Be careful if booking multi-stage flights and not using last sector

[DankeL]

Be forewarned if one is using this tactic when booking multi-stage flights, and not using one of the stages. While courts have ruled in favor of passengers, you will still need to invest time/effort to defend oneself. Counter-suing adds to your list of to-do's, and seems counter-intuitive to the Camino experience, no?

Lufthansa sues passenger who skipped his flight

German carrier Lufthansa sues a passenger who skipped the last leg of a flight using a "hidden city" loophole to get a cheaper ticket to his destination.

www.cnn.com

 

[t2andreo]

This can be a nasty thing. But there are two things to consider.

1. You can ONLY do this with carry-on baggage. Hold-checked luggage automatically goes to the final ticketed point. That could be problematic for some...

2. It is a problem if you get caught.

I am NOT advising that you cheat the airlines. On the other hand, their ticketing policies ARE highly suspect and frequently disadvantage the passenger.

A simple, flat, mileage based ticket policy would be nice. You would be charged the standard average price per mile or km to get from point A to point B, with no hidden city discounts.

This brings to light the age-old dilemma..."do two wrongs make it right?"

Just sayin...

 

[trecile]

I don't think that it's a huge issue if you only do it once or twice, but if you are habitually skipping the last leg you may have trouble.
However, don't try to skip any other leg of a flight, as you will be deemed a "no show" and all subsequent flights on that same ticket will be cancelled.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

A simple, flat, mileage based ticket policy would be nice. You would be charged the standard average price per mile or km to get from point A to point B, with no hidden city discounts.

Back in the day when IATA ruled they based fares on mileage. I bought a ticket from LA to Sydney and they gave me 15% more miles than the actual distance. For 15% more dollars they allowed 15% additional miles. You could then do the same again at least one more time and I think two. This was standard policy, not a special deal. I island hopped across the Pacific for nine months before arriving in Sydney.

However, don't try to skip any other leg of a flight, as you will be deemed a "no show" and all subsequent flights on that same ticket will be cancelled.

On my second trip to Australia it was with Peg on a special deal. We were to leave Boston at 16:00 for a flight change in LA. Trouble was hurricane Bob's eye was due over the airport at the same time. A friend brought us to the airport in the morning, with the wind shaking her car. We got space available seating to one hub ("Sorry folks, there will be no meal served. We don't have time to load it.") Our luggage was checked to LA though another hub. When we got to our hub we got space available again to LA and our luggage arrived in LA too. We were early so we took a stroll though town and then checked in for the LA to Sydney leg. And the point of the story is --- check in when you get there. Since our flight never left Boston our seats were sold as we were not expected to be in LA. They did find us two together though on the same flight.

Start brag. With the miles flown and a voluntary bump on the way back we got tickets worth the airfare paid. We actually got to Boston on the bump before our original flight due to mechanical glitches on that. Plus Peg got us a free upgrade to business class for the Sydney to Honolulu leg where we stayed two days for $40, part of the original deal. End brag.

 

[sunwanderer]

However, don't try to skip any other leg of a flight, as you will be deemed a "no show" and all subsequent flights on that same ticket will be cancelled.

And that might mean that your return ticket would be cancelled.

 

[CAJohn]

I think that using Lufthansa for the flight from Frankfurt to Berlin was probably the most obvious screw up.

Anyone could argue that they missed their connection at Frankfurt. Given that airport size, layout and their conveniently blocking access to the tram has left me covered in sweat trying to run through the airport and being forced to go through another security check, desperately trying to make my flight.

But when you have already purchassed the flight to Berlin on the same airline that you have just stiffed, and you did that ahead of time, you are just setting yourself up. I wonder if he used a frequent flyer account with Lufthansa as well.

I find airline pricing ridiculous. In Europe, they often have judges decide cases. I cannot imagine a jury of people who fly siding with the airlines on one of these cases.

 

[Deleted member 73526]

I think that using Lufthansa for the flight from Frankfurt to Berlin was probably the most obvious screw up.

A mistake, for sure. I think LH is the only airline flying non-stop from Frankfurt to Berlin, so these passengers would have needed to do some extra leg work (e.g. connecting flights with another airline) to avoid keep their "hidden city," plans hidden.

I wonder if he used a frequent flyer account with Lufthansa as well.

The article doesn't mention it, but who knows? Many airlines have a dedicated "revenue protection" team that keeps a look out for foul play - e.g. selling miles or gaming the system with hidden city itineraries. The terms and conditions of most frequent flyer programs make it possible for airlines to take back the miles and freeze or close accounts. It's cheaper than suing a passenger, and much less likely to make it into the news.