BYO JET - Cancelled my flight. What are my rights?

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darktiger

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Sep 13, 2016
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Hey all!

I recently took advantage of a ridiculously low return flight price I saw on BYO Jet from PER to BKK for $108 return flying with Singapore airlines (Economy). I went through the process of filling out my details and making payment, and a few minutes later received a confirmation email confirming my booking with a PDF attachment. The email also contained the following piece:

"Please find attached your tax invoice and purchase details. We will send your Itinerary within the next few hours. This will contain greater details on your flights. Including:

  • Airline booking reference.
  • E-Ticket numbers
  • Baggage information
  • Terminal information
  • Meal information"
I did not receive an email with my itinerary. Instead, I received an email 12 hours later stating:

"Please be advised that your transaction has been refunded and your booking is not confirmed.
Full refund amounting to AUD 108.07 will be processed to the original form of payment.
There has been an issue and we are unable to issue your ticket. We apologize for any inconvenience caused.
Kind Regards,"

I concede that it is most definitely an error fare. However, does anyone know what one's rights are in this situation?

Look forward to hearing your thoughts.
 
Last edited:
The fare is an error. You were quickly notified and the money refunded. There's nothing really much to add to that unfortunately. The $40 difference between the $108 fare (some sort of booking fee?) I presume that has been refunded as well?

If you really wanted to take this further you could contact consumer affairs in your local state. They usually provide free advice over the phone. I'd be surprised if they advised you to pursue this.
 
MEL_Traveller said:
The fare is an error. You were quickly notified and the money refunded. There's nothing really much to add to that unfortunately. The $40 difference between the $108 fare (some sort of booking fee?) I presume that has been refunded as well?

If you really wanted to take this further you could contact consumer affairs in your local state. They usually provide free advice over the phone. I'd be surprised if they advised you to pursue this.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice :)
 
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Agree. Don't waste out funded bodies on this please. You got in too late, found out, whatever. Better luck next time, there is always a next time!
 
Cynicor said:
Agree. Don't waste out funded bodies on this please. You got in too late, found out, whatever. Better luck next time, there is always a next time!
Click to expand...

Some people question the potential contractual issues when ticket cancellations occur, or the consumer protection aspect if something is advertised but not available. And that's fair enough. If the OP is unsure a quick call to consumer affairs can provide expert advice.
 
Cynicor said:
Agree. Don't waste out funded bodies on this please. You got in too late, found out, whatever. Better luck next time, there is always a next time!
Click to expand...

I didn't have any intention of wasting the time of our funded bodies :). I was curious as to what my rights were. I was hoping to get advice from anyone that had been in a similar situation.
 
Whilst I can't find the source in the ACCC website, there are provisions which allow websites to cancel a booking or order if the price offered was a genuine mistake and a reasonable person would consider it a mistake.

In this case the company made a mistake, however they owned up quickly and refunded the money. That's pretty much their side covered. In short you don't have a leg to stand on.
 
HI Darktiger,

got a couple of questions.
deals.JPG

BYO Jet tells us consumers about their best possible deals. Sounds like you believed the company and did what they said.

30dollar offer.JPG

Do you work for BYOJet marketing department? I assume you do not, so as a consumer you would expect a company to be able to manage their business and advertise their prices correctly. Throughout the BYO Jet site they create the impression that they will be saving you good money.

hkg deals.JPG

Do you know the inner workings of SQ & BYO marketing meetings? None of us do. If we believe all of the hype about "best deals" then what else is this website doing. They are getting good deals for consumers so of course they can advertise $108 deals.

"There was an error." OK, was it beyond the control of BYO Jet? As it wasn't replicated across many sites, it's an internal BYO Jet error. Let's face it, someone put in the wrong numbers and are hiding behind an email. Did the email even have a person's name or just "BYOJet Customer Service"?

For all we know (as consumers) it was a devious bait & switch tactic to capture traffic to their site, diverting you from other reasonably priced airfares which are now no longer available to you.

How would you feel if your less traveled auntie and uncle after your suggestion that they use Skyscanner had bought this fare, then pre-paid their non-refundable BKK accommodations, transfers and accompanying land transports. BYOJet error can cause significant other expenses.

First step in a consumer issue is to take it up to the supplier. Worth a decent follow-up.

If consumers don't take it up to companies, how will they develop better systems and responsibilities?

Maybe you wont get a $108 return airfare but you do deserve compensation for their error.

