Author Topic: Cheap Tickets to Israel - PRICE MISTAKE (maybe)!  (Read 279776 times)

Offline dhalpern1

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Re: Cheap Tickets to Israel - PRICE MISTAKE (maybe)!
« Reply #820 on: August 15, 2012, 12:13:41 PM »
If I have already HUCA'd a bunch of times and have been told that the non-stop I would like to change to doesn't have the correct class available, is there anything they can do to change that? Should I keep HUCAing?

Thanks.

Just called again was able to slightly expand my trip an extra couple days to include Presidents day and Purim, and am absolutely thrilled with that.

I am very impressed with how El Al handled all of this and the customer service has been very good. Will definitely continue to fly with them in the future, even at full price!

Offline JEWDA

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Re: Cheap Tickets to Israel - PRICE MISTAKE (maybe)!
« Reply #821 on: August 15, 2012, 12:15:41 PM »
I was quite surprised after calling the israeli #. I just spoke to one guy there and he was really rude the way he spoke to me. He was  yelling at me that there's only one flight avail. for me which is earlier than my current ticket. When I asked him to get onto the next morning flight at 01:00 he yelled at me again that he just told me what my only option is. I called back and they told me again only one flight, do you want it? no? ok enjoy your flight.
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Offline AsherO

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Re: Cheap Tickets to Israel - PRICE MISTAKE (maybe)!
« Reply #822 on: August 15, 2012, 12:22:39 PM »
From Mishpacha magazine

http://www.mishpacha.com/

How Dan Dealt
By Rachel Bachrach | Tuesday, August 14, 2012 It all started last Monday morning, when Daniel Eleff noticed a post on his website’s forum about super-cheap flights to Israel. The $330-price looked pretty incredible, so Daniel, who runs the popular bargain site Dan’s Deals, tested it out and posted it to his main page and social media site. It was then sent to 5,000 subscribers, many of whom get text messages with updates.

From there, the news spread like wildfire: El Al flights between November and March from several cities in America, including New York, were going for less than $400 on some sites. Getting the airline’s winter special at $800 is a good deal – it’s usually closer to $900 or $1000 – so this was indeed a bargain.
Within about an hour, Dan’s Deals was flooded. The site usually gets 30,000 hits daily, but on Monday, so many people — 135,000, to be exact — visited for information and updates, his server couldn’t handle the traffic and he had to take it down.

“It just snowballed,” the 27-year-old Cleveland resident says with a grin.

El Al hasn’t confirmed the number, but rumor has it that more than 5,000 tickets were booked via Expedia, Orbitz, and other agencies. Daniel booked tickets for Pesach. (He ended up cancelling them because the trip didn’t work with his schedule.) Daniel also booked two flights for his Israeli contractor, one for a visit, another for Yom Tov. “I called him over right away,” Daniel says. “Right now he’s very happy he’s working for me!”

He knows someone who called El Al and told a manager he felt bad taking advantage of the price. “The manager told him, ‘Don’t worry about it, enjoy Eretz Yisrael.’ ” Later, hundreds of people posted that they had booked, some for 25 family members to attend a well-timed simchah.

Very nice.

The Zman fiasco could've turned out this way :'(
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Offline Moishy36

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Re: Cheap Tickets to Israel - PRICE MISTAKE (maybe)!
« Reply #823 on: August 15, 2012, 01:36:50 PM »
now that we are not sure if direct will be in W class - can i change my connecting ticket with them?

Offline newcomer

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Re: Cheap Tickets to Israel - PRICE MISTAKE (maybe)!
« Reply #824 on: August 15, 2012, 01:53:13 PM »
you cannot check a direct LY flight.
Can I add my aa number to a direct flight?  or only at the airport?

Offline dhalpern1

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Re: Cheap Tickets to Israel - PRICE MISTAKE (maybe)!
« Reply #825 on: August 15, 2012, 02:23:12 PM »
Can I add my aa number to a direct flight?  or only at the airport?

Call El Al, thats how i did it.

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Re: Cheap Tickets to Israel - PRICE MISTAKE (maybe)!
« Reply #826 on: August 15, 2012, 02:27:07 PM »
Are they nice about doing it?  Guess I will, closet to the date I am flying.  Made them so crazy to switch the tickets, gonna wait till they can breath.  But HUCA worked!!  Got to and from EWR, even though in the begining they said returning to EWR wasn't an option.  Called the Isreali number, they got me flights, then said they couldn't book it, as I had made a change thru the NY office at first.  They gave me direct number to NY office and they did it for me right away. 

Offline JEWDA

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Re: Cheap Tickets to Israel - PRICE MISTAKE (maybe)!
« Reply #827 on: August 15, 2012, 02:28:47 PM »
You guys think they'll open up more flights closer to Aug. 31?
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Offline dhalpern1

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Re: Cheap Tickets to Israel - PRICE MISTAKE (maybe)!
« Reply #828 on: August 15, 2012, 02:28:55 PM »
Are they nice about doing it?  Guess I will, closet to the date I am flying.  Made them so crazy to switch the tickets, gonna wait till they can breath.  But HUCA worked!!  Got to and from EWR, even though in the begining they said returning to EWR wasn't an option.  Called the Isreali number, they got me flights, then said they couldn't book it, as I had made a change thru the NY office at first.  They gave me direct number to NY office and they did it for me right away.

