Buying a return ticket but only using one flight, illegal?

0verblood

Hi

I want to book a flight out of Kenya, but all the one way tickets are expensive as f**k.

Now there's one airline offering a return flight from UK to Kenya, and it's cheaper than a single ticket. So i'll be buying a ticket from Uk-Kenya-Uk... but only using the Kenya - Uk flight. Can I do that? What happens when I don't turn up for the UK - Kenya flight? (I'll already be in Kenya you see:D)

Paulw

Yes, you can do it.

Nothing wrong with it.

I've done it before, since one way flights are just crazy expensive, obviously not the same route though.

GerardKeating

0verblood wrote: »

Hi

I want to book a flight out of Kenya, but all the one way tickets are expensive as f**k.

Now there's one airline offering a return flight from UK to Kenya, and it's cheaper than a single ticket. So i'll be buying a ticket from Uk-Kenya-Uk... but only using the Kenya - Uk flight. Can I do that? What happens when I don't turn up for the UK - Kenya flight? (I'll already be in Kenya you see:D)

You can do this, if you are only using the first leg of the trip, but sometimes, when you "miss" the outward flight, they will cancel the return leg.

0verblood

Maybe I didn't explain properly...

I am in Kenya. Single trips back to Europe are too expensive so I'm going to buy a return flight from Uk to Kenya, and hop on the flight back to Uk.

Gerard Keating where did you hear that they cancel the return leg if I "miss" the plane to Kenya?

Newaglish

0verblood wrote: »

Gerard Keating where did you hear that they cancel the return leg if I "miss" the plane to Kenya?

I've actually heard this too but can't for the life of me remember where. From what I understand, some airlines will view your return flight as one booking and cancel it if you're a no show. The assumption being that you're not going to be getting the return flight if you've missed the outbound one and it frees up the seat for them to sell again.

This could be utter nonsense though, I have no idea.

nompere

This, or similar, comes up a lot in the Travel forum.

If you don't turn up for the 1st leg of your return ticket, the UK to Kenya flight, then just about any airline that sells return tickets will cancel the remainder of the ticket. So when you turn up at the airport in Kenya you won't be travelling anywhere. You'll be able to claim back the taxes though.

Have a look round Travel.

Or go ahead and try your "clever" idea, but don't come back here complaining about the raw deal you got from your airline. Bear in mind that they already know that a single from Kenya to the UK costs more than a return starting in the UK.

looksee

So if you miss your outward flight and buy a one way ticket to get you there, you can't use the unused 'leg' of the first flight to come back?

0verblood

nompere wrote: »

Or go ahead and try your "clever" idea, but don't come back here complaining about the raw deal you got from your airline.

Jesus f**kin christ... what's your problem? Go to Personal Issues or something, let off some steam. There's something dying inside you.

So if you miss your outward flight and buy a one way ticket to get you there, you can't use the unused 'leg' of the first flight to come back?

Good question... But either way... why would they care what I do with the ticket since I'm paying them up front anyways?

jor el

0verblood wrote: »

Good question... But either way... why would they care what I do with the ticket since I'm paying them up front anyways?

I would imagine that since you're trying to get a flight from Kenya to the UK for a lot less money than the airline charge for that flight, then they will not only care about what you're doing, but they simply won't allow it.

On the question of what happens if you miss the first leg of your flight, well people would obviously contact the airline in such circumstances, and arrange an alternate flight out. If you are simply a no-show at the airport, then the airline will have no reason to hold on to your return reservation.

0verblood

Well the thing is, this airline doesn't actually do one way flights to Kenya, you cna ONLY buy returns. So they're not really giving me a choice...

foggy_lad

Have you looked into a return flight with the first leg being Kenya-Uk? You may even be able to get a refund of taxes etc for the unused return leg.

0verblood

Ah it's ok, I've found an alternative. Egyptair, a great bunch of lads.

GerardKeating

0verblood wrote: »

Maybe I didn't explain properly...

I am in Kenya. Single trips back to Europe are too expensive so I'm going to buy a return flight from Uk to Kenya, and hop on the flight back to Uk.

Gerard Keating where did you hear that they cancel the return leg if I "miss" the plane to Kenya?

You did explain, I understood you fully.

As others have pointed out, if you do not take the outward leg of the trip, the will cancel the return leg, it's in the T&C somewhere.

0verblood wrote: »

Ah it's ok, I've found an alternative. Egyptair, a great bunch of lads.

I see you got sorted elsewhere, have a nice trip...

dudara

Moved to Travel

dudara

mikedragon32

dudara wrote: »

Moved to Travel

dudara

Dudara, it would help if you cleaned it up before sending it on.

Thread closed. OP got his answer.