I know for many readers this will not bode well. The internet is full of so many dodgy sales practices that we have to start somewhere. Airline direct sites hide behind the Montreal Convention, hotel sites advertise "80% savings off a Rack rate (that nobody ever pays), Hotels Groups are spawning hollow "Best Rate Gurantees".

Handled correctly by BYOJet, the call could go like this:

"Thanks for your email Darktiger, I thought I'd give you a call to see what we can do to sort this out.

There was an error that day where we loaded the incorrect pricing into our system. A small number of people were impacted. Our website T&Cs do explain that in those cases we have the option to cancel the fare.

I know you were probably disappointed to miss out on the airfare. Are you still wanting to travel to BKK? I can organise a $50 discount voucher for you on your purchase or I can send you a nice SQ travel bag (that the SQ account rep gave me for free.)


I dont think I would accept a business performing poorly just because they are "online".

Would be nice to hear what happens after you scratch the surface of BYOJet Customer Service.

Alby
 
It was a mistake. Not War and Peace. :)

I'm not convinced anyone thought a $50 fare to Bangkok on SQ was actually correct. They may have hoped it might be honoured, as some mistakes are, but most would have thought something went wrong somewhere.
 
albatross710 said:
HI Darktiger,

got a couple of questions.
View attachment 123053

BYO Jet tells us consumers about their best possible deals. Sounds like you believed the company and did what they said.

View attachment 123051

Do you work for BYOJet marketing department? I assume you do not, so as a consumer you would expect a company to be able to manage their business and advertise their prices correctly. Throughout the BYO Jet site they create the impression that they will be saving you good money.

View attachment 123052

Do you know the inner workings of SQ & BYO marketing meetings? None of us do. If we believe all of the hype about "best deals" then what else is this website doing. They are getting good deals for consumers so of course they can advertise $108 deals.

"There was an error." OK, was it beyond the control of BYO Jet? As it wasn't replicated across many sites, it's an internal BYO Jet error. Let's face it, someone put in the wrong numbers and are hiding behind an email. Did the email even have a person's name or just "BYOJet Customer Service"?

For all we know (as consumers) it was a devious bait & switch tactic to capture traffic to their site, diverting you from other reasonably priced airfares which are now no longer available to you.

How would you feel if your less traveled auntie and uncle after your suggestion that they use Skyscanner had bought this fare, then pre-paid their non-refundable BKK accommodations, transfers and accompanying land transports. BYOJet error can cause significant other expenses.

First step in a consumer issue is to take it up to the supplier. Worth a decent follow-up.

If consumers don't take it up to companies, how will they develop better systems and responsibilities?

Maybe you wont get a $108 return airfare but you do deserve compensation for their error.

I know for many readers this will not bode well. The internet is full of so many dodgy sales practices that we have to start somewhere. Airline direct sites hide behind the Montreal Convention, hotel sites advertise "80% savings off a Rack rate (that nobody ever pays), Hotels Groups are spawning hollow "Best Rate Gurantees".

Handled correctly by BYOJet, the call could go like this:

"Thanks for your email Darktiger, I thought I'd give you a call to see what we can do to sort this out.

There was an error that day where we loaded the incorrect pricing into our system. A small number of people were impacted. Our website T&Cs do explain that in those cases we have the option to cancel the fare.

I know you were probably disappointed to miss out on the airfare. Are you still wanting to travel to BKK? I can organise a $50 discount voucher for you on your purchase or I can send you a nice SQ travel bag (that the SQ account rep gave me for free.)


I dont think I would accept a business performing poorly just because they are "online".

Would be nice to hear what happens after you scratch the surface of BYOJet Customer Service.

Alby
Click to expand...

I called BYOJet, and the customer service representative blamed Singapore Airlines for the ticket not being issued. They said that Singapore Airlines didn't issue a ticket due to an internal error so therefore we didn't process your booking and refunded your money. Sounds like a cover up to me. No compensation was offered.
 
darktiger said:
I called BYOJet, and the customer service representative blamed Singapore Airlines for the ticket not being issued. They said that Singapore Airlines didn't issue a ticket due to an internal error so therefore we didn't process your booking and refunded your money. Sounds like a cover up to me. No compensation was offered.
Click to expand...

More of an explanation I think rather than any cover up.

Airlines set the fares, not agents (although they have some margin to move around the commission in their final price to you). There are many thousands of fares, a mistake can happen occasionally.
 
MEL_Traveller said:
More of an explanation I think rather than any cover up.

Airlines set the fares, not agents (although they have some margin to move around the commission in their final price to you). There are many thousands of fares, a mistake can happen occasionally.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the insight :). I'm still quite new to this all.
 
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