Unbelievable...If not something done legitimately, then I'd guess a screw up with the coding pending the "all new" SkyMiles revenue redemption program. Regardless it looks really bad. Another good reminder to always use ITA or Kayak before you finalize.
From the article: "This would be the equivalent of the soft drink machine that dispenses $5 cold drinks on a sweltering hot, sunny day and $1 drinks on a cold, dreary day," Mann said. Bad analogy. More like charging $1 to kids and $5 to adults.
Has anyone seen this happen with award tickets as well? We all know the award calendar is messed up but specifically if you were logged in, they were more expensive than if you were not?
I can't say that I've noticed with my lowly kettle status, but it should actually be better for elites looking at award tickets because Delta theoretically provides better availability to them. I have seen reports in the past about people having better luck finding availability on alternative routings while logged in to their account.
It should be that award tickets cost elites fewer miles, but the enhanced award availability is ONLY for domestic coach tickets.
So what do you think Delta should (can) do about this for potentially affected flyers? Presumably they don't have the data (snapshots) to determine who was affected, and anyone who was affected negatively presumably either doesn't know or didn't buy the higher-priced ticket.
I have seen this happen to award tickets. Not logged in, found a 25k; once I logged in, 32.5k I called in and got the 25k ticket.
I didn't know that--and why would I, I'm just a kettle. I'm lucky to get a ham sandwich on my award tickets for the highest level!
The truly sad thing is that I've done searches before where I kept getting completely different results and award tiers from one search to the next, within minutes of each other, and while consistently logged in or not logged in. Their engine is just plain broken.
DL's PR machine is running full force on this one. Now it is a "vendor" they were trying out. This must be the same vendor as when this was occurring in 2010. http://www.washingtonpost.com/busin...a-new-vendor/2012/05/18/gIQADr7IZU_story.html Yet another example of why they should have kept the NWA website.
I wonder if the PR machine will get around to sending an email to Skymile members apologizing. I'm guessing not, because then those folks who missed the news story would then be aware of DL's hijinx .
Muahahaha! It is no different than it was before. Really, the fact that several years ago it was documented that DL.COM wanted 635k SM for a redemption from PHL to FCO (not all of which was in J) clearly indicated "experimental" rationality for pricing. This number in no way corresponded to stated redemption levels including even DL's published SKYBANDIT and SKYSNORK levels. It greatly exceeded any reasonable interpretation. However, it was no mistake. The rapacious "drill the pax" logic presaged the NewCorporateRationality. Since then, more "experiments" have been conducted on DL.COM and we find out about them in these ways, after the fact. I admit that it's particularly entertaining that these gougings are aimed at those who SM managers think are the staunchest DL apologists, i.e. the Medallions. Like...er, me. A pity for them that I never buy anything from DL.COM unless of course it offers the oppo for a giant fuel-dump. Which has happened. Using DL.COM in such a way does offer a rather unique jouissance, because instead of DL attempting to screw us, the customers, we can give it to them on their own shady vending platform. Making such bookings from inside a SC while flying a previously-booked fuel-dumped itin is truly the greatest delight when DeaLing with DL. You know that Jeff R. is quite correct, this approach can only be described as: BEST IN CLASS People have had their heads buried deep in the sand when they call this kind of behavior a "glitch." The CO engine, or UA now, never does this. You get what it says, either LOW or HIGH mileage, or nothing at all if it's simply not available. This is ethical business practice and good for customer value, yes. AA and AS too. Even - gasp - BA (!) are much better in this respect. Why people want to continue to use the word "glitch," which DL loves them to because this flavors the action with unintentionality, ah... amazes me. Face the facts. It's very strategic, and this "consumer targeting" has been strengthened in various subtle and not-so-subtle ways for years. These consumer-hostile behaviors are all connected. It's a ripoff, plain and simple and shows the contempt in which DL management holds customers. Paul Skrbec's recent comments on this matter are especially disingenuous and frankly disappointing to those of us who have met him. Again, it is not a "glitch." It is purely and simply BEST IN CLASS
They're lying. The same problem was reported to Delta's rep (Paul Skrbek) & their web guy at FT over two years ago. Their web guy promised to get right on it, then disappeared off the face of the earth. Glad to see you're still causing trouble, RTS!
We've needed to defend ourselves against this sort of thing since the beginning of internet commerce. It is standard practice with all sorts of retail selling sites to keep jiggering the prices shown to repeat visitors to the site in order to find a price point that will get them to buy. Algorithms that purport to tell the retailer that this customer is now ready to buy and the price should be set a bit higher right at that moment are common. Do we really expect anything different from the travel companies and airlines? It is my belief that they all do it and will continue to do it as long as they think that it is effective.