It really depends on the agent that you get. Tons of HUCA on this thread.

Offline FoSho

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Re: Cheap Tickets to Israel - PRICE MISTAKE (maybe)!
« Reply #829 on: August 15, 2012, 02:56:38 PM »
When I added my baby it was $163 after taxes (which I’m assuming is 10% of current ticket price).

How did everyone get it for $15 per infant?

(I would kind of feel weird asking them to change it because of my cheap ticket, but if I do decide to call…)

Offline Jkhein

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Re: Cheap Tickets to Israel - PRICE MISTAKE (maybe)!
« Reply #830 on: August 15, 2012, 03:01:02 PM »
Why is everyone fliping out anout adding AA number,
Why cant you wait till the airport?

Offline GentleMohel

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Re: Cheap Tickets to Israel - PRICE MISTAKE (maybe)!
« Reply #831 on: August 15, 2012, 03:08:37 PM »
The rep I spoke to yesterday said I would be getting an email confirmation within a week. Is that normal? It sounds from here that people are getting their emails right away.

FTR, part of my decision to upgrade was the W fare that would earn me full mileage. I only gained a few hours each way so I'm not really "getting much" for my $150 but I am still happy to be giving El Al my business and help them recover some of their costs by moving away from codeshare.

Offline farmerjoe

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Cheap Tickets to Israel - PRICE MISTAKE (maybe)!
« Reply #832 on: August 15, 2012, 03:38:46 PM »
The rep I spoke to yesterday said I would be getting an email confirmation within a week. Is that normal? It sounds from here that people are getting their emails right away.
They told me a week as well.

Offline enJay

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Re: Cheap Tickets to Israel - PRICE MISTAKE (maybe)!
« Reply #833 on: August 15, 2012, 03:41:26 PM »
The rep I spoke to yesterday said I would be getting an email confirmation within a week. Is that normal? It sounds from here that people are getting their emails right away.


They told me 24 hours (yesterday,) still no email but the website reflects the changes, and my card has been billed.

Offline GentleMohel

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Re: Cheap Tickets to Israel - PRICE MISTAKE (maybe)!
« Reply #834 on: August 15, 2012, 04:03:31 PM »
They told me 24 hours (yesterday,) still no email but the website reflects the changes, and my card has been billed.

I just got a call from my credit card company that they declined the $150 charge because of possible fraud. I told them to allow the charge. Do I have to call back El Al to resubmit the cc info?

Offline Mtl18

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Re: Cheap Tickets to Israel - PRICE MISTAKE (maybe)!
« Reply #835 on: August 15, 2012, 05:03:58 PM »
I booked with Vayama and while the charge was pending online for a few days it has disappeared and there is no charge on my C.C. However I received a ticket confirmation email that day and I am able to currently  view my full itinerary with seats etc... on both Vayama and El Al website. On El Al it says status as 'recorded' but that the ticket has been charged to C.C. and paid for. On A.A. I am unable to f ind any record of my ticket.
I  just called Vayama and the person confirmed that everything is fine and it does not show on AA because the ticket is from El Al. However it seems others are able to view their ticket on AA.
I tried calling El Al to switch it a couple days ago and the person had my name and booking on file but said that  the department to change my flight to direct flight was closed and to call back.
I sent an email to El AL last night asking about changing my flight and have not heard back yet.
I dont have the time to wait on hold. How do I confirm that my ticket is indeed valid?

Offline JEWDA

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Re: Cheap Tickets to Israel - PRICE MISTAKE (maybe)!
« Reply #836 on: August 15, 2012, 05:09:05 PM »
I booked with Vayama and while the charge was pending online for a few days it has disappeared and there is no charge on my C.C. However I received a ticket confirmation email that day and I am able to currently  view my full itinerary with seats etc... on both Vayama and El Al website. On El Al it says status as 'recorded' but that the ticket has been charged to C.C. and paid for. On A.A. I am unable to f ind any record of my ticket.
I  just called Vayama and the person confirmed that everything is fine and it does not show on AA because the ticket is from El Al. However it seems others are able to view their ticket on AA.
I tried calling El Al to switch it a couple days ago and the person had my name and booking on file but said that  the department to change my flight to direct flight was closed and to call back.
I sent an email to El AL last night asking about changing my flight and have not heard back yet.
I dont have the time to wait on hold. How do I confirm that my ticket is indeed valid?
Call the Israeli number
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Offline Mtl18

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Re: Cheap Tickets to Israel - PRICE MISTAKE (maybe)!
« Reply #837 on: August 15, 2012, 05:12:14 PM »
I dont want to tell them that my card has not been charged. If I call and ask to change my flight, I would indirectly find out whether my ticket is valid, no?

Offline Bp

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Re: Cheap Tickets to Israel - PRICE MISTAKE (maybe)!
« Reply #838 on: August 15, 2012, 05:14:46 PM »
I dont want to tell them that my card has not been charged. If I call and ask to change my flight, I would indirectly find out whether my ticket is valid, no?
you have a elal PNR?

Offline Mtl18

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Re: Cheap Tickets to Israel - PRICE MISTAKE (maybe)!
« Reply #839 on: August 15, 2012, 05:16:17 PM »