Aer Lingus 20% Sale what a joke.

bigjohn66 · 17-01-2012 11:47AM #1

I checked flights for Alicante yesterday before the sale started, I got a price of €159 return for the dates I wanted in June, which was good. I had just received the email informing me of the 20% sale starting today so I decided to wait until this morning.

I log in this morning and check the same dates and low and behold it is €179 today in their sale.

Another thing that really annoyed me was when you put in your dates at the top of the page you get a red banner saying,
NEW: ALL PRICES BELOW INCLUDE TAXES AND CHARGES
You go another couple of pages and there is another €12 handling fee.

I phoned about this and asked how they can say what is in red and than charge another €12? She told me it was not a charge it was a fee so it is not included in there original price. I than asked her so dose that mean you are not going to charge me and she said they would. I than told her it is a charge if you are going to charge me so you are advertising false price’s. I said no, you told me you are going to charge me so it is a charge your words not mine.

I was asked to hold on while she got a supervisor and they never came back to the phone and I got cut off after about half an hour.

ntlbell · 17-01-2012 12:33PM

not a rip off

flight prices are always a moving target.

they tell you the price, you decide to buy the ticket or not.

bigjohn66 · 17-01-2012 01:28PM

ntlbell wrote: »

not a rip off

flight prices are always a moving target.

they tell you the price, you decide to buy the ticket or not.

How can you say it is not a rip-off?

When you get a price and the price has gone up in a sale, that is a rip-off.

Also how can they advertise a price with all prices included and than charge you more, is that not a rip-off too?

Aer Lingus have been ripping people off for years. Why do you think Ryanair are the biggest airline in Europe. I can fly now, cheaper to the UK than I did in the 80s.

I would take above the average number of return flights a year, I book based on price and have only used Aer Lingus twice in the last two years.

cbrlover · 17-01-2012 01:33PM

bigjohn66 wrote: »

Aer Lingus have been ripping people off for years.

Never a more true statement made about them.

MagicMarker · 17-01-2012 01:44PM

€179 minus discount is €149.17, which is less than the original €159 price which you say yourself you were happy with.

Add in the €12 and it's €161.16, only €2.17 more than the original €159, which again you were happy with, plus you still would have had to pay the 12 quid on the original price making it €171.

All in all, you're paying less than the price you were originally happy with.

Still a rip off?

ABajaninCork · 17-01-2012 01:56PM

Personally, I think both Aer Lingus AND Ryanair are rip-off merchants. But - what can you do?

I usually fly Aer Lingus as they're the lesser of two evils...

keithclancy · 17-01-2012 02:29PM

ABajaninCork wrote: »

Personally, I think both Aer Lingus AND Ryanair are rip-off merchants. But - what can you do?

I usually fly Aer Lingus as they're the lesser of two evils...

Compared to what ?

We got a flight for 47 euros return for 2 people from Weeze to Leeds Bradford, I dont think any other Airline could compete with that.

bigjohn66 · 17-01-2012 02:50PM

MagicMarker wrote: »

€179 minus discount is €149.17, which is less than the original €159 price which you say yourself you were happy with.

Add in the €12 and it's €161.16, only €2.17 more than the original €159, which again you were happy with, plus you still would have had to pay the 12 quid on the original price making it €171.

All in all, you're paying less than the price you were originally happy with.

Still a rip off?

Sorry where the hell are you getting your information from. Do you think I don’t know how to use the Aer Lingus website?

Unless you know what you are talking about and not just making things up to suit youself I suggest stay out of things. :mad::mad::mad:

Fare Summary

Prices are shown in EUR

From Dublin to Alicante

Fare
85.99
Special/Promotional Discount
-17.20
Taxes and Charges
36.00

Flight Total

104.79

From Alicante to Dublin

Fare
65.99
Special/Promotional Discount
-13.20
Taxes and Charges
22.00

Flight Total

74.79

Total Price: EUR 179.58

And you still have to pay the €12 on both but that is not right either. Their site makes a point of saying total price. Crap.

ballsymchugh · 17-01-2012 03:00PM

that's what happens when you don't book a flight when you see it first, even if it's only a day. they could've sold a few more seats on that flight so then the price would go up, as is the case with every other airline.
so you got 20% off the price after it had risen with the supply and demand. if you can show that no one else booked that flight between you looking it up yesterday and today, then it would be a rip off.

amen · 17-01-2012 03:07PM

but for a sale the item must have been available to purchase the non discounted price for at least 30 days before the sale.

