The Chinese airline China Southern Airlines accidentally sold tickets at a price ten times less than usual, but did not cancel them, reports vc.ru.
Instead, the company decided to use the situation to its advantage. The company reminded the upcoming “Singles' Day”, which is celebrated in China on November 11 and is traditionally accompanied by massive discounts.
The incident occurred on November 8, 2023. Then the airline began selling tickets for flights from Chengdu to other cities without a fuel surcharge. Ticket prices ranged from 10 to 30 yuan.
The system failure lasted for several hours, and during this time many people managed to purchase tickets at a record low price. For example, a ticket from Chengdu to Beijing cost only 10 yuan. Its usual cost is 400-500 yuan.
By the evening of the same day, the glitch was corrected, and the cost of tickets returned to their previous prices. However, China Southern Airlines decided not to cancel already issued and paid tickets.
The company explained its decision by saying that it wants to support its customers. The company also reminded that “Singles' Day” will be held soon, for which she plans to offer even greater discounts on tickets.
Thus, an accidental failure in the ticket sales system turned out to be a successful marketing move for China Southern Airlines. The company received free advertising and attracted the attention of potential customers.
