Outrageously cheap business fares on Alitalia!
Apr 6th, 2006, 07:26 AM
#61
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 12,885
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The Expedia/Hilton mistake was a rollercoaster ride too at first. It took about 3 days or so for Expedia to make the first offical press release. At first they said that they will ONLY honor November or December reservations (I don't remember the month, but it was a month coming up few days after this mistake rate was posted). The rest would be cancelled. About a day or 2 later their lawyers must have told them that whoever requested and received a confirmation from Expedia will also had to taken care of, and I was in that group. Finally, all the cancelled reservations were offered a $250 voucher to be used towards any Expedia Japan hotel reservations in the future. So, at the end most got the reservations honored and the rest at least got a dog bone thrown at them. But it did take days maybe even couple of weeks to sort all this out.
Apr 6th, 2006, 07:31 AM
#62
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 257
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
People, for the record, though you paid for a service, legally speaking, until the day of travel arrives, the contract can be broken.
The reason for honoring the mistakes is not legal, rather marketing.
I suspect ailitalia will do the same, but not for legal reasons.
It is also why they can overbook and do all the other wonderful things they do.
Carrier services are revocable at the will of the carrier, even when you are on the carrier (e.g. you can get kicked off of a train, plane, etc.).
Sorry, but the legal aspects are being sorely misrepresented here.
That being said, you lucky ones will most likely have this honored.
The reason for honoring the mistakes is not legal, rather marketing.
I suspect ailitalia will do the same, but not for legal reasons.
It is also why they can overbook and do all the other wonderful things they do.
Carrier services are revocable at the will of the carrier, even when you are on the carrier (e.g. you can get kicked off of a train, plane, etc.).
Sorry, but the legal aspects are being sorely misrepresented here.
That being said, you lucky ones will most likely have this honored.
Apr 6th, 2006, 08:42 AM
#63
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 23,073
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
But I've already paid for a non-refundable private jet to fly me IAH-YYZ and have a non-refundable seaside palace with maids/butlers/driver in Cyprus for 2 months. What am I going to do now?
Just kidding.
Just kidding.
Apr 6th, 2006, 09:46 AM
#65
The current buzz on Flyertalk.com is that Alitalia is reinstating the reservations.
Note Alitalia's financial bailout late last year was trumpeted by the Italian government as a good thing, after the EU turned down their proposal to lend more to the airline. The bailout entailed the government's share in the airline to go below 50% for the first time. Now there are questions about Alitalia's audits and true financial status.
Italian General Election this Sunday.
The sales channels (Orbitz, Travelocity et al) sold the tickets on good faith that Alitalia would honor its published fare. If Alitalia renegs, that runs the risk of them alienating their principal sales channels in N. America, something that could cost them a lot more than the short-term losses they'd incur by honoring the tickets.
Patience...
Note Alitalia's financial bailout late last year was trumpeted by the Italian government as a good thing, after the EU turned down their proposal to lend more to the airline. The bailout entailed the government's share in the airline to go below 50% for the first time. Now there are questions about Alitalia's audits and true financial status.
Italian General Election this Sunday.
The sales channels (Orbitz, Travelocity et al) sold the tickets on good faith that Alitalia would honor its published fare. If Alitalia renegs, that runs the risk of them alienating their principal sales channels in N. America, something that could cost them a lot more than the short-term losses they'd incur by honoring the tickets.
Patience...
Apr 6th, 2006, 12:50 PM
#67
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 13,194
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
All of a sudden, I am feeling that my chances are at the bottom of the totem pole for having booked directly with Alitalia over the phone.
In my original booking, I was not asked for, nor did I volunteer my e-mail address. I telephoned this morning to ask that my e-mail address be added - - I was told that my ticket had been canceled, but that I still had a reservation on the same itinerary at the new price of over $4000. Based on (what might now or in the future be construed as) misinformation (about the ticket being canceled), I did what I thought was the good citizen thing to do - - and canceled the reservation. I may have killed any chances for resolution back in my favor - - i.e., reinstating the ticket(s) at the original price - - by doing so. I have just called Alitalia, to say that I do NOT want the _reservation_ canceled, and it was like talking to a brick wall. "You no longer have a reservation, nor an itinerary" they tell me. My itinerary (and the pricing?) ARE still stored in the history of my record locator, and after much going round and round in circles, I did get the reservationist to enter my e-mail address into the record, along with - - in the notes - - the remarks that I do NOT want the reservation canceled because I was misinformed.
I still have no actual faith that I will end up with anything out of this. My credit card was apparently never charged (I guess the whole record got the "kill" switch when it went to ticketing to issue the paper ticket).
And though I have really not felt "entitled", I am increasingly testy over the possibility that Orbitz, Expedia, Travelocity etc.... purchasors may end up getting resolution in their favor, and I might not.