So if Aer Lingus can't show this then its not a sale and is a rip off.

maxer68 · 17-01-2012 04:48PM

amen wrote: »

but for a sale the item must have been available to purchase the non discounted price for at least 30 days before the sale.

So if Aer Lingus can't show this then its not a sale and is a rip off.

there are exclusions to this and also it is also a recommendation and not law.

As for the OP - airline prices change frequently, even before your eyes. Its all about the load factor. x amount of seat a x price, once they are sold out, price moves to y then once they are sold out, price moves again.

Yesterday the price of ticket to birmingham moved from 29.99 including taxes to 73.99 because I waited too long. Thats my tough luck, I shoudl have hit the buy button immediately insetad of fiddling around with different dates.

As for the card charge = if you pay by one of the means listed, its not included. That's how they get around it. Unfair - yes, but most of the airlines do it.

MagicMarker · 17-01-2012 05:02PM

bigjohn66 wrote: »

Sorry where the hell are you getting your information from. Do you think I don’t know how to use the Aer Lingus website?

Unless you know what you are talking about and not just making things up to suit youself I suggest stay out of things. :mad::mad::mad:

Fare Summary

Prices are shown in EUR

From Dublin to Alicante

Fare
85.99
Special/Promotional Discount
-17.20
Taxes and Charges
36.00

Flight Total

104.79

From Alicante to Dublin

Fare
65.99
Special/Promotional Discount
-13.20
Taxes and Charges
22.00

Flight Total

74.79

Total Price: EUR 179.58

And you still have to pay the €12 on both but that is not right either. Their site makes a point of saying total price. Crap.

WTF? I was using the information YOU gave in YOUR original post. I assumed the figures you gave in your OP was before the discount was applied, obviously that's not the case but there's no need to be such a fúcking smart arse about it.

At the end of the day it's your own fault for getting greedy, you were given a price you were happy with but no, this was not good enough for you, you wanted more off. But apparently you don't know what every man and his dog knows, and that's that flights differ in prices on a daily basis.

Tough shít.

Outkast_IRE · 17-01-2012 05:06PM

I actually checked the flights to alicante in june too a few days before the sale and they were coming in at for 2 people with 1 luggage bag at €350

The sale starts and i check the same flights and would you believe it they are now working out at €410 .

And dont anyone start saying supply/demand i have booked these same flights every year and the prices are low around christmas rise in jan/feb and usually fall at the end of march or april.

geetar · 17-01-2012 05:12PM

first world problems ffs.

im terribly sorry that your holiday to alicante will cost you an extra tenner. its hardly a rip off, or any different to how the pricing is normally done.

bigjohn66 · 17-01-2012 05:28PM

ballsymchugh wrote: »

that's what happens when you don't book a flight when you see it first, even if it's only a day. they could've sold a few more seats on that flight so then the price would go up, as is the case with every other airline.
so you got 20% off the price after it had risen with the supply and demand. if you can show that no one else booked that flight between you looking it up yesterday and today, then it would be a rip off.

I gave an example of one of the flights I checked. My dates are open from the end of May to early July but these were my preferred dates.

I had checked the prices yesterday and emailed them to my wife so we could talk about when she and I could take holidays and than book the flights. Between Saturdays and Sundays of different weeks I had a list of 9. I check them all this morning and low and behold all were up in price.

I more than most understand that flight prices change as seats fill. I am only pointing out that in my opinion Aer Lingus are ripping people off by saying they have a sale and their prices go up rather than down.

It is funny that the people that are defending them have nothing to say about the “Handling Fee”.

JADMIX · 17-01-2012 05:40PM

I dont think anyone has mentioned that you also have to choose your seat after the booking is made and they are at least 5 euro each or 15 if you want the front seats, so add that 20 euro (2 people) to the 12 fee.

subway · 17-01-2012 05:45PM

JADMIX wrote: »

I dont think anyone has mentioned that you also have to choose your seat after the booking is made and they are at least 5 euro each or 15 if you want the front seats, so add that 20 euro (2 people) to the 12 fee.

probably becuase you dont have to

Oryx · 17-01-2012 05:48PM

JADMIX wrote: »

I dont think anyone has mentioned that you also have to choose your seat after the booking is made and they are at least 5 euro each or 15 if you want the front seats, so add that 20 euro (2 people) to the 12 fee.

