Good points, sggolf, but I still believe that the travel agency is responsible for knowing the different tarriff rules. They acted as my agent and should have advised me not to book that way. I simply asked the question. They booked the ticket. The obviously agreed with me as the issued a credit in full. As far as the amount of tickets they must sell, since they're hitting me with a $20 fee with every flight booking, it eases their burden for THEIR mistake.

In the future, if I found the need to take the risk, I would certainly use different airlines. . . and probably book them myself (don't thing the travel agent would eat another fee.)

A good travel agent would never do a back to back on the same airline. Airlines look for the following 6 things to see if back to back might be going on:
1)Same passenger name.
2)Same ARC number from issuing orgin.
3)Same FF number of passenger.
4)Same form of payment(ie same credit card).
5)same or similar dates and itin involved.
6)same date of ticket issue.

If 3 or more of the above click, the airlines will check into this.

If you are unable to fly on two different airlines then one should book one ticket with the travel agent and have the agent or yourself book the other ticket directly with the airline, or on the airlines web site or with a different travel agent.

If you do not have access to a travel agent and need to do a back to back try to do the following so the airlines don't try to confiscate your ticket at the gate(they have done this in the past).

1)Buy you tickets from different people/companies.
2)Change your first name slightly or use an inital.
3)Buy your tickets on different dates.
4)Use two different credit cards.
Change the return dates.

If you configure the tickets so you end up using all 4 segments, it is not a back to back. Some of the airlines might disagree but if you read the rules it is legal.

Continental and AeroMexico have threatned Travel agents that if passengers do not use the return portion of their tickets, they will treat the ticket as a one way fare and charge the issuing agency with the difference. Can you imagine buying a value meal from Mcdonald's and after eating the hamburger deciding not to eat the Fries. If Mcdonald operated like the airlines they would say since you did not eat the full meal you are not entitiled to the value discount so you would owe them the differnce between what you paid and what the ala cart items add up to.

My mom and I have booked a domestic ticket in France on Air Liberte. As I am entitled to get the teenager discount, so I just purchase a one way ticket. However, as my mom doesn�t qualify, so she has to buy a return (of coz she won�t use the return portion) We are planning to credit the points to the AA account, do u think we will get a bill later on.

We will also have another trip in Europe doing the same thing with a really small regional airline, but the ticket was ticketed in Canada. Now, I start to scare that I will get a huge bill after the trip, as the difference between a one way and return is huge.

Anyone can give me any ideas, I would be really appreciate.

Arlines have never billed anyone for unused portions of tickets. They have threatend to send debit memo's to travel agencies but as of yet they are just threats. Airlines have confiscated back to back tickets at the gate and denied boarding unless the full fare has been paid---this has happend to premium FF members!!!!!

Outrageous! Another reason not to fly Delta. Don't they know which side of the butter their bread is on?

That reminds me of an article I read on biztravel.com about how Coke has no problem if you buy a 2 liter bottle for $.99 cents from a gas station when they are selling the 20 oz size for $1.19, only drink about 20 oz, and throw away the rest. Only the airline industry.

When I am stuck in coach I have fun explaining the ridiculous rules to other passengers. What awe I see

Is the airline industry the only one where an oversupplied perishable commodity (seats on a flight) becomes MORE expensive as the expiration deadline approaches?
Maybe there should be a little auction in front of the gate for unsold seats ten minute before each flight.

The sailboat I race on is participating in the Pacific Cup race from San Francisco to Hawaii this year. Race crew sails over, then flies back. Meanwhile, the delivery crew flies over and sails the boat back to San Francisco. Used to be, in the days before they checked IDs, you could buy a roundtrip ticket and the delivery crew used the first part and the race crew used the second part.
Now I'm expecting everyone will need round-trip tix and throw away one part - unless the $75 change fee can be applied to change a name on a ticket and two people could use the one round-trip ticket. Anyone ever been successful at doing that?

If you want a different perosn to use a return portion of your restricted ticket, the only way to do this is to have the original passenger check in and give the boarding pass to the person who will be boarding the plane. This would not work on international flights becuase airlines sometimes recheck passenger ID when you board. Be advised that if something happens to the plane (it crashes, gets rerouted to a different city . . . . ) you may not get the same compensation as the other passengers.

More useful information from the past. Anyone know the status of various court cases related to this?

Will the new Congress get around to changing the legislation this term?

[This message has been edited by BlondeBomber (edited 11-22-2000).]

Congress will likely say nothing on the matter; it is a contractual issue between
airliners and their pax.

[This message has been edited by essxjay (edited 11-23-2000).]

anyway, the will only regulate/effect inner USA-flights.

You can count on the Dutchman for a good FF program thread.