Interesting routing question
 

I'd like some feedback on a possible "slip through the cracks" air ticket pricing.

Say you found a fare from JFK to LGW in Business Class for $5000 on XX airlines, using travelocity. But you then do a search for YYZ-LGW connecting in JFK in BC (all the way) for $3400. The connection from YYZ to JFK is on a different airline from XX, but the flight from JFK to LGW remains the same as the $5000 fare.

If I were to buy this ticket, and return the YYZ-JFK-YYZ portions to the other carrier, I would bring down the fare to $2800. Does anyone see any issue with that?

One other note, I have also checked with the two airlines and they have no agreements between them, like FF programs or merged computer systems. The originating airline in YYZ tells me I would have to check in for my flight in JFK separately once I make my connection.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Regardless of the codeshare agreement between the YYZ/JFK carriers, I'll bet this is still a hidden-city ticketing situation: probably against the rules of the fare. In other words, if you no-show for the first segment of the itinerary, the whole ticket could be subject to cancellation.

[This message has been edited by essxjay (edited 09-29-2000).]

An alternate, though slightly more expensive version would be to buy a separate ticket JFK-YYZ. Then buy a RT YYZ-LGW-JFK-YYZ. As long as you don't have checked baggage, you can just get off in JFK. Alternately, this routing might allow an exteneded stopover at JFK. So, to make it totally legal, buy the first ticket as a RT JFK-YYZ-JFK (could be in the $200 range)with a return on a date you would take your finaly segment JFK-YYZ from your extended JFK stopover, and treat it as a day or weekend in YYZ.

In the situation stated above, you would get away with it. It is not quite hidden city as they are different airlines.

Everyone, thanks for your help so far.

Essxjay: How would the airline going from JFK to LGW know if I was a no-show (or cancel) for the first segment. Is there a way they would be contacted by the non-aligned first airline?

Also, does anyone know if it would matter whose "stock" the tickets were printed on?

Since you can obviously book this a connecting flts, the longhaul carrier would notice that you didn't board the first flt. Not boarding for the first seg will probably result in cancellation of the entire trip. You're regarded as a NO SHOW. Other on the way back.

But again, if the airlines are not connected, how would they know about a no show or cancellation on an airline they have no computer connection with?

[This message has been edited by gabbysz (edited 10-02-2000).]

They just wouldn't offer a tarif like that, if they weren't in any way "connected".

Even though the carriers are not connected, the reservation often is connected throug hthe computer anyway.

I do not know if the fact that you clear US immigration in Toronto has anything to do with the airline knowing. Rather curious that you metioned YYZ-JFK. The only two carriers that I was aware of that actually fly this route direct is Pakistan Airlines and Delta.

gabbysz,

Whether the transatlantic carrier knows if you took the YYZ-JFK segment all depends on how much the two carriers share reservation information. There will be some linking (unless your transatlantic carrier is some third-world national airline) because once you booked your YYZ-JFK-LGW trip, JFK-LGW will appear on the transatlantic carriers reservation system. Sometimes, the transatlantic carrier will even see the YYZ-JFK booking on the PNR.

Ticket stock does not really matter.

Given the short flight time between YYZ and JFK, you could easily pull this off on the outbound. Pull your YYZ-JFK coupon out. If they give you trouble at JFK about a no-show on your YYZ-JFK flight, just claim you flew standby on an earlier YYZ-JFK flight or even one from the day before since you get a 24 hour layover on an international itinerary.

As for checked bags on the return, I wouldn't worry about it since ALL passengers must clear US customs regardless of final destination. So, if the staff at LGW wants to tag your bag all the way to YYZ, let them!

Again, it is against tariff rules. If you want to play by the rules, you could buy either a one way or a roundtrip up to YYZ and start your journey from there.

Lastly, it is not a "slip" in fare pricing. Situations like this happens fairly common.

[This message has been edited by seawolf (edited 10-02-2000).]

If you try and check in at an intermediate point with an inside coupon, the airline can insist on seeing that you used the previous coupon.

The best bet is to tack on the NYC-YYZ-NYC round trip for the cheapest fare you can find. You'll still win out over the full fare ex. NYC.

The only thing they can demand from you in the board pass from YYZ-JFK which you could claim that it mysteriously disappeared. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif If it was me, I'll buy that ticket JFK-YYZ ticket and start the trip at YYZ.