Star Alliance - I know the rules will be broken...but will I get busted?

I have the end of a RTW ticket to complete with the following itinery SFO-BKK with a transfer in HKG. I want to go to HKG but I have already stopped there on the beginning of the RTW and I know the rules don't allow for stopping in the same city twice.

Can I just get off the plane in HKG and never catch the onward flight to BKK without them coming after me for some fare rule violation? I'd think they'd just forget about it especially since its connecting with 2 different airlines. Anyone have any experience doing this?

Simply tell the airline with whom you were supposed to travel HKG-BKK that you do not wish to travel on that flight, and to release your seat. I think they will probably happily oblige.

But you won't be able to use that last segment for anything - you will have to purchase a separate ticket if you wish to go back to BKK.


... at least that's to my knowledge. Does anyone have a different experience? My logic is that there isn't actually anything they can reasonably do, such as prevent you from taking the onward flights (in the case of, say, LIS-LHR-HKG which is less than half of LHR-HKG and you didn't want to fly the first segment LIS-LHR). And you're not depriving them of any revenue (ie, if you don't travel, you don't need to give them anything).

When you check in from SFO, they will issue you BP's for both flights SFO-HKG and HKG-BKK. Tell the check in agent that you'd like them to check you in only to HKG and that you need to go into town to do something.. and you 'might' end up taking a later flight if you don't finish your meeting in time.. so DON'T check me through.

Upon arrival in HKG, call the airline that is flying you ie TG and not the airline that has your entire booking.. eg SQ, UA and CANCEL your connecting flight.

Now.. you're ok in HKG..

But if you want to travel on a later date.. on the same airline ie TG, you MAY encounter some problems. Prepare yourself inthat you might get on the flight and then again, you might not. Act dumb never hostile.

If the agent comments that you shouldn't be allowed to stop say that you didn't stop the last time and that so you decided to this time and you know that you're only eligible for the HK departure tax, right?

You may be up for some scolding at the check-in counter.. but generally you might be fine. Otherwise.. you might end up having to buy a new ticket between the two points.

... at least that's to my knowledge. Does anyone have a different experience? My logic is that there isn't actually anything they can reasonably do, such as prevent you from taking the onward flights (in the case of, say, LIS-LHR-HKG which is less than half of LHR-HKG and you didn't want to fly the first segment LIS-LHR). And you're not depriving them of any revenue (ie, if you don't travel, you don't need to give them anything).

This is an ENTIRELY different ballgame.

You're actually omitting the first sector of a connecting onward flight. Now this is PROHIBITED.

With the LIS-x/LHR-HKG flights, you MUST start your flight in LIS. If you board in LHR and cannot show any proof that you started your flight in LIS, BA WILL stop you from boarding and BLACKLIST you in their CRS as you are trying to cheat them in TICKET FRAUD.

Better be safe and floy to LIS for the day if you want to avoid that. I personally knew someone who was subjected to such allegations but only got away because she was 1)87 years old, 2)was sold that ticket by her travel agent and that she didn't know better, 3)was travelling First Class, 4)was screaming her head off of "Abuse, Abuse"... when BA threatened to not only confiscate her ticket, but refuse her from travelling.

She flew... but she had to pay a supplement to reroute the ticket back to LHR even though it was transitting back to London and then xxx. She at first refused... but BA said that she may opt to get off in London but they are giving strict instructions that her bags will end up somewhere else except LONDON. Let's just say that my brother-in-law's mother never did that again, nor used that travel agent again!

GB:

Maybe I didn't convey my thoughts in a coherent way. I wanted to imply that, omitting the last segment of a ticket is different from omitting the first segment of the ticket, where they can actually refuse transport. I was trying to illustrate the argument, by giving the example of the LIS-LHR-HKG when you will be refused transport if you wanted to skip the first sector, as opposed to skipping the last segment of the RTW, where there's not a lot they can do other than not allow you travel for the last remaining segment, HKG-BKK.

