I've got a 3 flight segment trip (coach) coming home from a business trip. First segment on the way home is US Air. Last two are Continental. What would happen if I simply didn't show up for the last two segments and made my own arrangements to get home? Would I be blacklisted on Continental?

Decided I'd like to spend the weekend in the arrival city of the first segment on my way home. A change fee is at least $150 (according to Expedia), but could be higher. And I imagine it would be the same (lousy) routing. For $150, I'm supposing I may be able to book a direct flight home at the end of the weekend.

I like Continental and am accumulating miles with them, so I don't want to be blacklisted for not using those two return segments. The originating flights out to my destination are with American. Does that make any difference?

Presuming I should call Continental at some point to let them know I won't be using those return portions--is there one excuse more "palatable" than another?

Another possibility is simply throwing away all return flight segments and driving to another city of interest (want to do some hiking), then making new arrangements to get home. But then I'd be at risk with US Airways as well? Or not?

Sorry if this is the wrong place to ask. Wasn't sure where to post.

Well, if you keep "missing" return segments, there is a small chance continental can blacklist your Onepass number.
However, its a small chance.

The best thing to do would be to call and cancel.
(Dont do it until you complete your first segment on US Air....otherwise you can jeopardize that part as well).
Depending on the rules of the fare, they may "hold" the value of the CO part of it for a year. This means, you will have XX $ of credit (with either Expedia or CO) and you will pay 150$ plus change fee if you ever want to use that credit.
You wont owe 150$ on the day you call.

There is no need for any excuses to cancel. just call and say you will not make the flight.

Thanks Snod. I thought that might have been something of an air travel urban legend. By blacklisting, does that mean no more points or being banned from traveling with that carrier? (I thought it was the latter).

Thanks for the all information.

Has anyone else, who's not self-employed of course, done this sort of thing while on business travel? e.g. employer insists that your flight be scheduled so you'll be flying home on a Friday, but you want to spend the weekend somewhere in the vicinity of where your business travel takes you?

I'm a little concerned about doing this, as I'll be reimbursed for the full amount of the flight by my employer; but then having a credit seems a little illict--normally a good thing, but feels a little sketchy to me. On the other hand, my employer doesn't control my weekend time... I hate giving up the opportunity to do some exploring on the tail end of business travel, but don't want to get myself in trouble--with the airlines or my employer.

Why does your employer insist on a Friday return? As long as you're back in the office on Monday, what concern is it of the employer? Fortunately, I've never worked for a company like that. Several times a year I'll extend a trip to Saturday or Sunday. As long as the flight is no more expensive than the Friday return, there should be no problem.

Guess they're tightly associating hotel nights to be reimbursed for with the return date; although of course I would never ask to be reimbursed for hotel nights beyond what was absolutely required. In tough economic times, it was tough to get this thing approved to begin with (required five signatures!), so I had to book it strictly as they wanted. And it's booked--I'm stuck with it. Was one of those Expedia package deals with highly restrictive terms.

Blacklisting can mean that they could close your onepass account. So you cannot earn anymore.

It seems that your employer has really strict travel policies. They may save money if they let you stay saturday night!!
I dont know what to tell you about that. Perhaps someone here has more creative options.

Thanks Snod. Already tried that--and it was true (would have saved $ overall to stay an extra night); until several weeks later after the 5 signatures were obtained--then the economics changed and it was no longer cheaper to book that way.

I might see if I can arrive earlier (the area I want to visit is within a few hours drive), then have only to pay for the inbound AA flight change. Although I don't understand Expedia's package verbiage--something about $150 per change. May be something on top of whatever the airline would charge, and that would torpedo the value for me.

+1 on the other advice: simply call CO and let them know you won't be taking the flight after you complete the US segment. No excuse is required: simple truth will do -- you changed your mind.

Unless your destination is far away and your ticket is in a high fare class (neither sounds to be the case from the way you describe the approval process), the remaining "credit" will likely be less than $150 change fee required to use it, thus you will not have an ethical dilemma.

As for reimbursements, I do this all the time. I've had clients and employers who insisted on specific travel arrangements beyond any common sense (e.g., preferred carrier with numerous stops; xEWR/xORD/xATL routing during the worst seasons, and Friday afternoon returns when Sat or Sun were less expensive). If that's what they want to pay for, that's fine. I don't see any problem with you electing to supplement these arrangements with others, provided you don't seek reimbursement, nor miss-use your employer's time.

Good luck!

+1.

I'm actually allowed to fly anywhere I want for the weekend so long as I'm back at the client site on Monday (I can be reimbursed up to the amount of the flight home).

Has anyone met someone who's actually been blacklisted (relative to OnePass)? I've never heard of the such.

A search across this CO forum shows thread Does Continental Blacklist? refers to Just What Info Are They keeping On Us? which still doesn't have a testimonial about being blacklisted.

I don't think this will be a problem, though I disagree with calling CO, especially since the fare is less than the change fee.

If you call, they will know what you did. If you don't call, they'll have no idea. Did you bail on the trip? Did US reroute you? Did you misconnect and get rebooked some other way?

Ambiguity is always good when you're dong something shady.

Yes, I have. A person who shall remain nameless had gotten his OnePass account suspended for violations of the T&C after an audit by CO. Now, this person was doing things I consider unethical, including double-dipping, etc.

There is nothing unethical (or even shady -- IMHO, Channa) about changing your plans half-way through the trip, which is why I would (and have, in the past) simply let the airline know I won't be coming.

Thanks for all the replies.