{DEAD} Delta Price Mistake

[Proisrael]

In Orbitz initial email they say and I quote "Please note: This is NOT a ticket, and may not be used at check in. Your electronic ticket will arrive shortly in a separate email. You do not need to contact us to confirm your reservation" So as you can see I do not need to call to confirm.....Then the email that canceled the ticket blamed it on availability yet Delta shows plenty of availability......

[cooljoe613]

Spoke to Orbitz, and they blamed Delta. Spoke to Delta, and they blamed Orbitz. Got Orbitz and Delta on the phone together, and Delta conceded that when they said they were honoring the fares, it was only for reservations that had been ticketed. Orbitz said that they didn't "ticket" my reservation, because the didn't get the necessary confirmation from Delta, which means that Delta wasn't allowing them to ticket the fare as booked.  So if I understand correctly, Delta is telling the world that they're honoring the fares, but in reality, they only meant that they're honoring the fare IF they have actually been ticketed already, and if they could stop anyone before a fare was ticketed, then they would do so.

this makes sense, as there required by law to honer e tickets but not reservations that don't yet have an e ticket.

[milechazzer]

this makes sense, as there required by law to honer e tickets but not reservations that don't yet have an e ticket.

So under law, they're not required to honor it until it's been ticket. But it's still very disingenuous for Delta to declare that they're honoring these fares, but then stop Orbitz from issuing the tickets.

[milechazzer]

This is from the DOT's frequently asked questions.....

Does the prohibition on post-purchase price increases in section 399.88(a) apply in the situation where a carrier mistakenly offers an airfare due to a computer problem or human error and a consumer purchases the ticket at that fare before the carrier is able to fix the mistake?

Section 399.88(a) states that it is an unfair and deceptive practice for any seller of scheduled air transportation within, to, or from the United States, or of a tour or tour component that includes scheduled air transportation within, to, or from the United States, to increase the price of that air transportation to a consumer after the air transportation has been purchased by the consumer, except in the case of a government-imposed tax or fee and only if the passenger is advised of a possible increase before purchasing a ticket. A purchase occurs when the full amount agreed upon has been paid by the consumer. Therefore, if a consumer purchases a fare and that consumer receives confirmation (such as a confirmation email and/or the purchase appears on their credit card statement or online account summary) of their purchase, then the seller of air transportation cannot increase the price of that air transportation to that consumer, even when the fare is a “mistake.”

A contract of carriage provision that reserves the right to cancel such ticketed purchases or reserves the right to raise the fare cannot legalize the practice described above. The Enforcement Office would consider any contract of carriage provision that attempts to relieve a carrier of the prohibition against post-purchase price increase to be an unfair and deceptive practice in violation of 49 U.S.C. § 41712.

[Proisrael]

So if you got a charge pending that should be the same rule? No??

[milechazzer]

The actual regulation says "A purchase is deemed to have occurred when the full amount agreed upon has been paid by the consumer."

But the FAQ (above) says "Therefore, if a consumer purchases a fare and that consumer receives confirmation (such as a confirmation email and/or the purchase appears on their credit card statement or online account summary) of their purchase,..."

Based on the FAQ, it would seem that a pending charge and an email confirmation should be more than enough to trigger this. In addition, the regulation seems to apply to any seller of airfare - not just the airlines. So I'm not sure whether Orbitz, Delta or both may be in violation here.

[cooljoe613]

The actual regulation says "A purchase is deemed to have occurred when the full amount agreed upon has been paid by the consumer."

But the FAQ (above) says "Therefore, if a consumer purchases a fare and that consumer receives confirmation (such as a confirmation email and/or the purchase appears on their credit card statement or online account summary) of their purchase,..."

Based on the FAQ, it would seem that a pending charge and an email confirmation should be more than enough to trigger this. In addition, the regulation seems to apply to any seller of airfare - not just the airlines. So I'm not sure whether Orbitz, Delta or both may be in violation here.

this is the key

(such as a confirmation email and/or the purchase appears on their credit card statement or online account summary)

pending should be good but the full amount and it should be pending from the airlines not orbitz

pending charge from a travel agent is just a hold until the ticket gets issued

[Proisrael]

TO ALL THOSE WHOSE TICKETS WERE CANCELED I JUST GOT OFF THE PHONE WITH DELTA AGENT WHO REBOOKED ME ALL 7 TICKETS IT TOOK OVER AN HOUR BUT THEY HONORED IT 100%. 25$ FOR EACH TICKET!!!!

[rots5]

TO ALL THOSE WHOSE TICKETS WERE CANCELED I JUST GOT OFF THE PHONE WITH DELTA AGENT WHO REBOOKED ME ALL 7 TICKETS IT TOOK OVER AN HOUR BUT THEY HONORED IT 100%. 25$ FOR EACH TICKET!!!!

MAZOL TOV!!!!!!!

[alpicone]

TO ALL THOSE WHOSE TICKETS WERE CANCELED I JUST GOT OFF THE PHONE WITH DELTA AGENT WHO REBOOKED ME ALL 7 TICKETS IT TOOK OVER AN HOUR BUT THEY HONORED IT 100%. 25$ FOR EACH TICKET!!!!

Good Job! You deserve it as OP. If you didn't get it would would have to set up a DDF OP fund to get you the tickets!

[sky121]

TO ALL THOSE WHOSE TICKETS WERE CANCELED I JUST GOT OFF THE PHONE WITH DELTA AGENT WHO REBOOKED ME ALL 7 TICKETS IT TOOK OVER AN HOUR BUT THEY HONORED IT 100%. 25$ FOR EACH TICKET!!!!

where did you originally book them?

[shidduch]

Does that include reservations made through priceline that were never ticketed?

[ushdadude]

Does that include reservations made through priceline that were never ticketed?

I doubt it but I'm in the same boat so I hope so

[Proisrael]

I booked through Orbitz initially for me and my family. After that all my co-workers wanted me to help them as well.....their tickets never got canceled but mine did.....I spoke to Orbitz but their CS is horrible and not understandable. I called Delta they gave me the same problems but when they transferred me to Salt Lake City "Andrea" was EXTREMELY helpful and made a whole new ticket for me and rebooked all 7 tickets I had purchased!!

[Marco Polo]

TO ALL THOSE WHOSE TICKETS WERE CANCELED I JUST GOT OFF THE PHONE WITH DELTA AGENT WHO REBOOKED ME ALL 7 TICKETS IT TOOK OVER AN HOUR BUT THEY HONORED IT 100%. 25$ FOR EACH TICKET!!!!

Awesome

[Proisrael]

Does that include reservations made through priceline that were never ticketed?

Should be the same as Orbitz

[ushdadude]

Should be the same as Orbitz

Did you have an actual ticket from orbitz cancelled?

[Proisrael]

Yes.

They had to recreate a whole new ticket for me at 25$

[sky121]

I doubt it but I'm in the same boat so I hope so

Most of those weren't ever made, not cancelled.

[milechazzer]

Did you have an actual ticket from orbitz cancelled?

I don't think Orbitz has cancelled any "actual tickets", but the confirmed some bookings and then Delta told them not to ticket them, so Orbitz cancelled them. I think there would be a rock-solid case if Orbitz had issued ticket numbers and then cancelled them, but that doesn't mean that a confirmation email and pending credit card charge are not sufficient.