Buying airline tickets on craigslist
Dec 17, 2014, 3:04 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 1
Buying airline tickets on craigslist
Hi,
I was just wondering about buying an airline ticket off craigslist. I don't really want anybodies option on the matter for starters (Its too good to be true for example), I just want to know what would happen in this circumstance.
So I advertised that I needed two flights to Europe this Christmas and somebody got back to me saying they have airline contacts and can book the flight for us. They dont want us to know the confirmation number or airline until we meet. I asked to meet them at the checkin desk 2 hours before the flight and when our boarding passes are printed, I would hand over $500 for two roundtrip flights.
I was going to confirm his identity by asking for his ID at the airport also. They cant really cancel the flight after the boarding passes have printed can they? They could also book with a stolen credit card, which I was hoping to ask at the desk how the flight was booked, what billing method etc. Is there an easy way to determine if this is genuine? Thanks!
I was just wondering about buying an airline ticket off craigslist. I don't really want anybodies option on the matter for starters (Its too good to be true for example), I just want to know what would happen in this circumstance.
So I advertised that I needed two flights to Europe this Christmas and somebody got back to me saying they have airline contacts and can book the flight for us. They dont want us to know the confirmation number or airline until we meet. I asked to meet them at the checkin desk 2 hours before the flight and when our boarding passes are printed, I would hand over $500 for two roundtrip flights.
I was going to confirm his identity by asking for his ID at the airport also. They cant really cancel the flight after the boarding passes have printed can they? They could also book with a stolen credit card, which I was hoping to ask at the desk how the flight was booked, what billing method etc. Is there an easy way to determine if this is genuine? Thanks!
Dec 17, 2014, 3:32 am
#2
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If there's fraud, the airline could cancel at any time. You could even be on the plane if they discover it before take off. If the fraud is discovered before your return trip, then you will be stranded.
What this sounds like is an airline employee using his cheap standby flight privileges (otherwise they'd need your full name etc. well in advance). If that's the case, then you are not guaranteed a place in either direction since it's standby, although the employee will be able to make a good assessment of the likelihood of space being available. If there are IRROPS, then you will be SOL. Obviously what the employee is doing this it's strictly against the terms of his/her contract and will be sacked, if discovered.
The fact you don't want an opinion on the matter speaks volumes.
What this sounds like is an airline employee using his cheap standby flight privileges (otherwise they'd need your full name etc. well in advance). If that's the case, then you are not guaranteed a place in either direction since it's standby, although the employee will be able to make a good assessment of the likelihood of space being available. If there are IRROPS, then you will be SOL. Obviously what the employee is doing this it's strictly against the terms of his/her contract and will be sacked, if discovered.
The fact you don't want an opinion on the matter speaks volumes.
+1
Dec 17, 2014, 4:29 am
#4
Join Date: Nov 2008
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Since you don't want my opionion I will just grab some popcorn and enjoy the thread.
Dec 17, 2014, 5:09 am
#5
Join Date: Jul 2008
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Posts: 4,866
Hi,
I was just wondering about buying an airline ticket off craigslist. I don't really want anybodies option on the matter for starters (Its too good to be true for example), I just want to know what would happen in this circumstance.
So I advertised that I needed two flights to Europe this Christmas and somebody got back to me saying they have airline contacts and can book the flight for us. They dont want us to know the confirmation number or airline until we meet. I asked to meet them at the checkin desk 2 hours before the flight and when our boarding passes are printed, I would hand over $500 for two roundtrip flights.
I was going to confirm his identity by asking for his ID at the airport also. They cant really cancel the flight after the boarding passes have printed can they? They could also book with a stolen credit card, which I was hoping to ask at the desk how the flight was booked, what billing method etc. Is there an easy way to determine if this is genuine? Thanks!
I was just wondering about buying an airline ticket off craigslist. I don't really want anybodies option on the matter for starters (Its too good to be true for example), I just want to know what would happen in this circumstance.
