airline ethics question

[robsmom]

Any thoughts or opinions on the ethics of buying round trip tickets but only using one way. I need 3 one way tickets that will be $400 more per person than if i book a round trip for the same route and only use the first part of the trip. Would this be a terrible idea?

 

[bg4]

There is no ethics problem. You will give them money which they will keep most of it not all of. You will be a no-show for return flight and they will give your seat away, which is why they have stand byes.

I say go for it and save the bucks

Airlines have few ethics (see Jet Blue Valentines Day and others) when did pax have to have them.

 

[WillCAD]

I don't think it's unethical to buy something and then not use it, especially considering that if you are a no-show, the airline will sell your empty seat to somebody else and make double the money for that flight.

If it saves you money, go for it.

 

[clkelley]

To do this every once in a while is no problem. However, some airlines do track that sort of thing and if flyers make a habit of it, they will do something. Not sure what. The folks over at flyertalk.com probably have an in depth discussion on the subject.

Shoot my BIL and his father even shared two halfs of a round-trip ticket once when helping dad move to their house with them. (Same name). Son flew on first half, then drove dads car and the U-Haul back while dad flew on the 2nd half of the ticket.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Any thoughts or opinions on the ethics of buying round trip tickets but only using one way. I need 3 one way tickets that will be $400 more per person than if i book a round trip for the same route and only use the first part of the trip. Would this be a terrible idea?

Be aware that the airline can bill your credit card for the difference between what you paid and what you would have paid for your actual itinerary. In other words, if the fare difference is $400 per person for 3 people people, they can bill $1200 to your credit card when you fail to use the return portion of a discounted roundtrip, if the fare rules require roundtrip travel.

Many airlines have specific rules against "throwaway ticketing." For example, here's what American Airlines says about it in their Conditions of Carriage:

TICKET VALIDITY - COMPLIANCE WITH TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SALE

Tickets are valid for travel only when used in accordance with all terms and conditions of sale. Terms and conditions of sale include but are not limited to:

1. The passenger's itinerary, as stated on the ticket or in the passenger's reservation record,
2. Any requirement that the passenger stay over a specified date or length of time (for example, Saturday night or weekend) at the destination specified on the ticket.
3. Any special purpose or status (for example, age in the case of senior citizen or children's discounts, military status in the case of a military fare, official government business in the case of a government fare, or attendance at a qualified event in the case of a meeting or convention fare) that entitles the passenger to a special or reduced rate, or
4. Any other requirement associated with the passenger's fare level.

American specifically prohibits the practices commonly known as:

Back to Back Ticketing: The combination of two or more roundtrip excursion fares end to end for the purpose of circumventing minimum stay requirements.

Throwaway Ticketing: The usage of roundtrip excursion fare for one-way travel, and

Hidden City/Point Beyond Ticketing: Purchase of a fare from a point before the passenger's actual origin or to a point beyond the passenger's actual destination.

Where a ticket is invalidated as the result of the passenger's non-compliance with any term or condition of sale, American has the right in its sole discretion to:

• Cancel any remaining portion of the passenger's itinerary,
• Confiscate unused flight coupons,
• Refuse to board the passenger or check the passenger's luggage, or
• Assess the passenger for the reasonable remaining value of the ticket, which shall be no less than the difference between the fare actually paid and the lowest fare applicable to the passenger's actual itinerary

​

Please note that I'm not commenting on the ethics of the scenario. Personally, I think such airline rules are really stupid. However, the rules exist, and the airlines' computer systems are certainly aware when a ticket has not been used in compliance with the fare rules. Whether an airline actually carries out its right to charge the fare difference is another question.

Your best bet is to use an airline with reasonable one-way fares, such as Southwest Airlines, if Southwest is an option for you.

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Oops! Our travel agent actually sold us round trip tickets for a very complicated 3 destination one-way flight - this was so my DH and I could travel together, as he was already in AL and I was joining him - I didn't know it was wrong - apparently she didn't either.