As a big-time technology user and advocate, I've found many ways to both save time and kill time with the help of desktops, laptops, palms and servers. There are however some areas of technology where caution is a shrewd and important trait, and ordering flight tickets has got to be one of them. Lesson learned...
I recently booked an interstate flight from a flight ticket website, UltimateFares.com. We were referred to them by BookingBuddy.com, and we'd used BookingBuddy to compare ticket prices before and we trusted they don't deal with idiots, or if they did that at least they can reach those idiots by phone when they need to.
As it were, a week after paying UltimateFares, I realize we've been booked the wrong departure date. The day is correct, but the month is wrong. Although the date showed correctly at checkout (we checked these dates twice before confirming our purchase) I don't care if they demand a fee for changing this, I just want it fixed. And that's where my problem arises. When I call the Customer Service line (888)499-8663 offered in our ticket confirmation, I receive the following pre-recorded message:
Thank you for calling Ultimate Fares. In order to serve you better, please be advised that effective immediately, our phone number has changed. For immediate customer support, please call our new number at (415)371-1202. Again the new number is (415)371-1202. <click>
Fair enough, so I call their new customer support number (415)371-1202 and interestingly, I get another pre-recorded message:
Thank you for calling Ultimate Fares. In order to serve you better, please be advised that effective immediately, our phone number has changed. For immediate customer support, please call our new number at (415)371-1202. Again the new number is (415)371-1202. <click>
Not one to give up easily, I look up their detail page on the Better Business Bureau's Los Angeles website, ignore the Company Rating: F, and go right to the Primary Phone field to retrieve their Reseda, CA telephone number. I proceed to dial (888)848-4842 and yep, you guessed it-yet another pre-recorded message:
Thank you for calling Ultimate Fares. In order to serve you better, please be advised that effective immediately[...]
If I follow these instructions as a computer would I'd be cycling through an infinite loop. Do they think they are selling to computers, or are they themselves headless drones?
I'm calling US Air to change this reservation and you'd better believe I won't be dealing with these or any other "bargain flight" turds again. From now on I will take my chances and buy my tickets direct from the airline.
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