Can you do this?????

[anabelle]

Can you book a flight that has a connection and not board at the original location but at the connection location??? For example, I am in the North Detroit suburbs. I can fly out of Flint or Metro. If I book a flight out of Flint that changes planes at Metro, can I board at Metro to avoid the 10 minute flight with a two hour layover. Please don't flame. It is just about $80 dollars cheaper to fly NW out of Flint.

 

[dtuleya]

I don't know if you'd be able to do this, but the only way to know for sure is to call the airline and ask. I'd actually probably call two or three different times to make sure I got the same answer before I tried doing this. My guess is no due to all the security issues involved.

 

[Mr.BsMom]

You cannot do this... The airlines will not allow it. If you don't show up for the first flight, they could cancel your itinerary for the remainder of the day. THEN... When you show up for the second flight, they would proceed to charge you a higher fare based on that departure city. It could end up costing you more in the long run, which defeats the whole purpose. A lot of people have done this over the years, and airlines are getting very smart about stopping it. I don't recommend it!

 

[anabelle]

Didn't think about that they could cancel you ticket... You are right also about highed security as well. Thanks

 

[safetymom]

You would not be able to board because your ticket would have been cancelled because you didn't show up for the first part of the flight.

This is one of those quirks in the airline flying game. You will have to take the additional flight if you want to save the money. I would keep looking for deals from your home airport.

 

[perpetualplanner]

I believe you might be able to call the airline and tell them you will be boarding for the connecting flight and they won't cancel your ticket if you notify them ahead of time. I'd call to make sure but I once booked a round-trip ticket instead of a one-way cause it was cheaper but only took the return flight since I had driven to the location with my now DH and was flying home alone. Hope that helps

 

[safetymom]

perpetualplanner , you may have gotten someone that bent the rules for you. If you could do this by calling many many people would be doing this.

There hasn't been any change that allows you to miss the first part of the flight and board at the second stop. That would be a nightmare trying to keep track of everything for the airline. Plus they aren't exactly known for making it easy for people.

 

[perpetualplanner]

Safetymom that might be true. I was a VERY regular flyer from Indy-Newark at the time (my now DH was living in NJ and I was in Indy) so someone might have taken pity on me. Also - this was years ago as we're looking at 12 yrs of marriage in July.

 

[Trekker]

I think you need to look at the reason why the flight would be cheaper from the view point of the airlines. They are trying to boolster business out of that particular airport. If you do not fly that leg, your ticket will either be cancelled or you will be charged for the flight that you actually take.

There are a lot of games in the industry and sometimes airlines need to show enough traffic out of an airport to justify being there.