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The Aerlingus €5 USA flights DEBACLE!!!

  • 18-04-2008 05:24PM
    #1
    Dave!
    Closed Accounts Posts: 27,856 ✭✭✭✭


    Hey folks,

    Have ye all been following this story today? Every time I switch on the radio or TV it seems to be there...

    Basically:

    -Aerlingus put €5 flights to the US on their website for about an hour
    -About 100 people went for this
    -It then emerged that due to a "technical error", the flights were business class (which usually cost €1500+)
    -Aerlingus sent out emails to the customers informing them that there was an error, and they will be reimbursed the €5
    -Moaning ensued
    -Aerlingus folded and agreed to honour the €5 flights, but in economy class rather than business
    -Now some people are talking about taking legal action against Aerlingus

    What do ye think? Do Aerlingus have a responsibility to honour the flights, despite it being an unfortunate error? Was the refund not reasonable? Are the customers chancers?


«1

Comments

  • #2
    Mossy Monk
    Closed Accounts Posts: 28,128 ✭✭✭✭Mossy Monk


    I say they dont have to honour it.


  • #3
    fatal
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,424 ✭✭✭fatal


    Mossy Monk wrote: »
    I say they dont have to honour it.

    I agree.They shouldn't have to compensate anyone for anything either


  • #4
    Ruu_Old
    Closed Accounts Posts: 36,634 ✭✭✭✭Ruu_Old


    No, this isn't a dvd that cost €30 that is listed for 99 cents or something (which happens often in Bargain Alerts but we chance our arms anyway).


  • #5
    Ross_Mahon
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,283 ✭✭✭Ross_Mahon


    I wouldn't mind a business class flight, they should just give the people what they want and learn from their mistake.


  • #6
    Sherifu
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,727 ✭✭✭✭Sherifu


    They are honouring it. Sort of anyway.


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  • #7
    Tigger
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,705 ✭✭✭✭Tigger


    what do i think : they should get what they paid for

    Do Aerlingus have a responsibility to honour the flights? morally? no they are a corporation, legally? i donno there is an accident clause in consumer law so i'm not sure but it will set a precedent.

    Was the refund not reasonable? no the economy class offer is reasonable the refund was not enough; sure they will have booked time off work and hotels etc.

    Are the customers chancers? yes but they have a point


  • #8
    Holsten
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,971 ✭✭✭Holsten


    Yes, they should honour the full business class flights, their mistake.

    They offered it, people accepted and money was taken.


  • #9
    Tar.Aldarion
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 60,113 Mod ✭✭✭✭Tar.Aldarion


    They have no obligation by law I think. Whoever would take legal action after getting the economy flights is a twat.


  • #10
    Leon11
    Closed Accounts Posts: 578 ✭✭✭Leon11


    No they don't have to honour the flights. They made a mistake and I'm pretty sure 99.99% of the people booking had no idea they were booking business class. They have been offered flights for practically nothing compared to current prices. Accept what you've been given and stop trying to be feckin freeloaders.


  • #11
    BKtje
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,097 ✭✭✭BKtje


    This seems similar to the gas station debacle don't it?

    I say fair play to Aer Lingus for at least agreeing to economy class. They were going to loose close to €150k, now it's probably about half that but still an awful lot for a company who constantly seem to be having to cut more costs.


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  • #12
    kerash
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,688 ✭✭✭kerash


    Freeloaders FTW. There nothing like something for nothing;)


  • #13
    chuci
    Closed Accounts Posts: 938 ✭✭✭chuci


    if they made the mistake then its their own fault. i think putting the guys in economy is a pretty good compromise.


  • #14
    PeakOutput
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,639 ✭✭✭PeakOutput


    if it was advertised as business class flights for 5euro then obviously they should honor it but i very much doubt that was the case im sure that it was a computer error somewhere that when you hit buy(on economy seats) it placed an "order" for business class seats assuming this is the case there is no way at all they should be honoured in business class

    customers should defo be allowed fly economy if they want or a full refund :p


  • #15
    Tarzan_man
    Closed Accounts Posts: 122 ✭✭Tarzan_man


    I thought if a business listed something as such and such a price they have to honour it as it's illegal to display false prices. Some uproar a while back in England when ipod docks were labeled as 5 pound instead of 50 and they honoured all the one's bought, but added a disclaimer to the site about crap like that happenin again


  • #16
    Rb
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,277 ✭✭✭✭Rb


    Was listening to this on the radio today.

