[jstkrsn]

On July 26th I booked four tickets on the Delta Website to Puerta Vallarta from Los Angeles and return. I clicked on July 3rd to depart and July 10th to return. My tickets came back with a return date of August 14th. I did not notice this for four days. I thought, could I have made this mistake. So I went back and tried to book the same flight again. Twice I watched it change the date to August 14th as I clicked on July 10th. On the 3rd time I got July 10th. So because I didn't notice how my dates were changed on me, this is costing me $880. How many other people are getting taken on this Website. I know you are supposed to check every number. But I feel this Website made the change, I clicked on the correct date. The fact that I missed their changing the dates on me should not cost me $880. But they don't care. I talked to one of their reps and they could not help me. In their eyes it was my mistake that I didn't notice their Website changed the dates. They laugh all the way to the bank. People booking flights on Delta's Website beware! Try this and see if it happens to you.

[justme]

Just tried it. Same flights, same dates... didn't happen to me. It could be the case that they have fixed the problem since you tried, but I did notice something in the calendars that you use to select the dates. When you are selecting the departure date, the 2 months that pop up are JUN on the left, and JUL on the right. When you select JUL as the departure date, and then go down to select the return date, the 2 months that come up now are JUL on the LEFT and AUG on the RIGHT. I wonder if you didn't notice this and accidentally clicked the wrong month? I almost clicked on AUG, but was paying extra close attention because I wanted to make sure I picked the same date as you. If you weren't paying super close attention, it would be an easy mistake to make

[jimworcs]

That sounds like a very likely explanation for this. Airlines, more than anyone, know about human factors in determining how errors can be designed in, or out. If Delta has data on this, and is profiting from this, even if it is clearly the passengers fault for not noticing, they should change the way in which the information is displayed. It is Delta, so that probably won't happen... but if this is a regular occurance, should they really exploit that for profit?

[justme]

Jim even though I know you have a special place in you heart where you house your hate for Delta, I figured you were smarter than to accuse airlines of such a conspiracy. I copied and pasted this from a different post, I think the principle applies here:

When I hear things like this suggesting that airlines would purposefully disable their website, or any part of it, in order to eek out a few more dollars from the consumer, I tend to just shake my head. I think the more likely possibility is that they are simply doing some web-site maintenance. Airlines simply do not have the time or the need to coordinate such a conspiracy.

Airlines simply do not have the time or need to "rig" the calender so that you choose the wrong date. I would imagine that the reason they did it that way is because if you select a JUL03 departure date, there would be no reason for JUN to be a selection as a return date so the return calendars are the next 2 months. Seems logical to me, but maybe that's because I'm a big bad airline employee that has no soul, morals or feelings and bleed ice.

[jimworcs]

I didn't suggest a conspiracy at all. Do you know what human factors means? I was making it clear that this was unintentional consequences... that is precisely what I meant when I was talking about human factors. My point was not that it is a conspiracy, my point was, if this factor results in the same human error, then they should do something to correct it. The only people who would know this are the airline. That was my point. Human factors are used extensively and have contributed to the incredible safety achieved by the airline industry... I was simply suggesting that they may wish to apply the same principle to their website, rather than profit from the misery of their customers.. such as jstkrsn. I don't hate Delta, I just have no respect for it as a company and do not believe it should be in business. It should have been allowed to go bankrupt when it's customers abandoned it.

but maybe that's because I'm a big bad airline employee that has no soul, morals or feelings

Delta certainly is amoral... and ripped off it's customers, employees and suppliers whilst pumping vast sums of money into unearned pensions and bonuses and stock options for it's senior managers. Maybe it has got to you!!

[jstkrsn]

After going back and and reviewing what had happened I noticed a few things. I originally tried to make these reservations on Travelocity. It was for four people at $446 each. That's a lot of information to add. Half way through my session I was timed out. Start over it said. Well the price was $518 now. So I went directly to Delta. It was $448 each. Only two dollars more. So I proceeded and half way through I got the same message. Start over. Well the price was the same so I was relieved. But I was in a hurry so as not to get timed out again. I noticed that when I go to do the return flight date the June July screen comes up first. Then switches to the July August. Well if you are quick because you are in a hurry and click on July 10th in the June July screen before the screen switches to the July August one, it actually gives you the August 14th date which is in the same box location. Course it immediately disappears in a split second and you don't even see it. So even though you clicked on the July 10th box, it actually registers the August 14th box. All in a split second. As I was in a hurry not to be timed out again I didn't look at the date it actually put in the box. I know what I had clicked on. When I did the revision to change the date I had do it twice because it did the same thing to me and gave me the 14th again. But I was looking for it this time. The Website should not be switching monthly date screens when you are in the process of picking dates and just let you move them ahead if you want. Then this wouldn't have happened. It cost me a lot of money and them a customer for life. Delta-FIX YOUR WEBSITE.

[jstkrsn]

See Unfair fees posted 1-15-10. Same identical situation. And they have not fixed it. Just raking in the fees unless you happen to notice. Too bad they don't give you more time to review everything before timing you out.