Changing US return destination after international travel
#16
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: From ORK, live LCY
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Definitely not illegal, but could be a violation of the conditions of carriage, and you could get the travel agent a large ADM if you don't use all coupons (i.e. individual flights) as booked.
#17
Join Date: May 2004
Programs: BA blue, LH Senator, KQ (FB) gold
Posts: 8,215
I would assume that the TA sold a restricted ticket, and any unilateral change on the part of the traveler would violet the contract of carriage. Many people incorrectly use the term "illegal" to describe a violation of contract terms even though the word is incorrect.
#19
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Join Date: Jul 2000
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Don't know for that ticket, but I've had to do it in the past (not cancellation, but full-on routing change -- was going back into SFO, ended up going back into JFK.) No idea if the cabotage issue would apply for the OP, as my own ticket change was on a US carrier.
Last edited by nkedel; Jun 5, 2012 at 3:47 pm Reason: typoed "JFL" for "JFK"
#20
Join Date: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,763
I don't think cabotage is a problem - AC site just let me book open jaw from US to MXP returning to a different US city than the departure
#21
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 7
Maybe point is that it will trigger a refare of the whole thing? Personally, I'd wait until after departure, and call the ticketing airline directly to change the return. But it helps to be savvy and understand the inherent risks of doing that.
Regardless, nothing illegal about any of these scenarios.
Regardless, nothing illegal about any of these scenarios.
#22
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 7
#23
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 7
Unfortunately you have got bad advice. There is nothing illegal about not flying from YUL- LAX sectors. Nor should you buy another FCO/ROM-DTW ticket.
Here are your choices. None of the choices you have is free.
If you choose options 1 or 2, when you collect your bags in YUL for customs, just don't check them back in. Check-in for your YUL-DTW flight instead. It's absolutely legal.
Airlines don't like throw-away ticketing, if you do it deliberately to deprive the airline of revenue on an itinerary you really need to travel, but book cheaper one and throw-away a part of that ticket. You have not sold your future flexibility to the airline just because you had bought a ticket with a fixed itinerary. If you fly YUL-DTW and DTW-LAX on a different airline, they airline that sold you the original ticket would never know.
THERE WILL BE NO INTERNATIONAL INCIDENT.
Here are your choices. None of the choices you have is free.
- Buy one way ticket YUL-DTW-LAX with a stopover in in DTW
- Buy two one way tickets YUL-DTW and DTW-LAX
- Change your return to ROM-DTW-LAX with a stop over (However long you need it) in DTW.
- Cancell your LAX-FCO/ROM, pay the cancellation penalty, and with the credit, plus more$$, buy two round trips, LAX-DTW-LAX and DTW-FCO/ROM-DTW.
If you choose options 1 or 2, when you collect your bags in YUL for customs, just don't check them back in. Check-in for your YUL-DTW flight instead. It's absolutely legal.
Airlines don't like throw-away ticketing, if you do it deliberately to deprive the airline of revenue on an itinerary you really need to travel, but book cheaper one and throw-away a part of that ticket. You have not sold your future flexibility to the airline just because you had bought a ticket with a fixed itinerary. If you fly YUL-DTW and DTW-LAX on a different airline, they airline that sold you the original ticket would never know.
THERE WILL BE NO INTERNATIONAL INCIDENT.
I'll look into my YUL-DTW flight options and make a decision. This would have been even easier if I'd flown through Toronto - there seem to be no direct YUL-DTW flights.
thanks!
#24
Join Date: Jun 2007
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Thank you, Option 2 was what I was planning. But I was getting warnings about "international incident" and post-9/11 watch list additions.
I'll look into my YUL-DTW flight options and make a decision. This would have been even easier if I'd flown through Toronto - there seem to be no direct YUL-DTW flights.
thanks!
I'll look into my YUL-DTW flight options and make a decision. This would have been even easier if I'd flown through Toronto - there seem to be no direct YUL-DTW flights.
thanks!
Otherwise, it looks like AC will go through Toronto or Chicago. If you want to go the long way, AA will take you YUL-MIA-DTW
#25
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 7
I don't mind going a little out of the way, but all the way to MIA seems a bit out there. I might as well come back to LAX.
#26
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: United States
Posts: 355
You can change your flight plan from reservation center. You'll have to pay some extra charges for this and if the fare difference amount is higher than original fare then upgrade must be paid but if the new flight fare is lower than the original paid then no refund will be available.