KLM Flying Dutchman - Not using all sectors of DXB to MAN ticket?

I haven't flown with KLM previously and I guess this question could apply to any airline but as I plan to fly with KLM if someone could help out it would be appreciated:-

We want to purchase a MAN to DXB flight next month which routes via AMS however on the,return we want to just fly to AMS and not use the AMS to MAN sector (in order to travel to onward destinations in Europe)

So..is this permitted and can bags be checked through to AMS...we don't want to do this as a no show if it causes problems! It is the cheapest ticket type available and not flexible conditions.

It is flight KL428...any help appreciated.

No airline allows this - as you have seen, it allows you to take the flights that you want at a significant discount to the actual price of the ticket for the route you actually intend to fly.

As a result, you may have a hard time convincing the check-in staff on your return in DXB to check your bags only as far as AMS (though as these are probably contract staff, maybe they won't care so much).

To have any chance of doing this, you should book a long layover in AMS. If your flight has only a short stopover in AMS (2 hours or less, for instance) then you probably would not have enough time, in AMS, to wait for bags to be offloaded and collect your luggage, before luggage acceptance for your onward flight to MAN is closing. I know this is not really an issue for you, as you intend to miss the last flight, but you can't tell the airline that. But you can't keep up the pretence of wanting to take both flights if there simply isn't enough time on your stopover even to wait for your luggage to be delivered.

Ideally, your flight to MAN should be booked for the next day, as having an overnight stopover would be the ideal reason to ask to collect your bag in AMS. (Though it might not be possible to book such a connection).

If you're flying on to some other destination from AMS, have you investigated the option of booking a single ticket that takes you MAN-AMS-DXB-AMS-(city you want to end in)? (Use the "Multiple Destinations" option on the klm booking page - it's beside the Return/One Way radio boxes)

If you use the "Multi city tool" on klm.co.uk you should be able to piece something together like this:

Flight 1: Manchester (Manchester Intl.) - Dubai (International Airport)
Wed 14 Nov 12 10:55 Manchester - 23:59 Dubai

Flight 2: Dubai (International Airport) - Amsterdam (Schiphol)
Wed 21 Nov 12 01:50 Dubai - 06:15 Amsterdam

Flight 3: Amsterdam (Schiphol) - Manchester (Manchester Intl.)
Thu 22 Nov 12 12:45 Amsterdam - 13:05 Manchester


Note that on the return you have a 30 hours layover in Amsterdam. I would be very surprised if they do not allow you to get your bags at AMS in that case. Not sure at what price point your original ticket was, but the itinerary above clocks in just under 500 GBP. Strangely enough it seems that a 30 hours layover does not really influence the price (Usually 24+ hours is more expensive).

If you have a stopover (over 24 hours) in AMS on the way back, you can for sure take your bags in AMS and ditch the last sector. You can also check the price of an open-jaw MAN-AMS-DXB-AMS, it might be cheaper than MAN DXB MAN.

Is it possible to check bags to MAN, and at AMS inform KLM that due to un-forseen circumstances you can not continue your journey and have to stay urgently in AMS?

Will they then charge you?

I wouldn't advise trying that.

Having to "intercept" your bags at Amsterdam would cause them a little extra effort (and who knows, your bags could go missing/get delayed). And I think that you would definitely run the risk of them re-calculating the fare on your ticket when you expliclity ask to end your journey prematurely//ask to change the conditions of your ticket for a (much) later final sector.