Hypothetical Question [Switch travellers between segments]
Mar 7, 2014 | 6:12 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 25
Hypothetical Question [Switch travellers between segments]
I buy a cheap ticket from A to B that connects through hub city. I really want to go to hub city but direct flights are more expensive. Person X wants to go from hub city to city B.
X and me both travel with no checked baggage.
Could X buy a refundable ticket, get through security, cancel refundable ticket and get a refund, meet me and get my boarding pass for flight from hub to B?
Thoughts?
X and me both travel with no checked baggage.
Could X buy a refundable ticket, get through security, cancel refundable ticket and get a refund, meet me and get my boarding pass for flight from hub to B?
Thoughts?
Mar 7, 2014 | 6:23 am
#2
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: ORD, MDW or MKE
Programs: American and Southwest. Hilton, Marriott, IHG - whichever is rated well and cheapest
Posts: 6,571
The scheme will work.
The problem is that it is illegal from a TSA point of view and wildly against airline rules. The likelihood of getting caught is slim, but I believe that you are breaking federal law here.
The problem is that it is illegal from a TSA point of view and wildly against airline rules. The likelihood of getting caught is slim, but I believe that you are breaking federal law here.
Mar 7, 2014 | 6:39 am
#4
Moderator: American AAdvantage, Signatures
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: London, England
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Ambassador, National Exec, AA EXP Emeritus
Posts: 9,796
As this question is not directly related to travel on AA, I am going to move it over to the TravelBuzz forum for discussion by a wider audience. Depending on the direction taken by the conversation, it may actually end up in a TS&S forum.
I've also updated the thread title to make it more descriptive (as required by FlyerTalk Guidelines & Rules).
~Microwave
AAdvantage Forum Co-moderator
I've also updated the thread title to make it more descriptive (as required by FlyerTalk Guidelines & Rules).
~Microwave
AAdvantage Forum Co-moderator
Mar 7, 2014 | 2:44 pm
#8
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 627
You could handle all the rebooking stuff over the telephone or online, so that's not a problem. If a flight is cancelled and you're offered a hotel it gets complicated. Then you have to go through the trouble of buying another refundable ticket and canceling.
The chances of this working are very high, but I don't understand how it would be worth the hassle. If you do it constantly you will get caught, if you do it once you don't save all that much.
The chances of this working are very high, but I don't understand how it would be worth the hassle. If you do it constantly you will get caught, if you do it once you don't save all that much.
Mar 7, 2014 | 4:38 pm
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Massachusetts, USA; AA 2.996MM & Plat Pro, DL 1MM, GM & Flying Colonel
Posts: 25,037
It comes in if you are in a jurisdiction where it is illegal to use a ticket for carriage in violation of its terms and conditions, or if that jurisdiction's law applies to your travel for any other reason. If you want to look for such jurisdictions, I am told by a lawyer that you can start with California.
Mar 8, 2014 | 9:40 am
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: From ORK, live LCY
Programs: BA Silver, M&M*G, HH Gold, ABP, Seigneur des Horaires des Mucci
Posts: 14,919
There are a number of ways this could go wrong. But if none of them happen, then it will work.
Unless you're in one of the stupid countries where airport security theatre demands matching ID to boarding pass at security, there is not even a requirement for the refundable ticket, nor for the people to meet, assuming OLCI is a thing.
Unless you're in one of the stupid countries where airport security theatre demands matching ID to boarding pass at security, there is not even a requirement for the refundable ticket, nor for the people to meet, assuming OLCI is a thing.
Mar 10, 2014 | 12:17 pm
#15
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Join Date: Nov 2008
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Posts: 10,096
We'll propably see more ID/passport checks after the MH flight that went missing, as they discovered two pax who evidently travelled on stolen passports, both bought tix for this flight in BKK