Cutting trip short during layover
 

I have a question regarding not using part of my overseas flight reservation - basically leaving during a layover.

Facts - Booked trip with Delta Airline from Chicago to Rome and then onto Athens with Alitalia for 4 members of my family. Return flight is similar although flying with Alitalia the whole way with a 2 hour stop in Rome to change plane.

During the 2 hour stop in Rome one of the family members want to get off the plane and stay in Europe for a longer stay although the reservation is round-trip for all 4 of us. Realizing that the luggage will most likely be sent all the way back to Chicago from Athens I called Alitalia to see if that would cause any issues? She said I need to let the travel agent (expedia) know before we leave. Expedia told me no need and that I could just let Alitalia know at check in who was not going on from Rome and have the luggage just tagged to Rome. Basically the two contradicted each other and neither of them sounded like they knew for sure.

So please let me know if any travellers out there know which one of these two I should listen to?

Well, obviously whoever gets off will have to buy a new ticket home.

I think if you just walk up to the counter Athens and say I'm getting off in Rome, that person may find their luggage doesn't get off with them. If s/he is sure this change if going to happen, it should be done now - and they should buy the rest of their return ticket - or it could be very expensive when they do decide to return home.

and not check a bag.

What Alitalia told you is correct.Your relative has a ticket Round trip Chicago to Athens.He/she cannot use it for any other destination. You have to get Expedia to change your relatives ticket to multi-destination, Chicago to Athens, and then a leg Athens to Rome, with a third leg Rome to Chicago. They may or may not do this.The airlines will not change the ticket since it was not sold by them.If you don't I could see a possible security incident at the airport. The three of you would be involved since there is a link to your tickets.

Have the person in question try to change yheir ticket to multi city. Probably will be charged a fee but don't just get off the plane and not go on the onward bound flight. The whole ticket may be cancelled..Not worth the risk..Call Expedia rather than email or whatever.. Do not risk any problems as in this day and age they can be complicated..

The whole ticket cannot be cancelled since this is the last leg they will be using. Don't try it unless it is the very last segment of a ticket.

I meant the whole remaining ticket..sorry..not the whole, as in both ways, ticket.. Also don't try it at all unless you want to get a one way from Rome to Chicago if you can't change the outbound portion.

<i>So please let me know if any travellers out there know which one of these two I should listen to?</i>

Both. Both are right in their own way. Expedia is right in the sense at Check-in at ATH, you should be able to tell the AZ staff at the check-in counter to only tag the one person's bag to FCO. They'd then be able to pick up the bag there and continue on with their stay in Europe.

AZ is correct in the sense if the family member wants to stay in Europe longer it is really in their best interest to contact Expedia, and if you are all on one reservation it is in your best interest to separate the other three PNR's (tickets) from the family member that wants to stay. If the family member staying in Europe doesn't board the flight back, their reservation will be cancelled, and they'll be purchasing a last minute one way ticket back to the U.S. for a lot of money.

The family member staying needs to recognize this and evaluate their options. The best option is probably talking to Expedia about changing the return date on the one ticket and paying a change fee if possible.