    Some guy from the consumer rights said that not only are they entitled to their flight, but they're entitled to business class as it's not unrealistic to think that the flights actually could have been €5 given that other flights had been sold for €0.01 previously i.e that it could have been another crazy promotion.

    I'm not 100% sure but it sounds like all the necessary elements of a valid legal contract are there.

    If I were one of them I'd certainly be seeking my business class ticket.


  • #17
    Rb
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,277 ✭✭✭✭Rb


    Tarzan_man wrote: »
    I thought if a business listed something as such and such a price they have to honour it as it's illegal to display false prices. Some uproar a while back in England when ipod docks were labeled as 5 pound instead of 50 and they honoured all the one's bought, but added a disclaimer to the site about crap like that happenin again
    Not necessarily, it can also be called an Invitation To Treat


  • #18
    Tigger
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,705 ✭✭✭✭Tigger


    invitation to treat only till money exchanges hands


  • #19
    Thrill
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,485 ✭✭✭Thrill


    I'd grab the economy offer now while it's going. Moaning about a seat to the US for only 5 euro is daft when it was an error in the first place.


  • #20
    Rb
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,277 ✭✭✭✭Rb


    rbd wrote: »
    invitation to treat only till money exchanges hands
    Yeah true, hence why I said I wasn't 100% because given that money did change hands, it really looks as though they've a fully valid contract with Aer Lingus now, enforcable by law.


  • #21
    Tar.Aldarion
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 60,113 Mod ✭✭✭✭Tar.Aldarion


    They have more of a chance if they were charged, their CC transactions would not have gone through that fast I take it..although your details may be enough. Even then...

    Aer Lingus can annul a contrat with a mistake can't they?


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  • #22
    Tigger
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,705 ✭✭✭✭Tigger


    Tar.Aldarion wrote: »
    They have more of a chance if they were charged, their CC transactions would not have gone through that fast I take it..although your details may be enough. Even then...

    Aer Lingus can annul a contrat with a mistake can't they?


    nope when i take yer cc i gets the money at the start of the day following the next working day


  • #23
    leninbenjamin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,983 ✭✭✭leninbenjamin


    Tar.Aldarion wrote: »
    They have no obligation by law I think.

    what makes you think that? the contract was entered into; some had money taken from accounts I believe (at least that's what i heard on the radio). they just played hard ball to scare people off challenging i reckon but it backfired miserably. it would set a very bad precendent if Aer Lingus were let off the hook on this. while it may seem a glaringly obvious error a sale is a sale. what rights do consumers have if Aer Lingus aren't obligated to honour a sale?


  • #24
    MAKE MY DAY
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 104 ✭✭MAKE MY DAY


    If I make a mistake when Im booking flights I am charged if I need to change the details etc... I think its only right that aerlingus should honour the contracts.


  • #25
    MrJoeSoap
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,117 ✭✭✭✭MrJoeSoap


    MAKE MY DAY wrote: »
    If I make a mistake when Im booking flights I am charged if I need to change the details etc... I think its only right that aerlingus should honour the contracts.

    + f*cking 1 from here, great point.


  • #26
    Tar.Aldarion
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 60,113 Mod ✭✭✭✭Tar.Aldarion


    leninbenjamin wrote: »
    what makes you think that? the contract was entered into; some had money taken from accounts I believe (at least that's what i heard on the radio). they just played hard ball to scare people off challenging i reckon but it backfired miserably. it would set a very bad precendent if Aer Lingus were let off the hook on this. while it may seem a glaringly obvious error a sale is a sale. what rights do consumers have if Aer Lingus aren't obligated to honour a sale?

    I say it becauses these mistakes happen all the time and are never really honoured. I'm not sure if they have to take the money from your account or not to even give you a leg to stand on.
    Apple did the same thing, TB external hdd labelled for like a euro or something, nobody got one and so on.

    They have to honour a sale if it is not an obvious error, it was in this case.
    As if they would give 1500e off on a deal per person.


  • #27
    Sherifu
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,727 ✭✭✭✭Sherifu


    Tar.Aldarion wrote: »
    I say it becauses these mistakes happen all the time and are never really honoured. I'm not sure if they have to take the money from your account or not to even give you a leg to stand on.
    Apple did the same thing, TB external hdd labelled for like a euro or something, nobody got one and so on.