Afaik thats only prebooked seats. If you wait till you check in theres no charge. It is misleading, but I ignored that 'book your seat' window after the booking.

bigjohn66 · 17-01-2012 06:00PM

MagicMarker wrote: »

WTF? I was using the information YOU gave in YOUR original post.

No you were not. You assumed and were wrong, live with it. I was only pointing out your faults

MagicMarker wrote: »

no need to be such a fúcking smart arse about it.

I do not appreciate you calling me a F*****g smart arse when you are the one who got it wrong and now feel stupid, again I was only pointing out your faults.

MagicMarker wrote: »

At the end of the day it's your own fault for getting greedy, you were given a price you were happy with.

I would not call it greed I would call it being frugal. Also again just pointing out you are wrong I never said I was happy with their original quote just that it was good. Would you buy something today even if you were happy with the price and knowing there was a 20% sale tomorrow? If you say yes you are a fool or lying.

MagicMarker wrote: »

But apparently you don't know what every man and his dog knows, and that's that flights differ in prices on a daily basis.

Tough shít.

I do know it but thanks for the advice and I also know the price probably will come down again. If not I will get a much better price from another airline.

dudara · 17-01-2012 10:29PM

Posters - please stay polite and civil.

OP - the handling fee is just that, a fee. It does not fall within the commonly used definition of Taxes & Charges in the airline industry.

I do agree with you though that airline pricing is deliberately vague. It's gotten to the stage that I don't even believe in their "sale" offers anymore. I just look at the dates I want and I book. The amount of seats on offer is too transient to simply assume that you will get a reduction if you wait for a "sale".

JADMIX · 18-01-2012 12:06AM

Oryx wrote: »

Afaik thats only prebooked seats. If you wait till you check in theres no charge. It is misleading, but I ignored that 'book your seat' window after the booking.

B*st*rds the amount of times ive paid

everytime i have used them except USA, well that is deffo a misleading rip off :mad::mad:

ABajaninCork · 18-01-2012 01:25AM

keithclancy wrote: »

Compared to what ?

We got a flight for 47 euros return for 2 people from Weeze to Leeds Bradford, I dont think any other Airline could compete with that.

Bully for you. And NO. Particularly as I fly to London...

ntlbell · 18-01-2012 10:18AM

bigjohn66 wrote: »

How can you say it is not a rip-off?

When you get a price and the price has gone up in a sale, that is a rip-off.

Also how can they advertise a price with all prices included and than charge you more, is that not a rip-off too?

Aer Lingus have been ripping people off for years. Why do you think Ryanair are the biggest airline in Europe. I can fly now, cheaper to the UK than I did in the 80s.

I would take above the average number of return flights a year, I book based on price and have only used Aer Lingus twice in the last two years.

because as I stated ticket prices change not just by the day but can change by the minute as more tickets are bought the price goes up.

a rip off would be

Ireland -> Barcelona price 200e

they fly you to heathrow and leave you there.

aer lingus advertise something you decide to buy it or not please learn what a rip off actually is

bigjohn66 · 18-01-2012 11:23AM

ntlbell wrote: »

because as I stated ticket prices change not just by the day but can change by the minute as more tickets are bought the price goes up.

I take on board what you are saying and I know flight prices go up and down.

I do not for one moment believe that all 9 flight combinations that I tried, sold all the low price seats in a mater of 10 hours overnight.

ntlbell wrote: »

aer lingus advertise something you decide to buy it or not please learn what a rip off actually is

If I decide to buy a can of coke for €5.00, that is my choice but it is still a rip-off.

For me this is still a rip off but we are both entitled to our opinion.

I ask you two questions.

If you are quoted a price for something and the next day there is a 20% sale and the price goes up instead of down is that not a rip-off? (Remember I got 9 prices and all went up)

What about the other point I made which almost everyone is ignoring, what about the fact they put a handling fee on after they tell you,
(Total Price) NEW: ALL PRICES BELOW INCLUDE TAXES AND CHARGES
Is that not a rip-off too?

