Baited and Switched

Posted on November 30, 2008

I’m exceptionally disappointed with Rail Europe right now. I expect a certain amount of underhandedness and shady practices from US carriers, it’s almost their trademark these days. Offered fares fluctuate but the moment and on-line travel sites promise everything but the sun for one price only to drown you in “fees and additional charges.” It’s such a common practice that most people don’t even mind anymore and some will even defend it.

I don’t know why I expected more from Rail Europe, though. Silly me. A few days ago I used their on-line booking website to reserve travel from Paris to London and back for a small leg of my journey. There were multiple fares available, some with first class passage, some with a mix of first class seat without meals, etc. I opted for the comfortable seat, with some flexibility in exchange/refund and no meals. The total was just under $400US. Not bad, not extraordinary, but acceptable.

I immediately got a form letter “non-confirmation” letting me know someone would need to review my order, but not to worry, all was well. If your new to travel, this is red flag #1. Anyone that has a form letter that states everything needs to be reviewed by a “travel specialist” should give you something to think about. I knew what was coming, though: this fare is no longer available, next best, blah blah blah. You should also be weary of flashing notes like “ONE SEAT LEFT AT THIS PRICE!” on sites like Expedia and Travelocity, and especially Cheap Tickets (I never use them anymore, they’re the worst with “fees” doubling the advertised prices). Go and check the airline booking website directly when you see this. Every time I have, I’ve found that the plane is less than half-booked. At that point, call the airline directly and see if they can offer you a better fare than the site. You may be surprised at how many “one seats left” at that price they actually have.

And of course, this morning the E-mail came. To the tune of almost $600US instead of $400. Of course, if I don’t mind traveling 9 hours later, or another day, they can drop it a bit to almost $500. Sigh.

It’s possible that the site isn’t updated with enough frequency that seats sell out during booking, etc. But honestly? The whole process is simply crap.

All travel companies base fares on a formula and algorithm that predicts peak usage and need in rder to maximize profits. Gone are the days of 250 first class seats, 500 2nd class seats and 1500 steerage seats with 3 fixed prices for each. Depending on the time you order, the time you travel and the number of people looking up prices, a 1st class seat can cost you less than a 2nd and availability for any can fluctuate between all available and none, only to go back to all again, depending on the formula. It’s a high-tech bait and switch and EVERYONE knows it.

According to the E-mail I got, the seats I requested are available, with the options I wanted: just not at the price I was quoted.

Um.

Really?

Why?

If they were available when I put in my credit card number, and hit PURCHASE, and the seats are still available now, why did I have to wait three days for someone to contact me and tell me they actually cost more? Would you accept that if that happened to you at Walmart or Target? Would you be OK with picking up a loaf of bread on the shelf marked at $2.39 only to be told when you get to the register that it’s no longer available for $2.39 and is now in fact $3.59?

Car companies get away with it, marking one price on the sticker and then telling you it’s much more based on demand when you go to buy it, travel companies do it with a wreckless abandon that’s something close to criminal and event vendors do it for tickets to concerts and for some reason we accept it. Why do you think some web sites won’t give you the price of some “sale items” until you add them to your cart? (Here’s a hint: they’re tracking product demand and price tolerance). I’m wondering how long it’s going to be before my frozen waffles have “See manager for pricing” instead of “$2.99.”

Incidentally, I checked the rates directly with Eurostar, the train I should be traveling on and not only are the lesser rates still listed as available, they’re for better seats. So shame on you Rail Europe. I really expected more from you. But really, you’re no better than your US counterparts, are you?

Vingt et Deux

Posted on November 27, 2008

22 days remain and the trip is really starting to feel real to me. Yesterday I ordered another CF card (4 GB) so that I would have lots of storage for long trips when I might not get much of a chance to dump photos, and today I did what I could to book my rail travel between Paris and London as well as pick up travel passes for the Tube and the Metro. I got all three ordered but haven’t gotten confirmation on the Eurostar tickets. They sent me an email and said it would take 24 - 48 hours to confirm - hopefully there aren’t any problems with that. Getting to London is kind of important…otherwise I’ll be sleeping on the Rue de Castiglione.

Today is Thanksgiving and it’s absolutely gorgeous outside. A bit on the cool side but mild winds and a lot of sunshine. I’m hoping Paris will be similar when I get there, though I expect it will at times be cold and rainy, which is ok, too. I’m really looking forward to the Eurostar trip as well so I hope they can get me a confirmation soon.

This week I need to print out itineraries, vouchers and passes, and perhaps maps with routes on them so I can get acclimated. Historically it’s taken me a couple of days to start to understand the infrastructure of a city and begin to find my way, but both London and Paris are nothing short of complex so I might need a little help. I think a few sure figures with absolutely necessary paths (airport to hotel, hotel to train stations, etc) would probably give me a good start. I also need to check what clothes I have and what layers will go with what so I can make sure I don’t short myself or overpack, two things I’m prone to doing, especially the latter. I want to travel as lightly as possible but it’s 14 days, and socks alone would pretty much take up enough space to cancel out the idea of “light travel.” I think if I can stay dry and use hotel laundry if available I can cut things down a little with a bit of planning. We’ll see how it goes.

Other than that I need to make work coverage arrangements, collect important emergency information into a single safe place to carry with me and then make bill arrangements and hopefully that’s it!

Anything I’m forgetting? It’s so hard to know until you’re on the plane.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Thanksgiving and a safe, beautiful weekend!

:)

Posted on November 23, 2008

26 days to Paris, 32 days til…

T-48

Posted on November 1, 2008

Around this time in 6 weeks 6 days I should be on French soil, standing some place perhaps along the Champs-Élysées or seated in some small bistro, sipping an early evening wine and watching the day’s traffic shift to the night’s shadows, tourists to vampires in the City of Lights.

Last night I celebrated Halloween with some friends in a few local clubs and bars, a child of the night traveling by taxi (a scary feat on any night, much less Halloween) from one haunt to the next, wrapped up in the spirit of the holiday and the vibrance that comes with so many people focused on being a part of it all. It’s not my usual scene - I feel like I’ve sort of outgrown that stage and though the people I was with were fun, no matter who you’re with you always think about the one’s who aren’t there and you wish could be, but it’s nice to step back into it nonetheless once in awhile, to visit I suppose.

I managed not to drink too much or do anything I wished I could forget, and even came away with a few things to laugh at remembering, like the cabby playing “She Spoke French” for the cab ride, a man in a giant 7 foot panda costume or the people dressed as a bunch of bananas waiting outside to get in as we left. And while I don’t really expect to see people dressed as bananas on the streets of Paris (but hey, you never know, right?) I am looking forward to a whole new set of experiences to write about, people to observe and places to photograph.

Fra Giovanni Giocondo wrote, “Courage you have, and the knowledge that we are all pilgrims together, wending through unknown country, home.”

I like that.