I booked a reservation at the LAS ticket counter using a $500.00 travel voucher on the same airline that issued me the travel voucher. I was issued an e-ticket. The fare was 435 (coast to coast). I was issued a 65 dollar travel voucher for the difference between the value of the voucher vs. the cost of the ticket. Plans changed and I returned to the LAS ticket counter and paid a 100 penalty to change the routing. I cancelled the original reservation and used the remaining "credit of 345 towards a different fare to a different city. I thought was the end of the transaction... I received a call from the airline advising me of a major schedule change to the original fare that I purchased. I thought that once I changed the fare and used the money left over after the penalty towards a different fare that this reservation would go away. Obviously the carrier made a mistake. I returned the call to the carrier wherein they advised of a new schedule and I played along. After receiving the new schedule, I was told that I would have to get the ticket "reissued". I was put on hold twice and I thought that I would "get caught" (a free ticket was worth a try? they called me...) The csr said..."we cannot find a history on this ticket (or something to that effect). I said that I did make some changes and was not totally clear on what changes that I had made. One last long hold period and I was told that everything was ok and they dumped the old file contents and updated my record locator. I was told that I would have to go to a ticket counter/city ticket office to be reticketed. I went to the LAS ticket counter and provided the record locator to the agent and was given an eticket. I looked on the carrier's web page and I am listed as confirmed with seats assigned. Will this work... have they made an undetectable mistake. What will happen when I go to get boarding passes, where will the amount of the fare be listed if I did not pay? Any thoughts on this? Want any thoughts on my success before I book hotel/car reservations.

Welcome to FT tlg664!

You will probably be able to fly, but I would guess that the airline's internal auditing department will catch the mistake and you will be asked to pony up for the free flight.

I would fly anyway and enjoy. If this is your frequent carrier, great they just gave you an unexpected perk. You certainly gave them an opportunity to correct their mistake.

Will you get got? Probably not.

What will happen if you do? At the very least, you will have to pay the full unrestricted fare.

Do the words fraud and theft come to mind? I hope they do because that is exactly what this is. Regardless of whether you get caught or not, what you are doing is unethical and illegal.

Immoral?? Maybe. Fraud?? Initially not. Theft?? Not. Unethical?? Quite likely. Illegal?? Definately Not!!!!

Had he made an attempt to alter or misrepresent his voucher when booking the ticket(s) it may have been fraudulent, if he actually uses the ticket it will be somewhat fraudulent. It definately was not illegal although it almost probably would contravene the carriers terms.

Immoral and unethical??? Well that is between him and his conscience.

If they catch on will he have to pay the fare or forfeit his FF account. Very very likely.