Oryx · 18-01-2012 11:36AM

Whats the handling fee for, John? Is it avoidable?

Btw, I agree with you. Ive always suspected that theses 'sales' are nothing but a ploy to lure people into purchasing, to bump sales for a slow period. I dont for one minute think the discounts are real. I book flights all the time (not so much with AL) and the price is dictated by the amount of time till travel dates and little else.

bigjohn66 · 18-01-2012 11:56AM

dudara wrote: »

OP - the handling fee is just that, a fee. It does not fall within the commonly used definition of Taxes & Charges in the airline industry.

It is still a charge so why not man up and include it in the price rather than try to deceive people. Would it not just be better to add €6.00 to each way because that is what they are charging anyway.

Oryx wrote: »

Whats the handling fee for, John? Is it avoidable?

It is just another way to up the price of the flight after you get you “total price” as they call it. Sorry I don’t know what it is for, they don’t say.
No you can’t avoid it you have to pay it.

ntlbell · 18-01-2012 12:17PM

bigjohn66 wrote: »

I take on board what you are saying and I know flight prices go up and down.

I do not for one moment believe that all 9 flight combinations that I tried, sold all the low price seats in a mater of 10 hours overnight.

10 hours in a flight sale is a very long time, but neither of us can prove one way or another so it's a mute point really.

bigjohn66 wrote: »

If I decide to buy a can of coke for €5.00, that is my choice but it is still a rip-off.

For me this is still a rip off but we are both entitled to our opinion.

I ask you two questions.

If you are quoted a price for something and the next day there is a 20% sale and the price goes up instead of down is that not a rip-off? (Remember I got 9 prices and all went up)

What about the other point I made which almost everyone is ignoring, what about the fact they put a handling fee on after they tell you,
(Total Price) NEW: ALL PRICES BELOW INCLUDE TAXES AND CHARGES
Is that not a rip-off too?

Not if I understand that the price of what I'm buying can fluctuate by the minute.

It's a bit like getting a quote for shares. the company offers a 20% discount, tons of shares are bought and by the time I get on to it the share price has gone up. supply and demand.

No because it states the total flight price is X and it is.

The handling fee is a seperate issue, the same as ticket master for concert.

The concert ticket/vat/TaX are seperate from ticket masters handling fee

so the total cost of the Ticketmaster ticket is X the handling fee is X

but if you're shown the total cost before purchse, this is not a rip off.

showing you a total and then charging your card without your knoweldge.

is a rip off.

5e for a can of coke is not so much a rip off as it is idiotic pricing strategy doomed to failure

L1011 · 18-01-2012 12:25PM

Oryx wrote: »

Whats the handling fee for, John? Is it avoidable?

Using anything but one poorly defined type of payment card. Same as Ryanair's card fee.

bigjohn66 · 18-01-2012 12:30PM

MYOB wrote: »

Using anything but one poorly defined type of payment card. Same as Ryanair's card fee.

No it is not a credit card charge. That’s added later if you use certain cards.

L1011 · 18-01-2012 12:35PM

bigjohn66 wrote: »

No it is not a credit card charge. That’s added later if you use certain cards.

Incorrect.

The "handling fee" is removed if you use Visa Electron:

http://www.aerlingus.com/help/help/feesfares/#d.en.1586

There is no other fee for using any specific cards. Believe me, I've booked enough flights on Aer Lingus to know this.

bigjohn66 · 18-01-2012 01:05PM

ntlbell wrote: »

The handling fee is a seperate issue, the same as ticket master for concert.

The concert ticket/vat/TaX are seperate from ticket masters handling fee

so the total cost of the Ticketmaster ticket is X the handling fee is X

I don’t see your point, when Ticketmaster give you their Total Price (Charges) that is what you pay. See below, this is taken from a purchase I made recently.

Type
Full Price Ticket
Ticket Price
€28.00 x 2
Service Charge
€3.50 x 2
SUBTOTAL
€63.00
Tickets/Items
€63.00
Box Office Collection
No Charge
TOTAL CHARGES
€63.00

When Aer Lingus give you your Total Price, they than charge a handling fee afterwards, so how is it a Total Price?

Aer Lingus 20% Sale what a joke.

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