:)

When you check in from SFO, they will issue you BP's for both flights SFO-HKG and HKG-BKK. Tell the check in agent that you'd like them to check you in only to HKG and that you need to go into town to do something.. and you 'might' end up taking a later flight if you don't finish your meeting in time.. so DON'T check me through.

Upon arrival in HKG, call the airline that is flying you ie TG and not the airline that has your entire booking.. eg SQ, UA and CANCEL your connecting flight.

I wouldn't even bother with all that hassle at SFO check-in - just ring and change the date for the HKG-BKK to the day after arrival in HKG but to a departure that's within 24 hours of arrival, technically making it an overnight transit. SFO won't be able to through check you then, guaranteeing 1 BP and no through checked baggage. Makes things far easier for you at SFO as you won't need to do a song and dance routine to not through check your bags and continuing flight BP.
You can just cancel the HKG-BKK with the second carrier by phone on arrival in HKG as they'll only have their flight in their system as a stand alone.

I wouldn't even bother with all that hassle at SFO check-in - just ring and change the date for the HKG-BKK to the day after arrival in HKG but to a departure that's within 24 hours of arrival, technically making it an overnight transit. SFO won't be able to through check you then, guaranteeing 1 BP and no through checked baggage. Makes things far easier for you at SFO as you won't need to do a song and dance routine to not through check your bags and continuing flight BP.
You can just cancel the HKG-BKK with the second carrier by phone on arrival in HKG as they'll only have their flight in their system as a stand alone.

I was only setting an example. If he flew with SQ, the arrival time at HKG is 630am, and there isn't a flight before 6am 'the next day' so he'd have to take the last flight the same day he arrives at HKG.

And especially with SQ, they are very very sticky when you try to say that you're on the next day, when there is a x/ in the HKG box. SQ agents are very skilled in catching these remarks whereas if you're on UA, they really don't care what you do.

I am indeed on the SQ flight connecting to the TG flight so the overnight story won't fly. I remember taking this same connection a few years ago and getting my luggage checked thru but having to go to the transfer desk in HK to pick up my BP for the TG flight.
If I only have a carry-on, which is all I plan on having, will I even have to tell TG anything or can I just walk right off the plane in HKG and go thru customs?

I am indeed on the SQ flight connecting to the TG flight so the overnight story won't fly. I remember taking this same connection a few years ago and getting my luggage checked thru but having to go to the transfer desk in HK to pick up my BP for the TG flight.
If I only have a carry-on, which is all I plan on having, will I even have to tell TG anything or can I just walk right off the plane in HKG and go thru customs?


just walk of the plane. nobody will ask. it will look like a normal no show .
you should not call or do anything .

not wake up sleeping dogs.

I dont want to comment on the original question - basically everything has been said.

A different option is:
Fly in and out of Shenzen or Guangzhou. Both are close to Hong Kong, good train connections and SQ is flying to aoth airports.
You could also do a XXX-xHKG-xBKK-SZX and then SZX-BKK. At least by doing this (and not taking the HKG-BKK-SZX flights) you dint end up checking in with an X coupon.

And especially with SQ, they are very very sticky when you try to say that you're on the next day, when there is a x/ in the HKG box. SQ agents are very skilled in catching these remarks whereas if you're on UA, they really don't care what you do.

Indeed. So very very true.

I dont want to comment on the original question - basically everything has been said.

A different option is:
Fly in and out of Shenzen or Guangzhou. Both are close to Hong Kong, good train connections and SQ is flying to aoth airports.
You could also do a XXX-xHKG-xBKK-SZX and then SZX-BKK. At least by doing this (and not taking the HKG-BKK-SZX flights) you dint end up checking in with an X coupon.

1. WHAT Star alliance flight flies direct from SFO to Shenzen or Guangzhou?
2. You would need a China Visa to get into Shenzen and Guangzhou.
3. I'm sure the OP wants to go to HKG as easily as possible. Going via CHINA is NOT an option!