Tripbeam is here to give you a story to help you understand what mistake fares are. Imagine you have found a flight to your destination at such an incredibly low price you find it hard to believe. You make the immediate decision to book your trip then and there. But think of your disappointment when you find out in a few days that the airline has cancelled your trip! This case is where mistake fares occur. Here’s what you need to know before you grab flight tickets from India to USA with us.
All You Need To Know About Mistake Fares: Definition, Causes And More
Before delving into the deep end of mistake fares, you need to comprehend that mistake fares are happening due to many reasons. It is not easy to pinpoint the cause because there are many of them. However, we’ll go through it all and help you have a glimpse into what they are and how they may occur.
What are mistake fares?
Mistake fares are also called error fares, where an airline sells its flight tickets at a lower than market fare rate than they intend to. It could be due to a slip of a finger or a technical issue. The pandemic period was when they started occurring frequently.
What is one of the best mistake fare examples?
The best example of such mistake fares would have to include the time when British Airways offered their flight tickets at $1.35 + tax. The real price of the tickets at the time was $265 + tax. To their surprise, they sold more than 2000 tickets in just 2 days. And to their passengers’ disappointment, all such tickets were cancelled only a few days later. So, be aware when you book cheap flights to Mumbai from USA with us the next time.
Comprehensive causes of mistake fares
While error flights were a common occurrence in the 2000 – 2009 time period, it was a rare incident since 2017. While you may think that there has to be a way to limit or control mistake fares from occurring, unfortunately, there isn’t. These are the prevalent causes of mistake fares in recent times.
Human error
This is one of the most common causes an airline provides to cancel a mistake fares flight. Also known as fat finger deals, there are many examples abounding on the internet about human error.
One example is Delta Airlines which showed a round trip between Salt Lake City and Cincinnati. While the original trip cost more than $400, it was offered for only $48. After that happened, a spokesman addressed the incident. He explained that while their problem was fixed, they decided that they would honor the flight bookings made during the mistake period.
Foreign currency
This happens when an airline attempts listing flight fares with the inclusion of multiple currencies. Mistakes happen and they don’t get the conversions right every time. Thanks to this error, fliers get a discount of $30 to hundreds and some. This is also known as airline error and sale fares.
Technical issues
Now this one might be a tad bit difficult to believe. Computer glitches. Yes, even in this day and age, airlines may lose thousands of dollars due to erroneous computer glitches.
Airlines determine the price of flight tickets through algorithms where they use potential combinations of city routes. If you didn’t know, algorithms this complex are enough to play havoc on any system. Hence, the automated fares are published at new rates.
Communicational issues
Be it online travel agents (OTAs) or airlines connected by Global distribution system (GDS), communicational issues happen. It might be when an airline provides incorrect price information to the OTAs. Even if they provide the right prices, it takes time to upload it across the OTAs’ websites. If a passenger books a flight during this period, they might get to enjoy flights at unbelievably low prices.
Wrapping up with a much needed conclusion
Now that you know all about mistake fares, you can take necessary precautions and either chase after them or avoid them at all costs. It is a love – hate relationship where you may or may not get to enjoy the benefits of a low priced flight. Keep that in mind when you book flight tickets from USA to Trivandrum with us the next time! For more updates, sign up now!
Also Read: End All Your Chaos for Airfares Fluctuation In A Minute Here!
