this or housework, guess who/what wins hands down any time?

[colinmanning 200]

 

What I don't like is they don't display the price with ALL fees (including theirs) until the time to collect your money. So you have to go through a few steps to really see what you're paying.

This practice is supposed to become illegal in the EU from some time next year - they will be obliged to show the price in full including taxes, and all extras. It will be interesting to see how Ryanair deal with this.

[Orla_inka 4,637]

 

It will be interesting to see how Ryanair deal with this.

Aer Lingus is doing exactly the same thing. As are other airlines.

[Small Town Boy 6,672]

 

so confirming that the Aer Lingus web site statement that their web site is the lowest possible price for Aer Lingus seats is correct, and the prices the guy was quoting could not be possible without him losing mega bucks.

You haven't proved that at all. You've only proved that the Aer Lingus website is the cheapest online option. You need to phone up a few High Street travel agents first before you declare that the price quoted by pak_wiz is impossible. It seems unlikely to me that he would be selling tickets for a loss.

 

 

This practice is supposed to become illegal in the EU from some time next year - they will be obliged to show the price in full including taxes, and all extras. It will be interesting to see how Ryanair deal with this.

Do try and keep up; it is already illegal in the UK and Ryanair are abiding by the law. Their prices include taxes and fees.

 

[Fluffy Bunny 0]

 

It seems unlikely to me that he would be selling tickets for a loss.

you're assuming he is even selling tickets at all...

[Small Town Boy 6,672]

Well that is indeed my reservation, rather than whether the prices are possible or not.

[Orla_inka 4,637]

 

Do try and keep up; it is already illegal in the UK and Ryanair are abiding by the law. Their prices include taxes and fees.

 

You have shown page one of the Ryanair booking. Page two is same - confirming.

 

On page three you get to the perks.

I have gone for the no-frills, but have splurged on a 15-kilo(max) suitcase (well it is Christmas after all) which will set me back another €15. Then the cost for paying by credit card - €5. So my €0.00 flight will cost me €35 after all is said and done. I know, cheap at the price, but not 100% up front, as you say.

 

[Small Town Boy 6,672]

Sure, but those fees are variable depending on how much luggage you take or how you pay. The core complaint of prices being shown exclusive of taxes and fees has been addressed.

[berlinender 105]

How about a flight from Berlin - Liverpool 19th Sept return 21/22 Sept?

[colinmanning 200]

 

You haven't proved that at all. You've only proved that the Aer Lingus website is the cheapest online option. You need to phone up a few High Street travel agents first before you declare that the price quoted by pak_wiz is impossible. It seems unlikely to me that he would be selling tickets for a loss.

 

Do try and keep up; it is already illegal in the UK and Ryanair are abiding by the law. Their prices include taxes and fees.

 

OK, I've had enough of the crap such as this - I've tried to be diplomatic and restrained, but garbage such as this, pushes me over the edge.

 

1. I have proved it - Opodo is a mega ticket booker - probably booking thousands of tickets a day, and will command the best deals you can get form the airlines. They have no rental costs, and minimum staff costs, so if they can't undercut the airline, not high street one can, and in particular some chancer who is either intentionally conning people, or is not competent enough to see that there is no market in an individual starting up a travel agency - has no chance of getting deals - in particular 30% off the airlines quoted lowest fare.

 

2. Ryanair still quote fares at 0 Euros, 1 Cent etc., ans show that on the initial page after you request a quote. This will be illegal under the new EU legislation. Companies like Aer Lingus, Easyjet and Air Berlin make the cost including taxes visible immediately - however they do not fully comply with things like baggage costs, credit card costs etc. The UK legsislation is not the same as the impending new legislation, published 3 or 4 weeks ago. So mate, I am up to date and you are either not or you are just being a pain in the ass.

 

3. It is likely that this guy either has'nt a clue how to run a bisuness, or he intents to take people's money and run - they are the only two possibilities, and I don't have an opinion on which is the case. So I suggest you go to a travel agent, request the same flight we've been working with, and report back the price you get.