Flight Centre is refusing price match and can't provide supporting policy

Ash-Say on 26/12/2018 - 17:33
Last edited 04/01/2019 - 19:47 by 1 other user

I asked Flight Centre to price match Aunt Betty but they stated they no longer price unless it is Australian Retailer and accommodation of at least $500 must also be booked.

I checked online and the price match policy is no longer available anywhere. I asked them to provide me link to their policy but they are stating the policy is not uploaded on website as yet. I spoke with 2 different people and both provided same information.

There is massive difference of $600 between Flight Centre and Aunt Betty website. Has anyone got any suggestion how to deal with it?

Here is a summary of interaction so far. It appears they are totally stuffed up.

Phone chat with first team member: Will only price match with AU business having ABN if also book accommodation but won't do it for Aunt Betty. Don't have written policy to support it. Also could only see $34k business class flights at end end for my dates for the same airline.

Phone chat with 2nd team member: Will only do price match if book accommodation for at least $500. Don't have any written policy to support it.

Web chat: Will only price match directly with airlines. She is also unable to provide written policy to support it.

Phone chat with another team member: Not aware of any policy change but she could only see prices which were $3.5k more than what was even listed on their website.

Update: I completely forgot I had also lodged online enquiry and one the branches in Melbourne contacted me. The agent was very helpful. They couldn't match Aunt Betty but they agreed to price match another travel agent with physical presence. Saved me $400 and another $600 on Gift Cards. Really happy outcome in the end!

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• 

  [Deactivated] on 26/12/2018 - 17:52

  Up until a few months ago, I price matched at FC using a quote from another Australian website.
  Accommodation had nothing to do with the deal.
  Unless things have suddenly changed since…

  • 

    Ash-Say on 26/12/2018 - 17:55

    +1

    Just had a chat with another team member and tThey are saying they no longer price unless it directly from the airline. All price match links on their website have been removed last week.

• 

  holdenmg on 26/12/2018 - 18:18

  Check out:
  https://www.studentflights.com.au/best-price-promise

  WE SWEAR! BEST PRICE PROMISE^
  We will beat any airfare quote

  Applies to genuine quotes from airlines and Australian registered businesses and websites for travel that originates/departs from Australia.
  Quote must be in writing and must be presented to us prior to booking.
  Fare must be available and able to be booked by the general public when you bring it to us.
  Fares available due to membership of a group or corporate entity or subscription to a closed group are excluded.
  Quote must be for same dates, flight routing, flight class, flight number and for the same number of people.
  We will beat your quoted price by $1.
  

  • 

    Ash-Say on 26/12/2018 - 18:28

    I know this but wanted to use my FC gift cards which I purchased in early December. FC was doing price match at that time but now they changed policy as per their teamber claim.

    Didnt reach out to them early December because I was waiting for reasonable price drop on Aunt Betty

    • 

      humdingaling on 26/12/2018 - 21:17

      +3

      what the actual F
      you bought yourself a FC gift card ?

      was it at 50% off or something?

    • 

      redwood on 20/01/2019 - 22:24

      For future references, Student Flights also take FC gift cards. But I heard they're going to do away with the best price promise soon too. So if you've stocked up FC gift cards previously now is the time to use them up.

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  blighst on 26/12/2018 - 18:47

  +1

  The funny thing is Aunt Betty is backed by Flight Centre

  • 

    [Deactivated] on 26/12/2018 - 19:27

    +1

    They are owned by Flight Centre, not just "backed" by them.

    "© Flight Centre Travel Group Limited trading as Aunt Betty"

    • 

      blighst on 29/12/2018 - 21:49

      I thought they spun off AB - but yeah if that's still the case then even funnier.

• 

  JimmyF on 26/12/2018 - 19:20

  There is massive difference of $600 between Flight Centre and Aunt Betty website. Has anyone got any suggestion how to deal with it?

  Just book with Aunt Betty and move on with your life….

  FC will only beat it by $1, big whoop.

  • 

    [Deactivated] on 26/12/2018 - 19:26

    +2

    OP has FC gift cards.

    • 

      Ash-Say on 26/12/2018 - 19:31

      +1

      Yes I will lose another $600 saving for not using gift card.

