United Airlines sell tickets for as low as $0

[merithyn]

A friend of mine happened to be online yesterday, buying tickets for a class reunion in Colorado. While she was there, she noticed that ticket prices were at no cost, so she bought her tickets to the class reunion, and then also booked a flight to Las Vegas from Chicago, and another to Hawaii.

Total cost: $30 for her and her boyfriend to fly to all three cities.

United Airlines to honour tickets issued for $0 in glitch

Travellers purchased the cheap tickets to popular destinations such as Hawaii and Las Vegas
United Airlines has pledged to honour airline tickets sold for as little as $0 because of a computer error.

The airline, one of the largest in the US, said it was unsure how many steeply discounted tickets it had issued.

It temporarily shut down its website and ceased taking telephone orders after discovering the error.

The tickets were sold on Thursday through its online booking system. Passengers must still pay US security fees of about $5 (£3.15) - $10.

"We've reviewed the error that occurred yesterday and based on these specific circumstances, we will honor the tickets," the airline wrote in a tweet.

US travellers snatched up tickets for destinations as far afield as Hawaii.

Bob Stokas of Oak Lawn, a suburb of Chicago, told a local NBC affiliate he had been shopping for a return fare to Los Angeles, expecting to pay as much as $800.

"When I scrolled down past the non-stop fares, when I got to the connecting flights, the flights to and from Los Angeles per person was $10," he told the broadcaster.

"That was a shock and a surprise, and I was like, 'I've got to book this flight right now before they rescind their offer of $10 for this flight.'"

[crazy canuck]

Not surprised they have to sell tickets for 0 dollars.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YGc4zOqozo

[The Brain]

You'd have to pay me to fly domestic in the US.

[jimmy olsen]

Lucky bastards!

[Phillip V]

That's goodwill. Net profit.

[mongers]

A friend of mine happened to be online yesterday, buying tickets for a class reunion in Colorado. While she was there, she noticed that ticket prices were at no cost, so she bought her tickets to the class reunion, and then also booked a flight to Las Vegas from Chicago, and another to Hawaii.

Total cost: $30 for her and her boyfriend to fly to all three cities.

This doesn't represent the true 'cost' of these flights.

[merithyn]

A friend of mine happened to be online yesterday, buying tickets for a class reunion in Colorado. While she was there, she noticed that ticket prices were at no cost, so she bought her tickets to the class reunion, and then also booked a flight to Las Vegas from Chicago, and another to Hawaii.

Total cost: $30 for her and her boyfriend to fly to all three cities.

This doesn't represent the true 'cost' of these flights.

I'd take a crappy flight with rude airline pilots and servers to Hawaii for $15.

[crazy canuck]

A friend of mine happened to be online yesterday, buying tickets for a class reunion in Colorado. While she was there, she noticed that ticket prices were at no cost, so she bought her tickets to the class reunion, and then also booked a flight to Las Vegas from Chicago, and another to Hawaii.

Total cost: $30 for her and her boyfriend to fly to all three cities.

This doesn't represent the true 'cost' of these flights.

I'd take a crappy flight with rude airline pilots and servers to Hawaii for $15.

What other kinds of degrading activity would you do for 15 buck? 

[merithyn]

What other kinds of degrading activity would you do for 15 buck? 

Kick a Canadian giant in the gonads.

[Tonitrus]

Will no one think of the United shareholders? 

[CountDeMoney]

Will no one think of the United shareholders? 

We will, when they need the federal bailout.

[mongers]

A friend of mine happened to be online yesterday, buying tickets for a class reunion in Colorado. While she was there, she noticed that ticket prices were at no cost, so she bought her tickets to the class reunion, and then also booked a flight to Las Vegas from Chicago, and another to Hawaii.

Total cost: $30 for her and her boyfriend to fly to all three cities.

This doesn't represent the true 'cost' of these flights.

I'd take a crappy flight with rude airline pilots and servers to Hawaii for $15.

Think external rather than internal costs.

[crazy canuck]

What other kinds of degrading activity would you do for 15 buck? 

Kick a Canadian giant in the gonads.

Well played

[Admiral Yi]

Will no one think of the United shareholders? 

They decided to honor the tickets in the furtherance of shareholder value.

[Ideologue]

A friend of mine happened to be online yesterday, buying tickets for a class reunion in Colorado. While she was there, she noticed that ticket prices were at no cost, so she bought her tickets to the class reunion, and then also booked a flight to Las Vegas from Chicago, and another to Hawaii.

Total cost: $30 for her and her boyfriend to fly to all three cities.

This doesn't represent the true 'cost' of these flights.

I'd take a crappy flight with rude airline pilots and servers to Hawaii for $15.

Think external rather than internal costs.

No price includes externalities.  That's why they're called "externalities."