On Wednesday, All Nippon said that the mistake was due to an error on its Vietnam website and that it was “investigating the cause of the bug and the size of its damage,” according to Bloomberg. It didn’t disclose how many discounted tickets were sold before the problem was identified.
Initially, a spokesperson for the airline said that the cheaper tickets would be honored by All Nippon, but later the carrier changed its tune and said a final decision hadn’t yet been agreed on. For now, discounted tickets will be valid until an announcement is made later this month. Most of the premium tickets unintentionally sold at economy prices were from Jakarta to Japan to New York, then back to cities in Southeast Asia, according to people whom Bloomberg spoke with. One traveler, Johnny Wong, said he nabbed a business-class fare from Jakarta to Honolulu with a layover in Tokyo for just $550. The same ticket is now selling for $8,200.This isn’t the first time an airline has accidentally sold premium seats for much less than they’re actually worth.
The All Nippon travelers are likely hoping for the same. But they shouldn’t get used to such cushy travel at that more accessible price point.