Pook

Hi,

I am planning on going to Istanbul in January 2017 and was checking the prices for a couple of business class return tickets from BKK to IST and came upon something that I did not expect.

OK for a return BKK - IST in business class the price came to $3,286 per person. However, on my first attempt and for some strange reason I input Doha as the final destination, the price for BKK - IST - DOH came to $2,458 per person for business class. The BKK - IST sector had the same flight as the BKK - IST - DOH so I am wondering if it will be possible to buy the DOH flights but get off the plane in IST? Probably not so is there a way to take advantage of the lower price only fly to and from IST?

For 2 people that's quite a saving so I hope you expert here can help if this is doable.

Thank you in advance!

Pook

Gnopps

Airline pricing uses its own logic. In this case TK is betting on you being willing to pay more for a direct connection (BKK-IST) than indirect (BKK-IST-DOH).

Generally it will be possible to get an accute illness in IST and having to miss that flight. Some considerations:

• Your luggage will be checked in to DOH unless you ask for it to go to IST only, which the check-in agent may not agree to
• In case the flight is cancelled and you have to be rebooked to another flight TK will likely try to rebook you to DOH, not to IST
• Once you miss a flight, the rest of your itinerary will be cancelled - so do this on the return only
• When checking in in BKK your passport will be checked for Qatar's entry requirements

If you book like this then try to get a long layover in BKK (mose TK fares allow stopovers of several days). If you have a couple of nights in IST then that should solve the luggage and rebooking problems.

SK AAR

This advise is spot on ^ If you no-show for the IST-DOH leg, your return flights will be cancelled.

I believe Gnopps mean long layover at IST rather than BKK.

PVDtoDEL

While this might work on domestic flights, I would not recommend trying this excuse during an international layover. You'd get sent straight to quarantine.

boosh

I've done this multiple times where my plans have changed and I forgot/couldn't face calling TK to cancel the final leg and have had no issues. As long as you are not checked in on flight you are just another no-show

vincewy

All of them seem to be terrible advices, OP is looking at booking BKK-IST-DOH-IST-BKK while skipping IST-DOH-IST, chance of asking TK to skip IST-DOH-IST without losing IST-BKK segment is almost 0.

If it's DOH-IST-BKK-IST-DOH then it'd be fine to skip IST-DOH (actually not really if done too often). The only practical option for OP is to complete all segments and do quick turnaround at DOH, TK is very generous with stopovers.

nacho

You can dump the last leg from IST to DOH but you cannot have any checked baggage unless your layover is over 24 hours where you can request to get your check bags.

airoli

Incorrect. OP is looking to buy BKK-IST-DOH-IST-BKK and only fly BKK-IST-BKK.

If OP does not show up for IST-DOH, the remainder of his ticket including the entire return part will immediately be forfeited.

nacho

I thought op was doing DOH-IST-BKK and back. Sorry for the confusion.