    They have to honour a sale if it is not an obvious error, it was in this case.
    As if they would give 1500e off on a deal per person.
    It's all about the T&Cs.


  • #28
    bleg
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,848 ✭✭✭bleg


    at least nobody called it "lingusgate"


  • #29
    Leon11
    Closed Accounts Posts: 578 ✭✭✭Leon11


    MAKE MY DAY wrote: »
    If I make a mistake when Im booking flights I am charged if I need to change the details etc... I think its only right that aerlingus should honour the contracts.

    If you make a mistake it's because you've entered info in wrong yourself, AL mistake came through a technical glitch that they could not see. They are different in my opinion.

    Come on it's only when people received their confirmation did they even realise it was business class they received, I think that it could argued that the customer presumed they were buying economy class flights so why should they expect business.

    On a side note, if this was a small internet flight booker that had a tech glitch like this that could put them out of business if they were to offer business class flights, would people still want them? Knowing how greedy people have become I imagine they would.


  • #30
    delta_bravo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,567 ✭✭✭delta_bravo


    Heard on the news there that several members of staff are being investigated because they or their family/friends took advantage of the glitch rather than immediately rectifying the error


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  • #31
    TheIrishGrover
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,347 ✭✭✭TheIrishGrover


    From http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0418/aerlingus.html
    RTÉ News has learned that a number of Aer Lingus staff availed of the €5 deal offered in error on the airline's website.

    The number is thought to be few, but it is understood that friends and family of Aer Lingus staff also bought tickets as word spread.

    Aer Lingus Commercial Director Enda Corneille told RTÉ News that any staff who availed of the offer would not be the subject of disciplinary moves.

    AdvertisementHe said a full investigation into the sequence of events associated with the debacle, including how the company handled itself in the media, will begin next week.

    Today Aer Lingus said it would offer economy class seats to all customers who booked €5 flights to the US.

    Speaking on RTÉ Radio's News at One, Mr Corneille said all customers would now be offered the option of travelling in economy class but not on business class.

    He accepted that the airline handled the situation badly.

    Aer Lingus blamed a technical fault for Wednesday's error, which saw up to 300 people book business class flights to the US for €5.

    Aer Lingus said yesterday it would not compensate customers, only stating that no funds would be deducted from their accounts.

    However, the airline now says it believes that some customers genuinely believed that they were making a booking in economy class.

    It is contacting passengers that have been affected in order to rebook their travel arrangements.

    Aer Lingus says it accepts that its customers were upset and inconvenienced by the error and apologises unreservedly.

    The glitch affected customers between 7.30am and 9am on Wednesday, when promotional fares on its transatlantic route were loaded onto the website accidentally.

    Hmmmmm. Seems SOMEBODY inside gave a quick heads-up about this "mistake";)
    ...


  • #32
    leninbenjamin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,983 ✭✭✭leninbenjamin


    Leon11 wrote: »
    If you make a mistake it's because you've entered info in wrong yourself, AL mistake came through a technical glitch that they could not see. They are different in my opinion.

    have they said exactly what the technical glitch was? I'd be very surpised if it wasn't simply a case of human error (or indeed disgruntled employee).

    edit: reading the above; 'loaded accidently', technical glitch my ass...


  • #33
    Wertz
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,909 ✭✭✭✭Wertz


    From what I've read/heard it's a very grey area....as Ruu said, you can't really compare it to some cheap DVDs (or applicable mispriced items), since some of the people had their flights confirmed, their CC's debited and all that.
    Seems to me that there are some who tried to take advantage of the misprice (like we do over in BA forum) and probably emailed a load of their pals to try and do the same...but it also seems like there are people who get mailed a link to cheap flights by AL themselves and were lead to believe that this was the cost of the flight offer and booked in good faith.
    I think AL's offer of eco class is a good compromise and at a guess I'd say that the people who knew it had to be mispriced are being most stalwart about their "rights" to the flights...

    I'm not a lawyer, I can't say who is right or wrong here, but I'll say this; it smacks of very poor business practice that such shoddily coded websites are let loose on the Net, that a mistake like this can occur. AL (and all the other companies out there who rely on web sales) need to take this task in hand and put measures in place to stop mistakes like this going live...some change in internet sales laws to the effect of enforcing companies to honour misprices might make companies realise that their QA isn't up to scratch and to do something about lazy coding...


