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Interesting Court Decision In Germany - Passenger does not need to fly last leg

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Interesting Court Decision In Germany - Passenger does not need to fly last leg

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Old Dec 14, 2018, 2:19 am
  #46  
 
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@hsmall - thanks for clarification and additional insight ^
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Old Feb 11, 2019, 9:39 am
  #47  
 
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Passenger sued for 'dropping the last leg'

Not a BA story, but possibly of interest to BAEC members:

https://www.independent.co.uk/travel...-a8773371.html
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Old Feb 11, 2019, 9:43 am
  #48  
 
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It would be interesting to know the background on this. Whether for instance this was serial abuse of dropping the last sector.

It would be interesting to see what the original judgement in favour of the passenger stated and what the appeal conditions were.
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Old Feb 11, 2019, 9:49 am
  #49  
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This is the appeal from the already discussed first instance decision Interesting Court Decision In Germany - Passenger does not need to fly last leg
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Old Feb 11, 2019, 9:52 am
  #50  
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Originally Posted by Geo772
It would be interesting to know the background on this. Whether for instance this was serial abuse of dropping the last sector...
That would be irrelevant as far as the 'issues' of the fare/contract are concerned, but it would provide evidential opportunity if the claimant is a serial fare abuser.

This is a very interesting case indeed, and very relevant to many on here.
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Old Feb 11, 2019, 10:06 am
  #51  
 
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Originally Posted by KARFA
This is the appeal from the already discussed first instance decision Interesting Court Decision In Germany - Passenger does not need to fly last leg
Thanks, I'd missed that last year.
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Old Feb 11, 2019, 10:59 am
  #52  
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Interesting indeed. The defendant prevailed, not because the court disapproved of the hidden city ticketing conduct, but because LH could not explain the fare calculation proposed by LH as damages. Furthermore, it appears that there would have needed to be a ,means for the defendant / passenger to have known the new fare he would be required to pay should he have skipped the segment.

All of this means that LH will need to properly write its COC to cover what it really wants to do. Same for BA if it wishes to do this.

Most interesting is the willingness to sue an individual.
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Old Feb 11, 2019, 11:17 am
  #53  
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Important to remember that this is not about xEU ticketing. It is about dropping, without cancelling, the last segment. This is thus a microcosm of a microcosm.

There is no contractual barrier, nor could there be, to xEU ticketing as it is commonly understood.

Fixing the problem LH encountered would likely require the ticketing carrier to recalculate at the prices in effect at the time of the ticket purchase. This would permit the individual to discern the cost of refaring by looking at the segment cost and adding a change fee. That might not be everything LH or some other carrier wants, but it would likely be enough to discourage the practice which, I suspect, is what LH wants.
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Old Feb 11, 2019, 11:37 am
  #54  
 
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Guessing the airline would not be obligated to track or otherwise share in the benefit of the no-show, such as standby fare income, IDB compensation avoided or upgrade sale?. The unoccupied seat does not go out empty in many/most cases and it's availability can allow accrual of some incremental income for the carrier.
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Old Feb 11, 2019, 12:06 pm
  #55  
 
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Originally Posted by Often1
Interesting indeed. The defendant prevailed, not because the court disapproved of the hidden city ticketing conduct, but because LH could not explain the fare calculation proposed by LH as damages. Furthermore, it appears that there would have needed to be a ,means for the defendant / passenger to have known the new fare he would be required to pay should he have skipped the segment.

All of this means that LH will need to properly write its COC to cover what it really wants to do. Same for BA if it wishes to do this.

Most interesting is the willingness to sue an individual.
Interestingly, Air France has closed this loophole down (it's been like this for a while). From their T&Cs:

As outlined in the General Conditions of Carriage, any non-compliant use [of the ticket] noticed on the day of travel may incur an additional fixed-rate fee at the airport for the amount of: €125 on short-haul flights (metropolitan France and Corsica), €250 for a medium-haul flight in the Economy cabin, €500 for a medium-haul flight in the Business cabin, €500 for a long-haul flight in the Economy or Premium Economy cabin, €1500 for a long-haul flight in the Business cabin and €3000 for a long-haul flight in the La Première cabin (or the equivalent in the local currency.)
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Old Feb 11, 2019, 12:38 pm
  #56  
 
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Originally Posted by cauchy
Interestingly, Air France has closed this loophole down (it's been like this for a while). From their T&Cs:
I doubt that such wording would work in the case of a single event. "I wasn't feeling well and, to be on the safe side, decided not to board the last flight. After some resting a few hours, I felt better and travelled to my destination by other means".
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Old Feb 11, 2019, 12:54 pm
  #57  
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Originally Posted by WorldLux
I doubt that such wording would work in the case of a single event. "I wasn't feeling well and, to be on the safe side, decided not to board the last flight. After some resting a few hours, I felt better and travelled to my destination by other means".
Perhaps. But, people also said, "I doubt" as to an air carrier actually suing a passenger. Until it happened.

Presumably in your situation, the fee would be claimable against one's travel insurance.
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Old Feb 11, 2019, 12:54 pm
  #58  
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Originally Posted by WorldLux
I doubt that such wording would work in the case of a single event. "I wasn't feeling well and, to be on the safe side, decided not to board the last flight. After some resting a few hours, I felt better and travelled to my destination by other means".
Assuming you had evidence of travelling to the originally-booked destination. And some evidence of what you were going to do once you reached the originally-booked destination, including when and how you were going to go home, if home is nowhere near the originally-booked destination. And some reason for not drawing your difficulties to the airline's attention and asking for assistance at the time.

Many people who skip the last sector would have their stories demolished in five minutes flat if push ever came to shove. It may be a good thing for them that airlines have (so far) rarely shown any appetite for pushing.
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Old Feb 11, 2019, 1:35 pm
  #59  
 
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Originally Posted by Globaliser
Many people who skip the last sector would have their stories demolished in five minutes flat if push ever came to shove. It may be a good thing for them that airlines have (so far) rarely shown any appetite for pushing.
I'll preface this by saying I'm not a lawyer and not versed in European contract law, but it appears when I'm buying an air ticket I'm buying an option to travel. The air carrier is obligated to carry me, but I am not obligated to travel any or all coupons of a ticket. I can't see why a story is needed at all, other than I didn't wish to travel. It's my option, not obligation to use all, some or none of the legs of an air ticket.
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Old Feb 11, 2019, 1:40 pm
  #60  
 
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Originally Posted by WorldLux
I doubt that such wording would work in the case of a single event. "I wasn't feeling well and, to be on the safe side, decided not to board the last flight. After some resting a few hours, I felt better and travelled to my destination by other means".
If they wanted to become more aggressive, they could charge credit cards (having obtained 'continuous payment authority' by in the T&Cs) or in some jurisdictions could they seek to withhold checked bags until the fee is paid?

The problem with the plan above is that you might find yourself booking on the same airline you've just skipped a leg on (as was the case with the Lufthansa dude) and so they'd know when you really booked the ticket...
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