f0zzyNUE

noshow-penalties are taken into account only when you want to rebook after having a no-show or want a refund for the unflown segments. the no-show penalty is then added to the regular rebooking or cancellation fee.

carnarvon

Why would that be?

This question pops up regularly and the same answers abound: "you can do it, but... (then come various descriptions of potential risks of airline reactions)", but never any personal experience.

The fact is that I have NEVER read any first hand account of AF/KL taking any retaliatory measures when a client doe not use the return part of a return ticket (or the last leg of the return part).

I have only read second hand testimonies or hearsay, such as "I read on another forum that..." or "Delta has started ..." or "Lufthansa did this or that" and more, each and every example being for people who indeed skipped this or that leg of the ticket or tried to do something else similar. Not simply drop the last leg and walk away.

Not once have I read : "this is what happened to me : I skipped the last leg of a return ticket and AF/KL charged me, explaining how AF/KL did it (court action?)".

The fact that I myself bought XXX/YYY/XXX and did not fly the YYY/XXX part numerous times is not a proof it cannot happen, but it is an indication, isn't it?

The fact that AF sales people (Plat line) suggested I did so when the cost of a OW was ridiculously high is another indication.

However, isn't the absence of first hand testimony on this forum, that AF/KL took any retaliatory measures after one of their customers did not fly the return leg, the closet thing to a proof that AF/KL will do NOTHING in such a case?

I am wondering why no one ever told us about such a personal experience if indeed such retaliation ever happened.

Any idea anyone?

f0zzyNUE

I personally know from a travel agent that the travel agency can receive hefty penalty invoices (ADM) when the revenue management finds out that the travel agent intentionally sells tickets where segments are skipped to save costs - especially when using cross-ticketing methods.
The travel agent I use for special tickets (that cannot be easily ticketed online) let me sign a document that makes me responsible for paying any ADM issued to the agency for ticket "abuse".

In Gernany there was a case where Lufthansa sued a customer who skipped the last leg of a journey. Courts have decided that Lufthansa may not do so.

GUWonder

I’ve never heard of any of the major US OTAs doing such a special ADM indemnification document for retail customers. These OTAs and the airlines probably don’t want to end up with a class action lawsuit or parts of the US government on their case.

Many of the things that DL has threatened as part of its RPU/RPU-type antics aimed at travelers — as distinct from TAs — seem to have been more legend and for legend-spreading purposes than material risk for ordinary travelers. DL, for example, hasn’t been beyond threatening and then quietly settling — that too with DL not always collecting even a penny or a mile.

carnarvon

You appear to confirm my scepticism.

- "I personally know from a travel agent" : you are not telling about first hand experience, but second hand experience. You are quoting someone who told you that etc... It did not happen to you (despite agreeing to pay for the ADM).

Furthermore, what your travel agent told about you is not quite what we are discussing here. A travel agent who massively issues cross ticketing may (I repeat: may) attract someone attention, but this is vastly different from an individual skipping the last leg of a ticket (even repeatedly).

- "Lufthansa sued a customer". Possibly. But neither AF nor KL have.

GUWonder

Lufthansa did sue at least once and lost on a technicality IIRC.

There was at least one European TA and one Asian TA who had worked with some FTers on issuing some creative tickets and they wanted to be indemnified because they were aware of ADMs hitting some other TAs for helping some customers who would circumvent some airline ticket rules or pricing mechanisms. And there have been some TAs in the US who were hit by ADMs because they had made a business of advising and helping business clients to circumvent fare rules.

The chances that an individual’s throw-away ticketing on personal travel would result in being hit by a lawsuit, other collection effort, or a FFP account freeze/penalty from an airline? Low enough that I’ll continue to do it without worry. A ticket purchase is not an agreement to be a forced captive of the airline and made to board a plane and fly against the individual’s wishes.