Aer Lingus website mistake

TheBigLebowski · 17-04-2008 2:38pm

craichoe wrote: »

.

If i was overcharged by Aerlingus by "mistake" would they let me know that the problem even existed ?

I have no doubt that they would if they noticed it.

Davidth88 · 17-04-2008 2:39pm

I think they have truly ' shot themsleves in the foot '.

To give 100 customers a ' offer of a lifetime ' would have gone a long way, the free publicity, good will this would have generated would have been incredible.

Now they look like a penny pinching organisation which is a shame.

On a legal basis , I have no idea where people stand Ill leave that to greater minds than mine.

I hope you get your flights , after all you saw a bargin and jumped , fair play to you.

Jg1982 · 17-04-2008 2:39pm

True, but the PR fallout would be huge. Big Business tramples over consumer rights. Doesn't sound good.

penexpers · 17-04-2008 2:41pm

Jg1982 wrote: »

True, but the PR fallout would be huge. Big Business tramples over consumer rights. Doesn't sound good.

It happens all the time. Big business can do whatever it wants.

axer · 17-04-2008 2:42pm

penexpers wrote: »

It happens all the time. Big business can do whatever it wants.

Thats why it is important that people fight them and don't just expect that since they are a big company that they know what is right or wrong.

People need to know and assert their rights under law.

MixedMuts · 17-04-2008 2:53pm

Joe Duffy is talking about it now

Mountjoy Mugger · 17-04-2008 3:00pm

Last caller on Joe really put a spanner in the works for Aer Lingus. Caller rang A.L. and booked a flight over the phone and a staff member confirmed the flight was €5.00 with charges extra, was a premier seat, and made the booking.

So much for A.L. saying that it was up to the consumer to realise it was a mistake.

craichoe · 17-04-2008 3:01pm

I think if they just pretended that they meant to offer the flights as a secret prize then then:

A. They would have generated alot of postive press
B. Wouldn't look like they completely f*cked up their booking system.

Ryanair would be riding all over the positive PR train by now.

JimmyO · 17-04-2008 3:09pm

craichoe wrote: »

Ryanair would be riding all over the positive PR train by now.

They are!!! www.ryanair.com

MixedMuts · 17-04-2008 3:11pm

Mooney Goes Wild Show on RTE RADIO 1 is asking other airlines to ring in to offer one of 100 affected customers a flight/holiday prize!

bren2002 · 17-04-2008 3:14pm

JimmyO wrote: »

They are!!! www.ryanair.com

Where?

axer · 17-04-2008 3:17pm

bren2002 wrote: »

Where?

Lol - aerlingus don't know the meaning of PR.

JimmyO · 17-04-2008 3:19pm

bren2002 wrote: »

Where?

The big flashing £5 Guaranteed ad for flights to Ireland - Offer open till midnight.

Bluetonic · 17-04-2008 3:32pm

Beware of Aer Lingus Fakes! Only Ryanair Guarantees the Lowest Fares
100,000 €5 SEATS ON WWW.RYANAIR.COM

Ryanair, Europe’s largest low fares airline, today (17th Apr) announced that it will give away 100,000 €5 seats (including taxes and charges) on www.ryanair.com for travel in May and June and unlike Aer Lingus’ phantom €5 seats, Ryanair will honour them.

Aer Lingus, the high fares, way worse airline, this morning announced that it had ‘accidentally’ sold €5 fares on its website. Still reeling from the shock of having sold a few low fare flights, Aer Lingus contacted passengers and told them it was all a mistake before cancelling the flights! If Irish passengers are looking for the guaranteed lowest fares, there is only one place to find them and that is www.ryanair.com.

Speaking today, Ryanair’s Peter Sherrard said;

“Aer Lingus wouldn’t know a low fare if it jumped up and bit them - they only do high fares and fuel surcharges. On aerlingus.com a low fare is a ‘mistake’, on www.ryanair.com, it is guaranteed. Ryanair is today releasing 100,000 €5 seats on its website and will honour every single last one. You won’t find cheaper anywhere else, that’s guaranteed”.

http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/news.php?yr=08&month=apr&story=pro-en-170408

closifer · 17-04-2008 3:50pm

happens a lot apparently. Check out this
http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2005-05-05-fare-mistakes_x.htm

MixedMuts · 17-04-2008 4:07pm

I wonder if anyone has updated the wikipedia entry for Aer Lingus yet? Lets have a look....nah nothing yet!

IsMise · 17-04-2008 5:23pm

Did ye hear the Last Word ?

