Originally Posted by
daveola
Okay, let's use an analogy that would be hard to dismiss, let's compare it to, say, missing airline flights..
This idea isn't really any different than the simpler concept of buying a (cheaper) r/t ticket when you only need the one way (throwaway ticketing).
To claim that not taking that return flight is theft of services is ludicrous.
Consider the possibility that you buy a r/t ticket and then get sick or through some other circumstance are unable to take the return flight. To consider this a theft of services is clearly nonsense - claiming that you are obligated under criminal law to fly this return flight is hogwash.
If you read, for example, United's Contract of Carriage, you will see that they disallow hidden city and throwaway ticketing, and *contractually* have remedies for this (which it seems they are unlikely to follow unless you have miles/status to lose). That's *civil* law, not *criminal* law, as has been pointed out previously.
I suppose you could argue that you are committing fraud, which is criminal, but that's a pretty damn weak case, especially since the contract expressly states the penalties for these actions, just as Verizon has penalties for breaking contract.
The fallacy in this logic is that nobody can force you to fly any or all of an itinerary. The only question is what is the proper fare. If you purchase AAA-BBB-CCC for $300 and the AAA-BBB fare is $400 and you don't board the second segment, you owe the carrier $100. Why you don't board the second segment is irrelevant. You can choose to not board because it's a nice sunny day and you just decide to stay in BBB.
It becomes a fraud (think wire fraud if you booked over the internet or by phone) if you booked the AAA-BBB-CCC with the intent to actuall defraud the carrier out of the $100. That's the OP situation here.
While the carrier can simply zero out & close your FF account and debit your CC for the add/collect of $100, the more likely problem is simply that AAA-BBB goes MX and you are rebooked on AAA-DDD-CCC and wind up in CCC where you didn't want to go or having to belly up to the truth with the carrier at AAA and buy yourself a full Y walkup to BBB.
