(mis)using a stopover
May 27, 2016 | 3:31 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Dubai
Programs: FB Gold, EK Silver, UA Silver, MB Titanium, ALL Silver, Radisson VIP
Posts: 357
(mis)using a stopover
Hi,
As I'm moving to Dubai (again) soon, I have to buy a one-way ticket BRU-DXB. It would be ~250 EUR cheaper to buy BRU-DXB-BKK-DXB-BRU with a stopover of a few days in Dubai.
If I don't show up I have to pay 600 EUR noshow fee. But, can I cancel the ticket while on my "stopover" in Dubai? I'll lose the rest of the fare, but it's still cheaper than a one way. Or will EK "fine" me like LH does?
Thanks
As I'm moving to Dubai (again) soon, I have to buy a one-way ticket BRU-DXB. It would be ~250 EUR cheaper to buy BRU-DXB-BKK-DXB-BRU with a stopover of a few days in Dubai.
If I don't show up I have to pay 600 EUR noshow fee. But, can I cancel the ticket while on my "stopover" in Dubai? I'll lose the rest of the fare, but it's still cheaper than a one way. Or will EK "fine" me like LH does?
Thanks
May 27, 2016 | 3:50 am
#2
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 5,482
If you cancel the ticket they'll probably reprice the fare to the one-way and ask for extra cash.
For a first "offence" - unlikely they'll do anything, nor ask you for extra money next ticket you buy.
Do it repeatedly and you might see your EK status and miles disappear
For a first "offence" - unlikely they'll do anything, nor ask you for extra money next ticket you buy.
Do it repeatedly and you might see your EK status and miles disappear
May 27, 2016 | 6:48 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Dubai
Programs: FB Gold, EK Silver, UA Silver, MB Titanium, ALL Silver, Radisson VIP
Posts: 357
So if I do 25 visits to an EK lounge in a year, I need to drink & eat for more than 10 EUR / visit in order to off set the risk of losing status by trying to outsmart the system. I'll just pay the 250 EUR extra ticket fare :-)
Thanks!
Thanks!
May 27, 2016 | 6:55 am
#4
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 5,482
Much easier to get away with outsmarting the system at DXB though as it's much more faceless - I know a few outstations each with their one or two pax who have F Flex Plus fares and just use them to use the EK lounge when travelling through there...EK know exactly who they are 
May 29, 2016 | 12:19 am
#5
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Cairo
Programs: EK Skywards Gold, TK Elite Plus, QR Platinum, Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 291
You could also book the cheaper fare with a longer stop in Dubai and use the portion to Bangkok at a later time? BRU-DXB-stop over-BKK-DXB-another stop over-BRU? some tickets do have a stop over restriction (some are 2 weeks, some 4 weeks, some unrestricted), but in general this scheme works well.
May 29, 2016 | 12:53 pm
#6
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: United Kingdom
Programs: Skywards silver :-(, HHonors Gold, IHG Diamond
Posts: 2,572
Much easier to get away with outsmarting the system at DXB though as it's much more faceless - I know a few outstations each with their one or two pax who have F Flex Plus fares and just use them to use the EK lounge when travelling through there...EK know exactly who they are
One thing I didn't undertstand was why they had to buy F flex plus. Wouldn't J Flex plus be good enough for the same as all EK outstations have only J lounges.
Or does a F flex plus have less restrictions on changes than a J flex plus?
May 29, 2016 | 3:04 pm
#7
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 5,482
I assume that you mean that these pax buy a flex plus fare on EK while travelling from the same airport on another airline.They then cancel/change the date of the EK ticket after using the EK lounge. They then travel out on the other airline that they were planning to fly in the first place.
One thing I didn't undertstand was why they had to buy F flex plus. Wouldn't J Flex plus be good enough for the same as all EK outstations have only J lounges.
Or does a F flex plus have less restrictions on changes than a J flex plus?
One thing I didn't undertstand was why they had to buy F flex plus. Wouldn't J Flex plus be good enough for the same as all EK outstations have only J lounges.
Or does a F flex plus have less restrictions on changes than a J flex plus?
May 29, 2016 | 10:48 pm
#8
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: DXB
Programs: EK, CX, AA, DL, UA, MAR, HGP, Amex
Posts: 1,211
Hi,
As I'm moving to Dubai (again) soon, I have to buy a one-way ticket BRU-DXB. It would be ~250 EUR cheaper to buy BRU-DXB-BKK-DXB-BRU with a stopover of a few days in Dubai.
If I don't show up I have to pay 600 EUR noshow fee. But, can I cancel the ticket while on my "stopover" in Dubai? I'll lose the rest of the fare, but it's still cheaper than a one way. Or will EK "fine" me like LH does?
Thanks
As I'm moving to Dubai (again) soon, I have to buy a one-way ticket BRU-DXB. It would be ~250 EUR cheaper to buy BRU-DXB-BKK-DXB-BRU with a stopover of a few days in Dubai.
If I don't show up I have to pay 600 EUR noshow fee. But, can I cancel the ticket while on my "stopover" in Dubai? I'll lose the rest of the fare, but it's still cheaper than a one way. Or will EK "fine" me like LH does?
Thanks
I don't think they will care if you drop the final DXB-BRU leg. I've had to drop the last leg a few times, with no issues.
May 30, 2016 | 10:23 am
#9
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 5,482
I assume that you mean that these pax buy a flex plus fare on EK while travelling from the same airport on another airline.They then cancel/change the date of the EK ticket after using the EK lounge. They then travel out on the other airline that they were planning to fly in the first place.
One thing I didn't undertstand was why they had to buy F flex plus. Wouldn't J Flex plus be good enough for the same as all EK outstations have only J lounges.
Or does a F flex plus have less restrictions on changes than a J flex plus?
One thing I didn't undertstand was why they had to buy F flex plus. Wouldn't J Flex plus be good enough for the same as all EK outstations have only J lounges.
Or does a F flex plus have less restrictions on changes than a J flex plus?
Stupid really, if EK really wanted to they could introduce a cancellation fee equivalent to the cost of lounge and chauffeur drive into the tkt - and that guy will find his status/miles disappearing all for the cost of a taxi and some average food...!
May 30, 2016 | 3:42 pm
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Dubai
Programs: FB Gold, EK Silver, UA Silver, MB Titanium, ALL Silver, Radisson VIP
Posts: 357
You could also book the cheaper fare with a longer stop in Dubai and use the portion to Bangkok at a later time? BRU-DXB-stop over-BKK-DXB-another stop over-BRU? some tickets do have a stop over restriction (some are 2 weeks, some 4 weeks, some unrestricted), but in general this scheme works well.