Beware of Computer Cookies when online shopping for flights and packages

[DandyDon]

I've mentioned this here and there, but want to spread the word. If you shop the same site for different trips, flights, date, etc - then go back to book your best find, you may well find the price has gone up while shopping! :shocked2: I have caught ContinentalAir.com at this before I made Elite with them. Try clearing your cookies for that site and price it again! Or try a different browser maybe; I keep four on my desktop.

Got a nice PM today on this, and he posted it in Cozumel forum, so I'll quote it here...

Also, have to pass along thanks to DandyDon. Checked my itinerary a couple of times and package price was attractive at Casa Mexicana w/RT air into Coz. Went back to book it and price was up approx $200. Remembered Don's tip and so I deleted the Orbitz cookie. Went back in and was able to book it at the original price. The Entertain200 discount still works with Orbitz as well and helps make the trip a real value.

The Entertain200 code gets an extra $200 off for Mexican trip packages of 6 days or more.

Glad it worked well for you. The Orbitz code for 2010 is 200ENTERTAIN

Also keep watching out for the other sites than try to sneak in an add-on fee at the last when booking. It's hard to see unless you check the figures yourself; don't trust their computers to add up your total...!

 

[aku321]

Wow thats good to know. Shame on Continental Airline! Although they do pay my bills.......

 

[fisheater]

I can't imagine any other industry that tries SO HARD to abuse and piss off its customer base. (I sure hope that there aren't any others!)

Thanks for the "heads up."

 

[DandyDon]

Wow thats good to know. Shame on Continental Airline! Although they do pay my bills.......

I'm not throwing stones at Cont Air - a fine airline dealing with ever changing challenges. They all do it.

I can't imagine any other industry that tries SO HARD to abuse and piss off its customer base. (I sure hope that there aren't any others!)

Thanks for the "heads up."

This example is from Orbitz. I like to think that Sidestep doesn't do it, but who knows? Don't buy without trying.

 

[mongodives]

Orbitz and travelocity have screwed me, so now I just deal directly with airlines and hotels and have gotten better deals than any of the online booking agencies.
Do the price research online then book by phone, you'll be amazed at the deals you can get.

 

[DandyDon]

Orbitz and travelocity have screwed me, so now I just deal directly with airlines and hotels and have gotten better deals than any of the online booking agencies.
Do the price research online then book by phone, you'll be amazed at the deals you can get.

You know, I bet it's worth a try. Some of us find the online shopping so easy, but a final phone call is free - and worth a try. If they can save you money even with the ticketing fee, cool.

 

[polyester1970]

I've noticed the same thing before and sometimes clearing cookies works and sometimes it doesn't. I read that airlines change their prices about 3-4 times per week so I thought, since I do a lot of surfing around midnight (like now) - perhaps I hit it when their computers changed the prices.

 

[DandyDon]

Haha! I think they can change their prices more often than that. They have Yield Management teams and programs to constantly deal with the perishable supply of flight seats.

It used to be true that airlines replenished inventories at midnight wherever their headquarters may be located from 24 hour hold seats not purchased. Since then, sales have changed to instant purchases - except at least some allow 24 hours to cancel with full refund. I just don't know how well wee hour shopping really works now? I do think that fares are generally cheaper when shopping mid-week tho.

 

[polyester1970]

Oh I just remembered...last time I was trying to book a trip and like always checking 5-6 sites, changing the parameters constantly, after an hour or two the trip I had high on my list jumped up a couple hundred bucks. I cleared my cookies suspecting they were tracking me, but it didn't work. So I remoted into my computer at work, went to the site and viola - a couple hundred bucks cheaper. I think it was Orbitz - slimy bastards. The other thing also is - sites like Orbitz, Expedia, probably others - actually are sorta' like bucket-shops. They have their own 'inventory' of seats for certain routes so they might have their own algorithms to play tricks on unsuspecting people like you and me. But that's also why sometimes those sites can offer hotel/air packages cheaper than the hotel by itself.

Bing.com has a historical airfare database that tries to use that to predict price trends. I also checked out this site called FareCompare.com that has this feature that supposedly alerts you when airfare drops to a point you set, however after trying it - I've never actually got one of those alerts - just spam.

 

[Doc Harry]

...I have caught ContinentalAir.com at this....!

Yet another reason to avoid Continental Airlines.

JUST SAY NO TO CONTINENTAL AIRLINES!