What Happens When the Fare Goes Down Before the Flight?
 

My husband and I booked a flight from Newark to Ft. Lauderdale on Continental (where we are both repeat Platinum Elite). A few days after the booking I noted (thanks to Airfare Watchdog) that the fare had come down exactly $100. for the two of us. Hence $498. becomes $398. Now my favorite airline is definitely willing to give us the new fare with a minor adjustment of only $300. change fee, again for two. What is wrong with this picture? The flight is still a month away so it's not quite unloading seats for last minute travel. Am I crazy to expect Continental, on request, to reduce our fare and credit our account? The answer I've received so far is, no, you won't get the reduction without the change fee. From the head honcho and OnePass I've received no replies at all. Now I like Continental but I must admit I do feel like a major sucker. Any advice?:mad:

What is wrong with that picture? Why are they charging you a change fee? Are you trying to change the day because it's a lower fare? Continental does have the price match policy where if you find the fare lower, for the same day, in the same cabin, they will refund you the difference. Again it sounds like you are trying to change the day to get a lower fare of that particular day and not the day you originally intend to leave, if that's so then yea the change fee would apply. But it doesn't make much sense to charge you a change fee, if you want to take advantage of their low far guarantee.

Savtaro:

No carrier is under any obligation to refund you the price difference should the price fall after you buy the ticket. Conversly, no carrier will charge you more if the price increases after you buy the ticket.

it is a two edges sword. If customers expect a price reduction if the price falls, then they should also expect to pay more if the price increases.

Thanks for the responses. To SilentBob, the cheaper itinerary included the identical cabin, dates, flight numbers. Only change is the price! Where do you find the info that Continental will provide refunds in the case of fare decreases? I'd like to send that on to Continental.

To Butterfinger, you are comparing David to Goliath. I don't need parity when dealing with giant companies. I need the best price. If they are losing money on this flight by lowering the fare then they should not have lowered the fare. However, I don't see why they should make more on me than on those who came after me!

Savtaro:

You asked what happens when the price falls after you purchased the ticket and I told you that carriers are under no federal obligation to do so.

When you purchased your ticket, you locked in your price at the current rate. Now if a carrier wants to provide the price difference, they are free to do so and in whatever manner it chooses.

As for Continental's Low Price Guarantee... information can be found here. However, I do not think that you meet the terms and conditions since you would have needed to contact the carrier by midnight the day you purchased the ticket.

The "low price guarantee" only applies to web purchases within the first 24 hours. Basically, if you buy a ticket on Continental.com but then within 24 hours find the same itinerary for less on another website (Expedia, Orbitz, etc.) they will refund the diference plus issue a $100 voucher for future travel. The details of this guarantee are here.

With regards to price reductions outside of that 24 hour window, Continental will re-issue your ticket to the lower fare, however they will also charge the $150 re-issue fee. If the change in fare isn't more than $150, it's a wash. There are other airlines that will waive the re-issue if the fare drops but your "refund" of the difference wil be in the form of a travel voucher for a future trip.

This is just how airline pricing works. The person sitting next to you probably didn't pay the same as you for their ticket. Sometimes you'll pay more, sometimes less. abutterfinger25 made a good point. After purhasing your ticket you may see a lower price for the exact same flight however if the price increases you're locked in at the price you paid for your ticket.

If you fill your car up with gas and the next day notice that the same gas station is charging $.05 less per gallon do you demand the difference back?

If your ticket is non-refundable, ask for a refund, and then buy the tickets, again, at the lower price. That may work. Otherwise, I doubt that they will refund the difference of price.

Try calling the number 1-800-WECARE-2, and speak to them about it. If you are Platinum, they may be willing to wave the change fee. Or, ask them to transfer you to the Elite Desk, and see if they can help you.

thanks chrisH. i will try that. problem is i'm now out of the usa (on another continental trip!) and i was just told that there'd be a 10-15 minute wait to be connected with a live person. the phone call would cost a fortune. i'll try calling at some, hopefully, less busy time.

to phxflyer....your analogy to gas for my car doesn't work. when i pay for gas i'm getting gas immediately. when i pay for a reservation i'm getting future travel. i am not arguing about changes in fares for flights that i've already completed (as in gas already in my car), only for those roads not yet taken (or clouds not yet floated upon.)

What part of non-refundable implies that one can receive a refund if the price drops?

I am a Platinum and they do not waive the change fee to re-issue a ticket at a lower price. As for asking to be transferred to the elite desk, if the caller is not an elite they will not be transferred.

Perhaps not the best analogy, but you still have gas sitting in your tank for which you paid more than it is currently selling.

Also, Continental has contact information on their website including local numbers in other countries.

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I meant refundable, not non-refundable.