[TimFitzgeraldTC]

I can’t find the details (I may have mentioned this before) but I’m sure a few years back Austrian Airlines tried to take a passenger to (a low level) court over the fact he purchased a cheaper return fare but only used it one way (which carried a significant premium). They wanted to charge him the difference between the levels paid. In summary from what I re-call reading the airlines case was thrown out (judge was not impressed with the carrier) and no attempt was made to appeal it to a higher level as it could jeopardise many things including ADM’s that are sent to agencies. So it was swept under the carpet. I have tried to find links to the case but to no avail (but my memory is 100% clear on this one – the only thing I could be wrong on is perhaps the passenger was charged the difference and then took the airline to court – and won).

[AnthonyDunn]

@ planegeek – 30/10/2014 09:16 GMT

That this practice is neither unique to BA nor confined to Europe was demonstrated to me when looking into some itineraries on CX whereby it was repeatedly cheaper to fly onwards from HKG to another regional centre than to fly direct to HKIA. I dare say that there are plenty of European hub offers from the likes of KL/AF/LH/LX etc providing just the same advantages for those prepared to fly via rather than direct.

[Bath_VIP]

I am bringing this thread back to ask a question relating to baggage on ex-EU fares.

My itinerary in Feb will be DUB-LHR-AUS-LHR-DUB in C and my probable tag-on flight to DUB is likely to be LCY-DUB-LHR with the intention of returning on the same plane on my return i.e. after doing AUS-LHR, I will do LHR-DUB-LHR on the same plane.

I don’t mind doing this for the TPs and avios but since I will return on the same plane what happens with the bags? Will they stay on the plane or even LHR or will they will off loaded at DUB and I have to check them in again?

To make it more awkward, I am likely to be travelling back with 3 suitcases so the last thing I want to do is to pick up and check in 3 bags at DUB. It seems to me, if I have to do this, I have two options.

1. Tell BA at checkin in AUS that I am doing a DUB shuttle run and to have my bags checked through to LHR only. This means the bags sit on the conveyor belt at LHR until I complete my shuttle run.

2. Don’t bother with the DUB flight at all and just complete my journey at LHR. This is the simplest and based on the comments here I should be OK.

[MrMichael]

Good afternoon Bath-VIP. I am doing a BA trip to Oz shortly via Oslo. Having considered carefully the very helpful advice on this forum it is my intention on the return to check the bags through to LHR only. My arrival at LHR is some nine hours prior to the booked Oslo sector and I will be informing them at check in that I need the bags at LHR. Not unreasonable for a nine hour stop. I will then skip the Oslo leg and will likely be sitting/napping at home as my empty seat crosses the North Sea.

[SimonS1]

Bath_VIP: I certainly wouldn’t trust my bags to follow me on a back to back, and if you have to collect and recheck them there would be a risk as turnaround times are not that long.

Best to collect at LHR on the inbound. The stress of standing around baggage reclaim waiting for them will give you a migraine and you will be unable to continue to Dublin. Head home and take some rest..

[MartynSinclair]

Presuming the final sector, DUB to LHR, will be on a separate ticket, your bags will have DUB marked as their final destination.. You will need to collect bags and check them back in. When I have a similar situation in AMS, I will take a later flight back to London.

It really all depends on how much time you have between flights.

As far as completing all sectors, I do as I easily use avios for all trips into Europe.

[Carajillo2Sugar]

Just a comment on saving the last coupon for a later date; you will find a lot of BA ex-Europe long-haul fares will allow a maximum stopover in the UK of just 10-days, so something to bear in mind when planning your trips.

It used to be a year, then it was reduced to 30-days and now down to just 10-days. I would hazard a guess that this has come about because Willie realised it was costing BA too much money!

#spoilsports

[ImissConcorde]

BA obviously becoming more aware of revenue loss.

http://mashable.com/2015/07/21/hidden-city-ticketing-british-airways/

[NTarrant]

Can’t say I’m surprised!

[Carajillo2Sugar]

“If a traveler is found to not take a final leg of the trip, British Airways could cancel any remaining parts of the trip as well as send a bill for the difference in price, according to Head for Points.”

Firstly, if a traveller (yes, that’s 2 L’s in traveller!) does not take the final leg of a trip, there is nothing else to cancel, so there will not be any remaining parts of the trip. The word ‘final’ is the give-away clue here.

Secondly, just how do BA, or any other airline, plan to enforce their proposed billing for the difference in price? I stand to be corrected by any legal bods out there, but surely it would be completely unenforcable. The media would have a field day and do the airlines really want to risk a court-case? A case they would almost certainly lose.

Some airlines already penalise TMC’s for this practice but I have never heard of anyone booking directly having a problem. Should it go to court and the airlines lose, travel agent’s would be cracking open more than one bottle of fizz!

[TimFitzgeraldTC]

Austrian Airlines tried to take a client to court over a similar issue a few years back (I think around 2004). However I can’t find any details relating to it now but reports in Travel Weekly or TTG I think at time said it was thrown out of a low level court by the judge – and never taken further by the airline. Otherwise TMC’s would be all over it demanding millions of pounds worth of ADM’s back that agents get billed for no shows over the last few years.

[NTarrant]

This was discussed in another thread sometime ago. I said at the time about Eurotunnel, charging people who had purchased a day return for travel after 1300 at a rate of around £29 but discarding the return journey, the difference between the £29 and the standard single of about £86.

There was an article in the newspaper at the time. But I was shouted down by someone demanding evidence that it had happened on BA! I don’t know of anyone that it has happened to on BA or read about anyone it has happened to on BA. My suggestion that Eurotunnel did it, suggests that BA could reprice a ticket and charge the difference. It is really about saying that it could be done and be warned. With regards to legalities, I think the answer should be show where it says it is illegal.

[Carajillo2Sugar]

As a consumer, if I’m paying for goods or a service and choose to use only part of it (half a sandwich, anyone?), then that, surely, is my prerogative?

[AnthonyDunn]

@ Carajillo2Sugar – 22/07/2015 14:06 BST

Except that when you purchase a ticket with BA (or any other airline, train company etc.) you do so on the basis of stated terms and conditions attached to that tariff. By passing over your hard earned wonga, you indicate your agreement to these T&Cs so there is “offer, acceptance and consideration” ergo a contract. That does make it legally enforceable.

http://www.headforpoints.com/2015/07/20/british-airways-clamping-down-on-dropped-final-legs-on-ex-eu-tickets/

But, as you observe, it will be interesting to see how BA proposes to enforce the ex-EU ploy.

[Carajillo2Sugar]

Travel Agents would be rubbing their hands with glee at the prospect of a test-case in court so, BA (‘Brave Airline’?) ,bring it on!

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