    [edit] Interesting news from RTÉ...the plot thickens...


  • #34
    chump
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,807 ✭✭✭chump


    Fair play to aer lingus.


  • #35
    Ciaran500
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,225 ✭✭✭Ciaran500


    chump wrote: »
    Fair play to aer lingus.

    For what?


  • #36
    Wertz
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,909 ✭✭✭✭Wertz


    For employing such dilligently thrifty staff.


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  • #37
    chump
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,807 ✭✭✭chump


    Ciaran500 wrote: »
    For what?

    For bringing the situation to a swift close, for having the gumption to admit they got it wrong, and for ultimately providing the shrewdies with a very good deal

    GOOD DAY TO YOU


  • #38
    Overheal
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 86,729 ✭✭✭✭Overheal


    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055276886


  • #39
    Basq
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 44,431 ✭✭✭✭Basq


    Ruu wrote: »
    No, this isn't a dvd that cost €30 that is listed for 99 cents or something (which happens often in Bargain Alerts but we chance our arms anyway).
    Damn right we do..! :D

    My actual response to the debacle is up in video form somewhere.


  • #40
    slightly lost
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17 ✭slightly lost


    Gutted tbh. I was hoping they would invalidate the tickets :( Therefore any time in the future were I made a mistake I could have them by the balls.

    :(


  • #41
    MAKE MY DAY
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 104 ✭✭MAKE MY DAY


    Anyone see that a number of the tickets were bought by aerlingus staff, family and friends !! apparently the company will not be taking internal disciplinary action !


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  • #42
    FlutterinBantam
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,575 ✭✭✭✭FlutterinBantam


    If that is true they are stone mad.

    Leaves the way open for some insider to post spurious fares,advise their friends and get away scot free!!

    I it was my call I would sack them after fully investigating the case.

    No other decision.


  • #43
    xOxSinéadxOx
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,604 ✭✭✭xOxSinéadxOx


    if they bought their tickets knowing that they weren't buying business class how the hell do they think they're entitled to business class???:confused:


  • #44
    Neamhshuntasach
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,174 ✭✭✭Neamhshuntasach


    I'm sure aul Finbar from Foxrock would of been running amok at the thought of Deco and his bird Trina from Finglas sitting next to him if they honored the business class seats.


  • #45
    challengemaster
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,930 ✭✭✭✭challengemaster


    uh, I'd say they're entitled to business class imo.

    It's what was offered, it's what they paid for.. (lol) Not the passenger's problem. Aerlingus made a slip up.. but I think what they're doing now could be seen as false advertising? If I bought business class I'd want business class.. Slip up or not.


  • #46
    xOxSinéadxOx
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,604 ✭✭✭xOxSinéadxOx


    challengemaster wrote: »
    uh, I'd say they're entitled to business class imo.

    It's what was offered, it's what they paid for.. (lol) Not the passenger's problem. Aerlingus made a slip up.. but I think what they're doing now could be seen as false advertising? If I bought business class I'd want business class.. Slip up or not.


    but it's not what was offered, they thought they were buying economy. then in their confirmation email it said business class.


  • #47
    Peared
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,183 ✭✭✭Peared


    I think its been very nicely and thoroughly summed up by Dave McG in the OP and I bet he was good at studying and making notes in school.


  • #48
    challengemaster
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,930 ✭✭✭✭challengemaster


    xOxSinéadxOx wrote: »
    but it's not what was offered, they thought they were buying economy. then in their confirmation email it said business class.

    Well in that case - yeah, fair play for going ahead with the economy flights.


  • #49
    Victor McDade
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 710 ✭✭✭Victor McDade


    Neamhshuntasach wrote: »
    I'm sure aul Finbar from Foxrock would of been running amok at the thought of Deco and his bird Trina from Finglas sitting next to him if they honored the business class seats.

    :D lmao


  • #50
    Rb
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,277 ✭✭✭✭Rb


    Wow, crazy news about the staff abusing it, along with their friends and family. Amazed that they weren't insta-sacked over it.


  • #51
    challengemaster
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,930 ✭✭✭✭challengemaster


    Uhm.. wouldn't that be improper grounds for firing or some such sh!te? I mean, it's not against company rules to buy flight tickets is it? They're people, regardless if they work there or not.. I think they're entitled to buy the plane tickets..


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