Ann Fitzgerald, Chief Executive of the National Consumer Agency is a legend

Reporter · 17-04-2008 5:34pm

Ann Fitzgerald, Chief Executive of the National Consumer Agency said that Aer Lingus would appear to be in breach of contract in cancelling bookings of those customers who booked €5 seats to the US.

"Blaming a technical error in their booking system is not good enough," she said.

"Aer Lingus formed a contract with the consumer at the stated fare and cannot simply walk away from their obligations," she added.

The National Consumer Agency has been in contact with Aer Lingus this morning and is seeking a meeting with senior management in the company with a view to reaching a fair deal for those customers affected.

MixedMuts · 17-04-2008 5:34pm

Yep, its a case of

computer says...YES!
Airline says....No!

puss · 17-04-2008 5:45pm

MixedMuts wrote: »

Yep, its a case of

computer says...YES!
Airline says....No!

That's Brian Cowen dressed up as a woman. Lips Lips!!!
He will sort all this out.

Dougiehowlett · 17-04-2008 6:44pm

TheBigLebowski wrote: »

An economy ticket is still more than €5. Chancerism of the highest order is what it is.

The flight was still €180, most of which goes to the airline. There are no departure taxes in Ireland, and I am quite positive the US.

I hope you never have a human error when purchasing an aer lingus flight. I have, and they will charge you €35 per person each way to fix it. €140 per couple in my case.

I also booked flights a few weeks ago, and in the booking process the flights increased by €30+ euro and despite unticking the insurance box, they still charged me it.

faceman · 17-04-2008 7:06pm

Fitzgerald gave a good interview on TodayFM, i look forward to the outcome of her meeting tomorrow!

poppers · 17-04-2008 7:45pm

eth0_ wrote: »

Get over it, I don't for one minute believe you guys genuinely believed this offer was for real!

just got a flight with Ryan Airfor €0.00 plus taxes&charges to london, you could argue that this could not be for real. I know only a few seats will be sold for this so i assume people who booked these €5:00 plus charges tickets could assume they were one of the lucky few to get a cheap seat.
PAYMENT DETAILS

*********0.00 EUR Total Fare

********33.72 EUR Taxes, Fees & Charges

*********8.00 EUR Passenger Fee: CC

********41.72 EUR Total Paid

ateam · 17-04-2008 7:48pm

A barrister was on Drivetime with Mary Wilson (you can hear his full interview on the rte website). He was saying that Aerlingus's argument that customers should by common sense of realised that this was a mistake might not hold up in court because for many years flights have been going for €0.01 so people may have thought this was a similar offer.

Hagar · 17-04-2008 7:53pm

Dougiehowlett wrote: »

There are no departure taxes in Ireland,

I think there are, weren't they introduced a few years ago at £5 per journey? God only knows what they are now.

Dougiehowlett · 17-04-2008 8:01pm

Hagar wrote: »

I think there are, weren't they introduced a few years ago at £5 per journey? God only knows what they are now.

Abandoned many years ago. Trust me, they are €0

Hagar · 17-04-2008 8:06pm

[Incredulity bordering on near fatal shock]A tax abandoned? In Ireland ? [/Incredulity bordering on near fatal shock]

Fair enough so, I'll take your word for it.

Hylus83 · 17-04-2008 8:36pm

Dougiehowlett wrote: »

I also booked flights a few weeks ago, and in the booking process the flights increased by €30+ euro and despite unticking the insurance box, they still charged me it.

I booked insurance too by accident. I called the insurance provider for the flight & they said to reply to the insurance confirmation mail saying you wished to cancel the insurance policy.
They'll issue you a refund in 30 days.

17-04-2008 8:37pm

David@Bayard.co wrote: »

There is a fine line between offer and Invitation to treat!!!!

I think they could argue that point till the cows came home and lets be honest ....................; budget airline, they will!!!

Plus they must be covered for technical difficulties and web issues etc ....; there is some law somewhere that will cover there ass.

Its unfortunate but true!!!

Invitation to treat is in a valuation situation only afaik where a price is an offer subject to negotiation.It's an actual process in a cpo for instance.
It is not an aparatus under the sale of goods act so it doesn't and couldn't apply here I think where all the language used refers to a full and final price on the website and where it is common procedure not to negotiate the price quoted on the website.

MixedMuts · 17-04-2008 9:06pm

Hylus83 wrote: »

I booked insurance too by accident. I called the insurance provider for the flight & they said to reply to the insurance confirmation mail saying you wished to cancel the insurance policy.
They'll issue you a refund in 30 days.

Why would you cancel the insurance policy...surely if AL don't honour ticket than it would cover you for cancellation or curtailment?

Aer Lingus website mistake

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