Using promo codes for events

[BCL]

I'm just wondering what the thoughts might be on using promo codes. I've used the 25% off promo code for capitol Corridor trips to/from OAC as a promotion for baseball fans attending Oakland A's games. However, I checked the blackout dates which don't correspond to the home baseball schedule. I've entered the code for random dates and times (one isn't likely to be leaving a night game at 7:30 in the morning) and it comes up nicely.

Any opinions on this? It doesn't sound like there's any check to see if you're attending the game. The times I've used this promo there was nothing on the ticket noting the promo. If you can enter the promo, it gets accepted, and you actually take the route, is there anything wrong with using it? All this info is publicly available.

 

[fairviewroad]

If the Terms & Conditions do not specify a requirement to document your intentions to attend a specific event,

then I see no moral or ethical problems. It is up to the sponsoring organization/travel agency to craft a promo

in such a way as to target the desired folks. Whether you want to risk getting "caught" by an over-zealous conductor

is up to you. But I'd guess on a route like the Capitol Corridor the chances of that are minimal.

Unethical, IMO, would be using the code to book a ticket to OAC but disembarking early at an earlier station. The

discount would give you a cheaper ticket but you would not be honoring the terms of the discount in that case. But

even there, there would be little practical way of enforcing that. They can't force you to stay on the train until OAC.

But I wouldn't be comfortable circumventing the system in that way.

Here are the T&C for the discount that I believe you are referring to. Other than the blackout dates, there are no

restrictions noted other than traveling to or from OAC.

http://www.capitolcorridor.org/special_offers/2013_oakland_baseball.php

 

[me_little_me]

"But conductor, I thought the A's were plying at home today".

"Sorry, Sir, but the season ended months ago. They don't play in January."

 

[Bob Dylan]

"But conductor, I thought the A's were plying at home today".
"Sorry, Sir, but the season ended months ago. They don't play in January."

Who really wants to go to Oakland to attend a game in that Dump the A's and Raiders play in?? :help: If you want to go to a Big League Game in a Big League Stadium cross the Bay to The City and watch the Giants, aka the World Champs!

 

[trainman74]

A's are doing a lot better this season than the Giants -- currently 64-47 and 1st place in the AL West, versus 50-61 and last place in the NL West.

To the original poster: fortunately, we don't live in a world (yet) where you're obligated to do everything advertising tells you to do, so I say if the promo code works for your purposes, use it, and don't worry about what its "real" purpose is supposed to be.

 

[BCL]

"But conductor, I thought the A's were plying at home today".
"Sorry, Sir, but the season ended months ago. They don't play in January."

Who really wants to go to Oakland to attend a game in that Dump the A's and Raiders play in?? :help: If you want to go to a Big League Game in a Big League Stadium cross the Bay to The City and watch the Giants, aka the World Champs!

I'm not a Giants fan, I don't do the bandwagon thing well, and I won't pay $41 (tonight's price) for a bleacher seat to watch a last place team. I looked up Saturday's prices, and a bleacher seat is $84.50 plus service charges. That and the service charges could pretty much pay for a 10-ride BRK-GAC ticket. I'm also not big on going to a place to be seen rather than to actually watch a baseball game.

Besides that, my original question was more as to whether or not it would be ethical to use this promo code for my normal commute, which doesn't typically go through San Francisco.

 

[Trainmans daughter]

I don't think they care what you do when you get to your destination. They just want to get more people to ride the train.

I ask you, is it ethical for me to buy a prom dress on sale and then not go to a prom?