    • 

      JimmyF on 26/12/2018 - 21:08

      +1

      OP has FC gift cards.

      Ok…. well things not listed in the first post that would have been handy :)

• 

  Diji1 on 26/12/2018 - 20:34

  You're speaking with brainwashed cult members in any interactions with Flight Centre staff.

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  hashtagbargain on 26/12/2018 - 21:40

  Have you tried another branch? If you contacted the call center, hang up and try again.

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  shapers on 26/12/2018 - 21:55

  My girlfriend works for flight centre and says they should price match it for you. Have you been into a branch?

  • 

    Ash-Say on 26/12/2018 - 21:59

    Only tried call centre at this stage.

    Will walk into 4 nearby branches to try my luck.

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  pais on 27/12/2018 - 09:28

  If there is no documented policy, then you're SOOL.

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  SnoozeAndLose on 27/12/2018 - 09:43

  Have you tried "SD" on ozbargain?

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  justaperson on 27/12/2018 - 10:56

  I literally went in about a week ago and price matched a flight off aunt betty. I'd go into a branch since that will be the best/easiest way to talk to a real person who isn't gonna give you call centre standard spiel.

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  rjstev on 27/12/2018 - 12:31

  +3

  Why would anyone even want to deal with Flight Centre when their model is to charge the highest fares they can get away with?

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  djkelly69 on 27/12/2018 - 13:18

  It was stated in a recent article about flight centre that the cost of price matching comes out of the staff member's commission, hence they make up any BS they can think of to avoid price matching.

  I would just go into a bunch of flight centre stores until they match it.

• 

  Jesse16246 on 27/12/2018 - 21:47

  I had the same experience today
  I called my local store and they would not price match the flights unless I also spent $500 on accommodation with them.

  So I just booked the tickets online.

  I was also told look at bestjet going into administration last week. They said hopefully online websites will start to charge the same prices that flight centre charge.

  Hopefully once they realise that they are loosing money and customers not price matching they will change back.

  • 

    scozbargain on 03/01/2019 - 15:04

    there is nothing to say that Fight Centre cannot go into administration some time in the future. To remove one level of risk book direct with airline. Nothing to say airline cannot go into administration at some time either.
    I would book with Aunt Betty and use the GC for a cheap flight special - maybe Virgin or Qantas to Hong Kong return?

• 

  Neoika on 28/12/2018 - 11:26

  I think the change is effective from boxing day. The new tightened price policy is under review and will be published soon. Obviously, FC can not price match a business like Bestjet now.

• 

  Ash-Say on 28/12/2018 - 11:33

  Visited 4 local branches and none of them was willing to price match including the travel agent with physical presence.

  • 

    Jesse16246 on 28/12/2018 - 11:42

    In the comments above

    My girlfriend works for flight centre and says they should price match it for you. Have you been into a branch?

    Send him a private message and ask him which store his girlfriend works. Call that store and she should be able to price match it for you.

    • 

      Ash-Say on 28/12/2018 - 11:47

      I did but he never responded lol

• 

  lltravel on 04/01/2019 - 14:09

  just go and book it with aunt betty.. whats the point of arguing.

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  Ash-Say on 04/01/2019 - 19:48

  I completely forgot I had also lodged online enquiry on 24 Dec and one the branches in Melbourne contacted me. The agent was very helpful. They couldn't match Aunt Betty but they agreed to price match another travel agent with physical presence. Saved me $400 and another $600 on Gift Cards.

  Aunt Betty was another $250 cheaper but still really happy with the outcome.

• 

  madmo on 07/01/2019 - 13:16

  Have the same experience with a FC agent telling me they no longer beat online websites and will only consider if I have a AUD500 per person accommodation booking with it..

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  Einna on 04/09/2019 - 12:06

  Hi, how did you do the online enquiry? I can’t find it. I recently got my tickets from them. Turns out that I found the same timing at a much cheaper rate (difference of $400+). I feel so cheated. I wasn’t even given the option keep the tickets on hold & he kept saying it was the best price. He didn’t even mention the insurance option. It seemed like he was in a rush to go home rather than help me. Arrrgh. Never going back to them again.