So I advertised that I needed two flights to Europe this Christmas and somebody got back to me saying they have airline contacts and can book the flight for us. They dont want us to know the confirmation number or airline until we meet. I asked to meet them at the checkin desk 2 hours before the flight and when our boarding passes are printed, I would hand over $500 for two roundtrip flights.
I was going to confirm his identity by asking for his ID at the airport also. They cant really cancel the flight after the boarding passes have printed can they? They could also book with a stolen credit card, which I was hoping to ask at the desk how the flight was booked, what billing method etc. Is there an easy way to determine if this is genuine? Thanks!
Dec 17, 2014, 6:06 am
#6
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What happens when the employee learns on the day of travel that it's very unlikely that the OP will be able to get a seat as a nonrev standby? Does the OP mind a substantial probability of not being able to travel for Christmas?
Dec 17, 2014, 6:13 am
#7
Join Date: May 2009
Location: South Park, CO
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Posts: 5,678
Hi,
I was just wondering about buying an airline ticket off craigslist. I don't really want anybodies option on the matter for starters (Its too good to be true for example), I just want to know what would happen in this circumstance.
So I advertised that I needed two flights to Europe this Christmas and somebody got back to me saying they have airline contacts and can book the flight for us. They dont want us to know the confirmation number or airline until we meet. I asked to meet them at the checkin desk 2 hours before the flight and when our boarding passes are printed, I would hand over $500 for two roundtrip flights.
I was going to confirm his identity by asking for his ID at the airport also. They cant really cancel the flight after the boarding passes have printed can they? They could also book with a stolen credit card, which I was hoping to ask at the desk how the flight was booked, what billing method etc. Is there an easy way to determine if this is genuine? Thanks!
I was just wondering about buying an airline ticket off craigslist. I don't really want anybodies option on the matter for starters (Its too good to be true for example), I just want to know what would happen in this circumstance.
So I advertised that I needed two flights to Europe this Christmas and somebody got back to me saying they have airline contacts and can book the flight for us. They dont want us to know the confirmation number or airline until we meet. I asked to meet them at the checkin desk 2 hours before the flight and when our boarding passes are printed, I would hand over $500 for two roundtrip flights.
I was going to confirm his identity by asking for his ID at the airport also. They cant really cancel the flight after the boarding passes have printed can they? They could also book with a stolen credit card, which I was hoping to ask at the desk how the flight was booked, what billing method etc. Is there an easy way to determine if this is genuine? Thanks!
Sure, the seller could cancel the trip even after BPs are printed.
I can't think of any reasonable means to determine how the tickets were purchased by the seller. The airline wouldn't know from looking whether it was a stolen credit card. And even if you went to the counter and asked them, "I'm concerned these tickets that I just paid a stranger $500 in cash may have been bought with a stolen CC, can you check"...how do you imagine that would play out?
Although too late for your needs, hopefully you'll stick around FT and learn about legitimate ways to travel at greatly reduced costs in the future.
If there's fraud, the airline could cancel at any time. You could even be on the plane if they discover it before take off. If the fraud is discovered before your return trip, then you will be stranded.
What this sounds like is an airline employee using his cheap standby flight privileges (otherwise they'd need your full name etc. well in advance). If that's the case, then you are not guaranteed a place in either direction since it's standby, although the employee will be able to make a good assessment of the likelihood of space being available. If there are IRROPS, then you will be SOL. Obviously what the employee is doing this it's strictly against the terms of his/her contract and will be sacked, if discovered.
The fact you don't want an opinion on the matter speaks volumes.
What this sounds like is an airline employee using his cheap standby flight privileges (otherwise they'd need your full name etc. well in advance). If that's the case, then you are not guaranteed a place in either direction since it's standby, although the employee will be able to make a good assessment of the likelihood of space being available. If there are IRROPS, then you will be SOL. Obviously what the employee is doing this it's strictly against the terms of his/her contract and will be sacked, if discovered.
The fact you don't want an opinion on the matter speaks volumes.
Dec 17, 2014, 6:55 am
#8
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: California
Posts: 2,731
Also...what everyone else said upthread.
