maxvor

What I'm going to say is of course pure speculation, if one doesn't know actual cost structure of the airline, but since we don't have news (which by itself is good news, sic!), why not.
There are many reasons why actual costs can be higher. Let's take EK as an example. The money they will have to pass to EgyptAir is peanuts given that that portion also suffered from extremely low price tag, so incremental cost for that segment for EK is close to zero. Now, say they allow you to skip that one, suddenly you might become eligible for limo in CAI if the length of your stopover is long enough. Also, their algos might show that connecting passengers eat and drink less, so they might save a bit on catering (that definitely applies to me, I always eat and drink way more on the first leg of my itinerary than on the second one). Maybe if they know a bit in advance that you're going to travel with hand-luggage only, they might optimize their cargo loads (what is it, 50kg for F passenger or maybe even more? What if it's you and your other half travelling together?). Doesn't sounds like a lot, but everything counts, especially in times when cargo is quite profitable for airlines. I'm sure I can think of more ways it might be beneficial for the airline, just too lazy right now.
Now, speculation apart, of course that is not what is the real consideration for an airline at this point. What most probably really bothers them is that if they allow first leg to be skipped, that will no doubts make its way to various FlyerTalks and blogs of the world and suddenly lots of people might count on it as official policy. Think beyond just CAI and KRT, lots of airlines need to connect to other carrier from many destinations they don't fly themselves. Example: Etihad doesn't fly to most Eastern European airports and allow connection via AMS/CDG/MUC. Now suddenly anyone from AMS will just go to some italian OTA, but a ticket from VNO (which often is way cheaper than from AMS), and skips that nasty AirBaltic segment. If I were revenue manager, I would do everything I could not to allow that to happen.

IAN-UK

Airlines operating fiendishly complex marketing strategies in different markets. With wafer-thin margins, any perturbation to their marketing, and in those market, can upset their revenue planning. They hate the fact that we are now able to purchase tickets in just about any country we wish. Allowing you to target the purchase in a country with low fares, but cancel that first leg to high fare country, is a horror they're not entirely ready to face.

You don't need to understand he detaiils. But accept that if you are travelling from Dubai to Sydney, Emirates would prefer you to buy a Dubai Sydney ticket, rather than exploit cheap fares from Sudan and throw away the first coupon.

it might let things slide for one passenger, but if it lets it go much further the bandwagon will grow, and dodgy TAs will be selling trips based on first-sector throw-aways.


If you buy a cheap ticket it'll probably be a whole lot easier to fly it as ticketed. It's maybe inconvenient, but that'll be one reason it's cheap.

CharlesTheTog

Is this thread not getting archived?

108912

For anyone that booked SQ F:

https://onemileatatime.com/singapore...-availability/

SQ has pulled ALL F availability through to FEB 22.

andigoeskiwi

Got some bad news from expedia.it. I have my KRT flight coming up in 1,5 hours and called EK about not showing up for the flight. I was told to call expedia as it it still before departure and they can reissue the italian EK ticket for flying the other legs to Brisbane in December.
Expedia then had to re-confirm again with EK and denied then all possibilities to use the No Show Rule. I got it also per Mail that EK denied the No Show rule. See screenshot attached.
Everybody involved knows that this is not correct but for this I don´t start fighting. The easiest might be to just fly the KRT leg for nice routings.

Everything might have been different if one calls in after really having missed the first leg....

Granite64

You should send them the EK US website and see how they reply haha

gnargel

I fully understand that this is bad news for you, but it does appear to provide some indication that EK will permit others to fly the itinerary as booked!

tryafly

But what have you sent them with the E-Mail? Have you told them that you want to cancel if they will not recognize the no-show rule? I think this can be the reason because they can't recognize this if it is still for the departure

Granite64

Could be yes, that EK checked the booking; noticed that the first flight did not yet depart and told him 'NO' based on that.

tryafly

This is exactly what I mean

andigoeskiwi

i called EK Italian number and Italian speaking agent and told them I can’t take the first flight due to a personal matter occurred.
EK agent said - as described above - that this is no problem because Italian law allows to skip the first leg. But the reissue of the ticket has to be done by Expedia. They can call her at EK and she will guide them how to do it.
That good news ended as soon as Expedia tried to get the approval from EK for the reissue.
The final outcome you see here.

But I support above comment that it’s another sign that the ticket could have been flown in all legs.

tryafly

But you have sent them something in the meantime? This is in the E-Mail from ex

andigoeskiwi

nothing sent by me anymore with this booking. Tickets are cancelled shortly before the KRT flight departed and refunded minus 500EGP will be received.

tryafly

O.K thx, so you didn't send them any print screens as they mentioned in the E-Mail

veganryan

Just got a cancellation email from Expedia