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R/T Ticket For O/W Trip?

I’m driving to California, and I need to fly back. The cheapest one-way ticket on Southwest is DOUBLE the roundtrip fare. My question is this: I’d like to buy a r/t ticket, and just use the outbound portion . . . but I’ve heard of airlines really going after people who do this . . . how true is this? Is there anything I can do to lessen any bad things happening to me? Are there any airlines that are worse on this than others? Any constructive input/suggestions are GREATLY appreciated!!

I would go for it. While there are technical rules that apply, the probability of enforcement is very low. And your answer if you were called on it by some remote possibility? You missed your flight and used alternative transportation. While it may not have happened exactly in that order, it would be the absolute truth. The problem with not using half a r/t ticket is when people don't use the outbound portion and then the return is cancelled. That's not going to be happening to you, so don't give it a second thought.

Buy the R/T ticket.With Southwest,you will have a full year to use the return portion.Keep your confirmation number provided to you.When you get to where you are going,call Southwest and tell them you cant make the "return flight" as you booked it.They will keep the funds, 1/2 of what you paid, in their system.Here's the GOOD PART...since it is a credit,anybody can use.So because it is a "credit" and not a 'ticket" you can "sell" it to anyone.And the amount of credit can be used towards a ticket on Southwest anywhere they go!!If you lose the confo number,it can be retrieved with the credit card number used to pay for the ticket.Win-win for you. BB

isn't it absolutely ridiculous that we should have this problem in the first place? What possible benefit is it to the airline to give you 2 flights for less than the price of one? And what business is it of theirs anyway whether you use the return portion of the ticket? You have paid for it after all!

Airlines are in the business of SELLING.97% of SouthWest Airlines ticket sales are round-trip.They SELL what is selling.Simple as that.They dont care what a persons motivation is for buying.Just so the BUY,apy money for their product.This has LONG been the strong foundation for SouthWest's superior profitability.

What the hell can those clowns do about it? You used the firstcoupon and they have no way of knowing your itentions on the second....don't worry about it. There's nothing those jerks can do about it.

I agree - if you don't use the return - what can they do? What do you care? Warning - Air Canada has a new policy. If you miss any leg of your E-Ticket, the remainder is null and void, no refund. So if it's cheaper to fly Regina-Winnipeg-Toronto than Winnipeg-Toronto (It happens in airlineland!) you can't buy the cheaper fare and join the flight in Winnipeg. Similarly, if you miss a leg of your flight, it's no longer a matter of spending the dough to get caught up to your ticket. You are doubly and royally screwed. I'm sure the American carriers will want in on this marvellous customer relation concept soon.

The "point beyond" and "hidden city" tricks have been around since American Airlines began competing head to head with Continental in '89.CO was going head to head with SouthWest Airlines in the SouthWest US.It didnt take long for business travellers to realize a ticket from NewYork to SanAntonio/Austin was a lot cheaper than NYC-Dallas.Simply book your ticket with a change of planes at DFW and check your bags only to DFW.Yes it was done then quite conveniently.I saw a woman and her 3 kids travelling on tickets the hubby purchased.NYC-SanAntonio and told her to get off at DFW.She was met by AA personnel and "held" until the hubster came and got her and ponied up the difference in airfare.Yes they could have been sued,yahdah yahdah do. Mising a leg of your itinerary is age old,whether its an E-ticket or not.If you miss ANY part of your itinerary,the "downline" reservations will be cancelled.The assumption is if you dont take one of them,you wont take any of them.For those travellers who do not like E-tickets,better learn to like them.Paper tickets will be totally gone by the end on the NewYear.

Held??? Sounds like forcible confinement (=kidnapping) to me. If someone declines to board a plane, what can they do? I'd love to the see the court case when they sue. I wonder if it was ever tested in court. What if you just said "I don't feel well now!" or "I have a feeling this plane will crash if I get on!" Heck, hide in the airport washroom. Of course, you're right, they could refuse to honour the remainder of the ticket... if there is no competition and you really want to tick off customers. Maybe a sensible fare structure is a better idea, but, hey, that sounds too sensible. I don't object to the E-Ticket, I like it, I object to the cancellation rules. People miss flights for many reasons, few of them to do with cheap fares. I can understand a cheap fare being "you miss a flight, too bad". I don't understand "cancel the entire itinerary". All they've accomplished is to annoy me severely. I have not ever missed their flights (come close due to connections) but I am now sure that given a choice, I will fly Westjet. Similarly, I refuse to fly their "Cheap" airlines - If Air Canada can call a flight "ZIP" or "TANGO" and charge less for it, why don't they just call it "Air Canada" and charge less for it? It has convinced me that either (a) Air Canada management is stupid or (b) they think I'm pretty stupid. (or (c) both. What's the line... "I'm not as stupid as you think I am!" "No, you couldn't be." )

Just to clarify - Air Canada did not say "miss a flight and your *reservations* are gone." They said "miss a flight and your entire E-ticket is cancelled, without refund".