The really low fare airline

So aer lingus mistakenly sold 100 business class seats on flights to the US for €5 instead of €1,775 and are now refusing to honour the flights..

It's hard to see how they're going to get out of this one. Particularly if the Consumers' Association get involved, as the surely will. Clearly it's a sickener for Aer Lingus and selling €177,500 worth of seats for €500 is enough to put a dent in anyone's mood but as I understand it once you've booked a flight onlne with Aer Lingus or Ryanair, you can't change it, can you? So how can the provider?

What I'd really like to know is who bought the tickets. I mean is it one of those situations where somebody saw a bargain and told all their friends who, in turn logged on to book the same flight? If that's the case it could be an uncomfortable 8 hours for the punters who usually travel in business class.. Perhaps the flight attendants will be instructed to water down the drinks for those in the (very) cheap seats. Or hide their life jackets..

Also, doesn't it seem incredible that a one way ticket on business class costs €1,775? I've travelled in business class (although not lately so perhaps it's changed) but I can't see why anyone would pay that much. And this is from the bloke who had no feeling in his legs after Monday night's fiasco..

Although, if I won the Lotto I might need to review that policy.. And there'd better not be any freeloaders up there with me!