In my original booking, I was not asked for, nor did I volunteer my e-mail address. I telephoned this morning to ask that my e-mail address be added - - I was told that my ticket had been canceled, but that I still had a reservation on the same itinerary at the new price of over $4000. Based on (what might now or in the future be construed as) misinformation (about the ticket being canceled), I did what I thought was the good citizen thing to do - - and canceled the reservation. I may have killed any chances for resolution back in my favor - - i.e., reinstating the ticket(s) at the original price - - by doing so. I have just called Alitalia, to say that I do NOT want the _reservation_ canceled, and it was like talking to a brick wall. "You no longer have a reservation, nor an itinerary" they tell me. My itinerary (and the pricing?) ARE still stored in the history of my record locator, and after much going round and round in circles, I did get the reservationist to enter my e-mail address into the record, along with - - in the notes - - the remarks that I do NOT want the reservation canceled because I was misinformed.
I still have no actual faith that I will end up with anything out of this. My credit card was apparently never charged (I guess the whole record got the "kill" switch when it went to ticketing to issue the paper ticket).
And though I have really not felt "entitled", I am increasingly testy over the possibility that Orbitz, Expedia, Travelocity etc.... purchasors may end up getting resolution in their favor, and I might not.
Apr 6th, 2006, 01:17 PM
#68
There's no independent confirmation that anyone has had their trips reinstated; Orbitz and Alitalia are giving out several conflicting messages to phone callers - yes, no, no word, nothing will happen until tomorrow, etc.
There's nothing to do but wait and keep your records together. Remember these things fall well outside the training parameters of call center people or CRSs at travel agencies. Let all the parties have time confer with their lawyers and insurance departments before jumping to any conclusions.
There's nothing to do but wait and keep your records together. Remember these things fall well outside the training parameters of call center people or CRSs at travel agencies. Let all the parties have time confer with their lawyers and insurance departments before jumping to any conclusions.
Apr 6th, 2006, 03:00 PM
#69
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,880
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I've been waiting too. haven't called orbitz or al italia, just waiting. My cc was charged, itinerary intact not cancelled and tickets with actual Alitalia ticket numbers. I figure I'll wait til after the weekend see what pans out.
Apr 7th, 2006, 06:52 PM
#70
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Apr 8th, 2006, 07:30 AM
#73
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 13,194
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
This not be a function of luck, when Alitalia customrs who telephoned the comany's own reservationists, and received a confirmed purchase after conferring with a supervisor, receinving seat assignments and being told that the purchase is complete.
As far as I can tell the 509 passengers have been able to ride in on the coat tails of lawyers fo Orbotz whio took a tough stance with Alitalia due to their company's fare guarantee.
Be warned, booking directly with an airline for a promotional fare may result in a voided sale, especially if it is a foreign airline which may not issue the tickets - - even when you give your credit card over the phone - - until several days later.
As far as I can tell the 509 passengers have been able to ride in on the coat tails of lawyers fo Orbotz whio took a tough stance with Alitalia due to their company's fare guarantee.
Be warned, booking directly with an airline for a promotional fare may result in a voided sale, especially if it is a foreign airline which may not issue the tickets - - even when you give your credit card over the phone - - until several days later.
Apr 9th, 2006, 11:23 AM
#76
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 13,194
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I try to be a happy-go-lucky guy, but you cannot imagine how resentful I am... 509 successful purhcases through Orbitz or CheapTickets.com - - and unless I am mistaken, not one ticket actually issued to anyone who made a <i><b>confirmed</b></i> purchase over the phone with Alitalia. Took my credit card number, confirmed it with the supervisor, issued seat assignments... and then canceled. Nothing. Ticket never existed, they insist.
I know, logically, that I should not feel so entitled, but I cannot get past the anger.
I know, logically, that I should not feel so entitled, but I cannot get past the anger.
Apr 12th, 2006, 09:25 PM
#77
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 13,194
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Not that I figure anyone here is still following this saga - - I am holding on to a thin glimmer of hope, through a written "grievance" (plea?) to Customer Service Alitalia in New York.
The odds-on money on FlyerTalk is that I will not prevail, but that persistence <i>could</i> pay off.
By the way, the FlyerTalk thread on this item is now over 250 "pages" long - - approaching four THOUSAND posts on a single thread! Those people are obsessive like nothing that even vaguely exists here on this forum!
Much of the discussion is about/among the various passengers who have been ticketed and confirmed at the $39 (CAD) fare - - and whether they have no-fee change privileges or not; Alitalia seems to have changed the fare rules, post-purchase, but others are finding that where there's a will, there's a way (i.e., some are finding that changes CAN be made, at no cost).
The odds-on money on FlyerTalk is that I will not prevail, but that persistence <i>could</i> pay off.
By the way, the FlyerTalk thread on this item is now over 250 "pages" long - - approaching four THOUSAND posts on a single thread! Those people are obsessive like nothing that even vaguely exists here on this forum!
Much of the discussion is about/among the various passengers who have been ticketed and confirmed at the $39 (CAD) fare - - and whether they have no-fee change privileges or not; Alitalia seems to have changed the fare rules, post-purchase, but others are finding that where there's a will, there's a way (i.e., some are finding that changes CAN be made, at no cost).
Apr 12th, 2006, 10:04 PM
#79
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,224
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Rex, don't worry, I'm following this carnivale of mania down to its last moments of despair and unexpeceted triumph. you still have a chance -- although unfortunately they have the paper trail, you have confirmation #'s, this will take a bit of time to sort out.
