As a follow on from my previous post (Suggestions whilst on a trip) I have a question re booking flights.

As it is a multi city trip, and BA don't fly direct from Hong Kong to Tokyo.... It's a lot cheaper to book a return to Hong Kong and not use the return leg ticket, use a different airline from Hong Kong to Tokyo, then finally book a return from London to Tokyo and not use the outbound leg ticket (just the return leg).

Is that ok to do or won't the airlines let you do it that way..?

Business class return tickets to the destinations are nearly the same price as economy plus (world traveller plus) one way tickets. It make more economic sense to me to book Business class return and not use some of the flights than economy + one way...

Has anyone done this before and can comment on the best approach? Ash
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2022 SDV8 AB
2016 TDV8 VSE
2011 TDV8 VSE
2006 V8 Vogue
2002 2.5 Vogue

Well they cannot force you to use the return portion of the ticket!

True - I was more worried about the "Return" from London to Tokyo when I won't be taking the first outward flight (Cos I will already be in Tokyo via a different airline). If I didn't turn up for that one would they assume I didn't travel and therefore cancel the return leg. Ash
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2022 SDV8 AB
2016 TDV8 VSE
2011 TDV8 VSE
2006 V8 Vogue
2002 2.5 Vogue

Not sure how it works with BA, but most other airlines will automatically cancel a return leg if the outbound leg hasn't been fulfilled.
If you call and tell them, they won't cancel it. Got - 2017 SDV8 Autobiography in Loire Blue
Had- 2008 TDV8 Vogue SE in Java black
Had - 2007 S/C in Stornoway Grey

Generally speaking if you don't use the outward journey the return leg is nullified , the bastards don't want to let you make a saving

That's what I'm reading..

I wonder if I could book a return from Tokyo to London (i.e. Tpkyo - London - Tokyo) and just not use the return...?

I don't want to get into trouble with the airlines or get banned from flying though... Just seems wrong to charge twice as much for a single than for a return.. Ash
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2022 SDV8 AB
2016 TDV8 VSE
2011 TDV8 VSE
2006 V8 Vogue
2002 2.5 Vogue

I don't think there's any question of being banned, it's just what they do. Best to call their, ahem, customer service and ask the question, just be be sure. Got - 2017 SDV8 Autobiography in Loire Blue
Had- 2008 TDV8 Vogue SE in Java black
Had - 2007 S/C in Stornoway Grey

Swiss is terrible for this. A one way can be five times the price of a return. When I bought a motorbike in the UK I booked a return but didn't use the return leg, but I've not done it the other way around.

Why not wait until you their and book the return at that end when you need only the first half?

Due to the nature of my work I often miss my return flights without giving any notice or reason. One word of warning if you have a a multiple flight return ticket and fail to check in for any part of it then that ticket will become void, it caught a friend of mine out once who was stranded in Dubi after missing a Phillipines flight. He arrived in Dubi by other means and was refused a check in for his onward flight (if that makes sense). I think the solution cost him another £500!

Correct - you don't need to use a return leg - there will be no charge or other implication - you've simply missed the flight & lost out.

However, if you don't use the outbound, the return is automatically cancelled & not refunded.

^unless you tell them in advance. I had this very same situation a few weeks ago with FlyBe. My plans changed and I wasn't going to use my outbound flight. I called them and made it clear I would be using the return but not the outbound. Their only concern was that I may have expected a refund. I made it clear I wasn't expecting it and I got the return flight as booked. Got - 2017 SDV8 Autobiography in Loire Blue
Had- 2008 TDV8 Vogue SE in Java black
Had - 2007 S/C in Stornoway Grey

Not heard of other airlines doing this - but certainly worth asking

I wouldn't book on that basis unless I had it in writing from them though......

http://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/inform...f-carriage

Section 3C

If you tell them in advance - and they agree - they may charge you a revised fare - which I guess could be zero, but then again, might not be.....

Last edited by Alistair on 17th Aug 2014 6:18pm. Edited 1 time in total

Well FlyBe do seem to be a little bit different from most airlines I've come across!  Got - 2017 SDV8 Autobiography in Loire Blue
Had- 2008 TDV8 Vogue SE in Java black
Had - 2007 S/C in Stornoway Grey