TicketPhantom, purchasing your tickets directly from the airline will not absolve you from any of their penalties. Additionally, they have the right to enforce their rules or tariff violations at any moment they choose, regardless of where the tickets were purchased, even as you check in, board or deplane. There are creative and strategic ways to purchase multiple tickets to minimize detection of possible violations. However, once detected by the airline, it's their call.

Sorry Empress, for ignoring you. You deserve an answer. After all, you started this fine thread. I believe it would be helpful if you would list your itinerary by a per ticket breakdown including the order you will actually be flying your segments. The flight sequence can make the difference as to whether any of the airline's rules are violated.

Punki, purchasing a ticket and not flying all the segments is a violation of most airlines. I feel it’s an asinine rule. It's called Throwaway ticketing.

Is there an attorney in the house? Where's Djlawman when we need him???

Assuming tickets require a Saturday night stay:
In your example "..... Monday through Saturday so I fly to SFO every Monday morning to get to work, work through Saturday and then fly back home Sunday morning for a well deserved day off."

No intent or "... purpose of circumventing applicable tariff rules." No Rules Violation! By booking a Monday outbound and the following Sunday return, you have met the Saturday night requirement by staying over a Saturday night.

In your questions, "Why would I be treated any differently than the guy who flies out Sunday night and then flies back Friday night? Why aren't his tickets back to back?

You did not indicate examples of how he is ticketed, (the sequence of each individual roundtrip). That would make the difference whether a violation has occurred. If each roundtrip is booked Sunday outbound and Friday return (of the same calendar week), No Rules Violation! However, he is probably paying a much higher price due to no Saturday night stay. If he is ticketed creatively, as in your original example with each roundtrip ticket including a Saturday night stay, (in his case, a Friday outbound and Monday return), it could be determined by the airline that his purpose is to circumvent rules. He is using his tickets back-to-back.

In your question, "And what's the difference between this and my first example."

The difference is purpose or intent. In your first example you were using (back-to-back) parts of two roundtrip tickets to attend or "...have a meeting every Wednesday in San Francisco." In your current "dancer" example, you were not. With your current example, you were actually staying over a Saturday night and met the Saturday night stay requirements.

It all depends what is, is. The airline is the judge and jury. Sad but true. Just my perspective!

[This message has been edited by MRLIMO (edited 10-12-1999).]