Dec 17, 2014, 7:10 am
#9
Join Date: Jul 2006
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Buying airline tickets on craigslist
...I also have a bridge for sale if you're interested. cash only.....
Dec 17, 2014, 7:16 am
#10
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I would not go ahead with this deal if it was me, the risk of fraud is high. Even if I did managed to use the tickets, I would not be comfortable with the idea of who would ultimately be paying for them (someone IS being ripped off on this deal).
If you do decide to go ahead with this deal, you should put the money in an escrow account to be released to the seller once you have come back from Europe.
If you do decide to go ahead with this deal, you should put the money in an escrow account to be released to the seller once you have come back from Europe.
Dec 17, 2014, 7:25 am
#11
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 436
Or as Larson E. Whipsnade said: As my dear old grandfather Litvak said (just before they sprung the trap), he said "You can't cheat an honest man. Never give a sucker an even break or smarten up a chump."
Dec 17, 2014, 7:26 am
#12
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This is just a bad idea from start to finish. (No, it's not too good to be true.) Either it's stolen credit cards or it's an airline/travel industry insider selling standby tickets. You may find the tickets cancelled under either of these circumstances, and that's if you're lucky. We had a guy come here asking for help getting back to the US from Europe at the end of the summer since there were no flights allowing him and his family on standby. We never learned what happened to him but I'll bet it cost him a lot to get home. His wife probably gave him a huge bollocking as well.
Dec 17, 2014, 8:00 am
#13
Join Date: Apr 2007
Programs: AA, DAL, blah, blah, blah...The usual.
Posts: 646
I'll sell you a hot cup of coffee for $400.
It won't get you any closer to Europe, but you'll save $100 AND you'll have a hot cup of coffee!!
Reminds me of an old Lockhorns cartoon..."If I hadn't run out of money, I could have saved another hundred dollars!"
It won't get you any closer to Europe, but you'll save $100 AND you'll have a hot cup of coffee!!
Reminds me of an old Lockhorns cartoon..."If I hadn't run out of money, I could have saved another hundred dollars!"
Dec 17, 2014, 8:12 am
#14
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Welcome to FT. This is a board for the exchange of information, so if you pose a question, you get the responses. Not really up to you to tell others what you do and do not want.
Anybody selling tickets over Craig's List is 99.9999% a fraud and it is close to that % that after you turn over your money, you will not be boarding your flight (or worse, you will board your flight make it to Europe and be denied boarding on the way back). The former just means that your trip is gone. The latter means that you are stuck and have to purchase one-way tickets home at walk-up prices (which will be 8-10x the price you paid on Craig's List).
To answer your specific question, you could get hauled off the aircraft at any time until it departs. Having a ticker or BP is meaningless. If fraud is uncovered, you won't be flying and you can dream up as many safeguards as you want and bump right into airline security which is in place to prevent fraud.
Air carriers monitor air tickets like hawks. Whether you know someone who works at a carrier or not, the issuance of a ticket for $500 which ought to cost $1,500, pops out of the system as a red flag.
Anybody selling tickets over Craig's List is 99.9999% a fraud and it is close to that % that after you turn over your money, you will not be boarding your flight (or worse, you will board your flight make it to Europe and be denied boarding on the way back). The former just means that your trip is gone. The latter means that you are stuck and have to purchase one-way tickets home at walk-up prices (which will be 8-10x the price you paid on Craig's List).
To answer your specific question, you could get hauled off the aircraft at any time until it departs. Having a ticker or BP is meaningless. If fraud is uncovered, you won't be flying and you can dream up as many safeguards as you want and bump right into airline security which is in place to prevent fraud.
Air carriers monitor air tickets like hawks. Whether you know someone who works at a carrier or not, the issuance of a ticket for $500 which ought to cost $1,500, pops out of the system as a red flag.
Dec 17, 2014, 8:29 am
#15
Join Date: Jan 2014
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Posts: 243
I agree with the other posters who have suggested that perhaps the sale of the seats is by an an airline employee and that could seriously backfire as per the summer thread.
