Back - to - Back using different airlines
 

I know the rules with Delta's RPU salivating at the opportunity to catch this activity when it is done solely on their airline.

However, is it the same taboo to use a different airline to make it work. For our example lets say that we do not throw away any "legs" but just travel at two different times.

ie.
DL ATL - IAD 10/26
DL IAD - ATL 11/5

NW IAD - ATL 10/29
NW ATL - IAD 11/3

Of course, many wish to know whether or not you will get "caught" using two different airlines to B-2-B?

Ive done that in the past but NOT using DL.One has to keep in mind not to do a NW & CO and place the miles into just 1 acct.

Or one can just buy the 2 tkts on 1 carrier but from 2 different places(1-online,2-from a reg travel agent). Since its illegeal according to the airlines to sell back to back,this will take care of that,only if theres a problem with miles missing its something that I wouldnt go after,if its on i carrier only

If you were to do the above on DL, the RPU could come after you.

Thats why I said NOT on DL,nor did I ever do it on DL.Thats why even though they can get my email address from here I dont care since I NEVER did it on DL.

I know 2 people who got messed up 1-since 1 segment didnt credit he yelled and screamed and when they saw he did fly by pulling up the tkt they also saw what he did with back to backs. the2nd-flew one on NW the other CO and used 1 acct # he too had a prob that cost him in the end.
Thats why if one will do a b2b use 2 carriers and 2 accts.NOT that Im saying anyone should go out and buy such tkts. the above 2 cases were NOT me.

Knock yourself out, no one is going to know as long as you use two non-communicating airlines.

honestly, i haven't had any trouble using NW and CO for back to backs either. CO and NW make a habit of NOT talking to each other. Heck half the time my NW miles don't post to my CO account!

I don't think there is anything even remotely problematic with doing so on 2 different airlines as long as you do use all segments. Still, the airlines have threatened the TA's so much that most TA's won't book the two sets for you.

Technically the scenario described is "nested tickets". As long as all segments are used, this is legal and ethical. Back-to-back usually means the second portion of each ticket is tossed. Airlines consider back-to-back against their rules. I have done nested tickets with DL and and other airlines several times and never had problems. I have done it for personal and business travel using my corporate travel agent and also for segment runs. Besides the problem claiming mileage on the same account with NW and CO, you have to watch getting invol bumped to the other airline. This happened once to me with CO and AA nested tickets.

[This message has been edited by outoftown (edited 01-10-2002).]

No, it is still back-to-back even if you use all segments. No-showing the return flights just makes it more likely you'll be caught.

What the original posted posted is just fine. You bought a ticket from DL from A to B and back to A. You met all the rules. You did not buy a DL nested ticket, or a throw-away or anything else. If sometime between the outbound flight and the return you happen to go home, either by car, by train, bus or another airline, all is fine. This is not the government you know. DL can only dictate what you do on their planes and tickets.

Can someone explain to me this issue with the RPU? Why is it that they can stop me from putting together an itinerary that will save me money in the end, when I'm going to be paying them what they charged me?
i.e. this could be typical for me:
Ticket #1
X-Y 1/7 (Mon)
Y-X 1/18 (Fri)
Ticket #2
Y-X 1/11 (Fri)
X-Y 1/14 (Mon)

snicker.... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by snake (edited 01-11-2002).]

Because your itineraries violate their contract of carriage. You are circumventing minimum stay requirements in order to get a cheaper fare.

No, this is back-to back. Here are some examples to clear things up (I hope):

Example A - Back to Back:

Ticket #1 (1/1 is not a Saturday)

1/1 XXX-YYY
1/9 YYY-XXX

Ticket #2

1/2 YYY-XXX
1/8 XXX-YYY

This allows you to make two 1-day-stay trips at the 7-day-stay fare. Most airlines' contracts of carriage prohibit this unless there are no minimum stay requirements.

Example B - Nested Tickets:

Ticket #1

1/1 XXX-YYY
1/8 YYY-XXX

Ticket #2

1/1 YYY-ZZZ
1/8 ZZZ-YYY

This allows one to travel from XXX-ZZZ with a stopover or just a plane change in YYY. This would be used if the XXX-YYY fare + the YYY-ZZZ fare is less than the XXX-ZZZ fare and the traveler could spare the extra travel time. Nested tickets are almost always permitted by all airlines.

Example C - Throwaway Ticketing:

Ticket #1 (1/1 is not a Saturday)

1/1 XXX-YYY
1/9 YYY-XXX

Ticket #2

1/2 YYY-XXX
1/8 XXX-YYY

Similar to back-to back but this time the traveler desires to take only 1 trip and avoid a Sat night stay. (S)he flies the XXX-YYY part of Ticket #1, the YYY-XXX part of Ticket #2 and simply throws away the unused part of each ticket. This plan would be used when the sum of the two tickets with Sat-night stays is less than the 1-day-stay XXX-YYY ticket. Throwaway ticketing is prohibited by most airlines' contracts of carriage.

Hope this clears things up!

Assuming that you fly all of the segments, the airline actually loses here. due to their on rule. Assume the fare RT fare is $300, then DL is sharing getting $300 and NW $300. DL could have $600 if the nested tickets were allowed.