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j1 overcharged for my flight with USIT

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  • 16-05-2010 1:22am
    #1
    php-fox
    Registered Users Posts: 168 ✭✭


    Hi all.

    Going to Atlanta soon. Usit charged me 990 euro for return flight to Atlanta with delta airlines.

    Just checked the flight price directly on delta - 750 euro and thats is a refundable ticket, while my ticket is not!

    240 euro in difference! Taking into account that I have paid for Usit's service (visa + document processing fees).
    Is there anything I can do about such a rip off?


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    #2
    Victor
    Registered Users Posts: 78,432 ✭✭✭✭Victor


    Prices of tickets vary all the time depending on expected demand.

    USIT didn't overcharge, you paid too much.


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    #3
    amdublin
    Registered Users Posts: 20,653 ✭✭✭✭amdublin


    If you check the flights tomorrow and they have gone up to €1050 will you be contacting USIT to pay them what they have "undercharged" you?

    I agree with Victor. Flight prices are not set. They vary all the time.


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    #4
    tommy21
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,419 ✭✭✭tommy21


    Agree with the others, open market, prices are subject to change.


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    #5
    tommy21
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,419 ✭✭✭tommy21


    Mr.S wrote: »
    regardless of the open market and the constant changing of flight prices, USIT DO overcharge on flights. They're excuse is that you can change the flight dates for free and some other minor extras.

    USIT wanted over a grand for return flights to Vancouver, i booked it myself and got it for 750euro. Granted i'd have to pay a extra fee if i wanted to change flights, but it would still work out cheaper!

    USIT = money grabbers;)!

    Well you are paying a premium to rid yourself of the hassle of organising everything itself. I don't agree with it but hey if people are willing to pay! You did the right thing by looking into it yourself.


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    #6
    php-fox
    Registered Users Posts: 168 ✭✭php-fox


    Strange arguments here about open market prices. If you wanna go to the US, you have got to book your j1 + flights + insurance through USIT. You can't just book flights and get a visa yourself. We have a monopoly here. Usit charge whatever they like cause you just haven't got any other choice really.

    >>Prices of tickets vary all the time depending on expected demand.
    Oh, please. 300 euro in difference on expected demand? Airlines sell their cheapest tickets first and then, once they run out they sell more expensive ones. I booked my tickets through usit 3 months ago for almost a grand. Today they still cost 750 from the airline directly.

    I say we need some proper competition in this market. It's a shame to charge students so much!


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    #7
    dudara
    Registered Users Posts: 33,518 ✭✭✭✭dudara


    php-fox wrote: »
    Hi all.

    Going to Atlanta soon. Usit charged me 990 euro for return flight to Atlanta with delta airlines.

    Just checked the flight price directly on delta - 750 euro and thats is a refundable ticket, while my ticket is not!

    240 euro in difference! Taking into account that I have paid for Usit's service (visa + document processing fees).
    Is there anything I can do about such a rip off?

    I really don't see how this is a rip-off. USIT proposed a price and you accepted the price. You could have booked the flights yourself if you had wanted.


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    #8
    mickoneill30
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,073 ✭✭✭mickoneill30


    php-fox wrote: »
    I booked my tickets through usit 3 months ago for almost a grand. Today they still cost 750 from the airline directly.

    What was the price on Deltas site 3 months ago? Did you look when you were purchasing?
    What is the price in Usit today?
    You can't really compare a product from two sites with a 3 month difference.

    I'm sure air traffic is way down since the volcano started with less people buying flights now? If loads are down the price would come down (it'd hardly go up). Prices do change all the time and airlines adjust based on demand.


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    #9
    LiamD
    Closed Accounts Posts: 511 ✭✭✭LiamD


    dudara wrote: »
    I really don't see how this is a rip-off. USIT proposed a price and you accepted the price. You could have booked the flights yourself if you had wanted.

    This is not accurate, to obtain a J1 visa with Usit for 2010 you must book flights to the USA with them. See their site for more info:

    http://www.j1online.ie/application/how-to-apply.aspx (Step 4, the step following payment of deposit is flights)

    This is a common gripe with the three major J1 providers in Ireland - seemingly none of them this year gave an option to book flights independently. Sayit, for one, used to. They seem to charge a lot more for flights than airlines published fares, similarly some insurance packages for J1 applicants are pricey. It also limits the control that applicants have over their own flight booking - there is limited scope to shop around.

    The reason seems to be that many applicants are offered free or discounted programme fees, so the travel companies need to make profit on flight and insurance commission. Whilst this is understandable, it is frustrating for applicants as this is not explained and some promotional material advertises the J1 programme as free, usually before a certain date.

    In some instances it is not easy to get the true cost of the J1 programme until after the applicant has signed up and paid a deposit e.g. Go4Less didn't give me access to their J1 flight booking engine, which was separate to their normal booking engine, until after I had signed up and paid a deposit. I was already committed to the J1 programme and to Go4Less as my J1 provider before I could find out the true cost of the entire programme, including flights.


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    #10
    Cabaal
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 28,497 Mod ✭✭✭✭Cabaal


    Prices subject to change, you got the higher end of the stick...hard luck now you know how these things work in future :)


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    #11
    mickoneill30
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,073 ✭✭✭mickoneill30


    Cabaal wrote: »
    Prices subject to change, you got the higher end of the stick...hard luck now you know how these things work in future :)

    Nah you don't. If you book too early you can pay too much but then the price might go up if you leave it too late. Whenever I book flights it seems I'm flying on super exorbitant high season (I think low season is one Tuesday in February). You can't win.


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    #12
    TheDriver
    Registered Users Posts: 12,516 ✭✭✭✭TheDriver


    you will learn a valuable lesson about shop around yourself.........


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    #13
    Victor
    Registered Users Posts: 78,432 ✭✭✭✭Victor


    php-fox wrote: »
    Airlines sell their cheapest tickets first and then, once they run out they sell more expensive ones.
    Mostly, but no exclusively. I think trans-Atlantic flights operate more dynamic supply and demand basis. There are a number of factors at play, including fuel prices, Delta may be charging in dollars and if extra flights are added (likely when booking months ahead), there may be a drop as capacity increases.


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