Airline to honour plane tickets accidentally sold for $2

Chinese carrier China Southern Airlines said on Thursday it would honour the sale of tickets priced as cheaply as $2 during a two-hour technical glitch on its mobile phone app and some ticket-booking platforms late on Wednesday.

Consumers began reporting on Chinese social media at around 8 p.m. on Wednesday that many flights to and from the southwest metropolis of Chengdu were available at 10, 20 or 30 yuan ($2.20-$6.50) on China Southern's app.

One screenshot circulating online showed a ticket from Chengdu to Beijing priced at only 10 yuan ($2.20), compared to the normal minimum price of 400 to 500 yuan (about $88 to $110).

Other online screenshots indicated the cheap prices were offered for about two hours on the carrier's app as well as across several ticket-booking platforms, including market leader Trip.com.

On top of that price, buyers were required to pay at least an additional 110 yuan ($24) in airport fees and fuel surcharges.

"Passengers can use them as normal," Guangzhou-based China Southern said, on the proviso that tickets were already paid for and issued.