Bookng A Return Flight..........

[Penkoprod]

Just out of interest, say i bought a return ticket from a UK airport to Bangkok and back, could i use only the inbound leg of it after not taking the outbound part?

Reason i ask is some freinds i was traveling with last trip decided they wanted to stay on in Thailand for another 2 months or so, so they decided to let their return flights go without them.

They are NOW finding that the prices they are being quoted for a one way flight out of BKK are about 5000-7500 TBH dearer than what i just got my return flight for my next trip out there about the same time they will be coming back.

So they are now thinking just get a return and miss the outbound (to BKK) and only use the inbound (back to UK)

Seems a bit flakey to me tbh

Anyone in the know cast any light on it?

Penkoprod

[chiang mai]

Just out of interest, say i bought a return ticket from a UK airport to Bangkok and back, could i use only the inbound leg of it after not taking the outbound part?

Reason i ask is some freinds i was traveling with last trip decided they wanted to stay on in Thailand for another 2 months or so, so they decided to let their return flights go without them.

They are NOW finding that the prices they are being quoted for a one way flight out of BKK are about 5000-7500 TBH dearer than what i just got my return flight for my next trip out there about the same time they will be coming back.

So they are now thinking just get a return and miss the outbound (to BKK) and only use the inbound (back to UK)

Seems a bit flakey to me tbh

Anyone in the know cast any light on it?

Penkoprod

You cannot use ticket coupons out of sequence, that is to say that you cannot use the inbound (return) coupon and then go on to use the outbound (departure) coupon. You can however buy a return ticket and only use the the return coupon but that begs the question, why would you want to do that given that one way tickets are almost always cheaper than return tickets!

The second part of the equation is that trying to get a refund on an unused return ticket can be seriously problematic and lead to much upset. Airlines do not value each leg of a two way ticket equally hence the refund for an unused coupon will be much less than you might expect. Based on the terms and conditions of the issuer it is likely that any refund will be less than ten per cent of the face value of the ticket.

[Penkoprod]

Just out of interest, say i bought a return ticket from a UK airport to Bangkok and back, could i use only the inbound leg of it after not taking the outbound part?

Reason i ask is some freinds i was traveling with last trip decided they wanted to stay on in Thailand for another 2 months or so, so they decided to let their return flights go without them.

They are NOW finding that the prices they are being quoted for a one way flight out of BKK are about 5000-7500 TBH dearer than what i just got my return flight for my next trip out there about the same time they will be coming back.

So they are now thinking just get a return and miss the outbound (to BKK) and only use the inbound (back to UK)

Seems a bit flakey to me tbh

Anyone in the know cast any light on it?

Penkoprod

You cannot use ticket coupons out of sequence, that is to say that you cannot use the inbound (return) coupon and then go on to use the outbound (departure) coupon. You can however buy a return ticket and only use the the return coupon but that begs the question, why would you want to do that given that one way tickets are almost always cheaper than return tickets!

The second part of the equation is that trying to get a refund on an unused return ticket can be seriously problematic and lead to much upset. Airlines do not value each leg of a two way ticket equally hence the refund for an unused coupon will be much less than you might expect. Based on the terms and conditions of the issuer it is likely that any refund will be less than ten per cent of the face value of the ticket.

You misunderstand.....i probably didnt explain it fully:

They have already defaulted on the return coupon for the original flight home.

They are now looking to buy (on the net, or using me to book it from here in the UK) a further return flight (UK - Thailand -UK) and default on the OUTBOUND coupon (UK - Thailand) then use the INBOUND coupon ( Thailand - UK)

And i beg to differ on "one way tickets are almost always cheaper than return tickets!" btw

I have booked and paid for a return flight to BKK for the equivalent in THB of 18500. THEY are being quoted prices ranging from 22,500 upto 27500 for the same time as i will be returning. This is why they have come up with this scheme that i dont personally think is going to work tbh

They are not bothered about refunds for unused portions of their flights. they were told no refunds when they enquired

Penkoprod

[endure]

I recently bought a cheap bucket shop Cathay Pacific ticket LHR-BKK. One of the conditions of sale is that if the first sector isn't flown the whole ticket is cancelled. This may not be universal but you need to check the individual T&Cs of any ticket you buy.

[Farma]

I posted this in another thread last month.

Last month a friend made a quick trip back to the UK on BA due to a death in the family.

The 4 sector return trip included a 3 hour limo trip instead of flights for the first and last legs.

For convenience he travelled the first leg in a friend’s car instead of the limo and caught the flight at the airport. He flew to the UK without problems. Due to a misunderstanding the travel agent failed to inform the airline that he would be driving the first leg.

On check-in at Heathrow for his return journey he was informed that due to his failure to catch the limo on the first leg his ticket showed as no show and his ticket was cancelled.

After some negotiation the check-in staff at Heathrow contacted BA’s welfare department who reactivated his ticket allowing him to fly back.

[Penkoprod]

So it will be as i thought?

They will have to stump up whatever the cost of a one way ticket is?

Som num nah !!!!!

I am stuck in miserable UK while they are lounging on the beach at Cha-AM/Hua Hin

Penkoprod

[chiang mai]

So it will be as i thought?

They will have to stump up whatever the cost of a one way ticket is?

Som num nah !!!!!

I am stuck in miserable UK while they are lounging on the beach at Cha-AM/Hua Hin

Penkoprod

You can pay your money now or you can pay your money later, when it comes to buying plane tickets on the cheap, you pay both times! Nothing wrong with cheap travel, just the way the system works, otherwise, how do you think airlines stay in business!

[joskydive]

I'm sure I read on one of the threads that now you have to buy your ticket from the place you are leaving i.e. Thailand for them. You used to be able to book and pay from any country but they stopped allowing that as some countries had better rates than others.

[Farma]

I’ve never had a problem buying tickets in different countries to the ones I will be flying from for more than 20 years. I’ve bought 3 such tickets this year.

With E-tickets and the internet it’s so easy to do. The last ticket I bought was through a travel agent in the Middle East for a flight originating in Bangkok.

Prior to E-tickets the travel agent would issue these tickets on either generic or airline ticket stock and then fedex the tickets to me.

[IMA_FARANG]

Just out of interest, say i bought a return ticket from a UK airport to Bangkok and back, could i use only the inbound leg of it after not taking the outbound part?

Reason i ask is some freinds i was traveling with last trip decided they wanted to stay on in Thailand for another 2 months or so, so they decided to let their return flights go without them.

They are NOW finding that the prices they are being quoted for a one way flight out of BKK are about 5000-7500 TBH dearer than what i just got my return flight for my next trip out there about the same time they will be coming back.

So they are now thinking just get a return and miss the outbound (to BKK) and only use the inbound (back to UK)

Seems a bit flakey to me tbh

Anyone in the know cast any light on it?

Penkoprod

Here is what is possible to do. I've done this before.

First you fly on a regular established airline (i.e. Thai international. Singapore, etc.). Buy a full fare, or at least not a ticket that is so discounted it has no refund value. Some discount tickets have a limited refund or exchange policy. Be sure when you buy the return that you can exchange the return coupon, as is usually the case with a full-fare ticket.

Leave your return date open. Do not book a return at the time you purchase the ticket.

When you arrive in Thailand the return ticket is valid for the "onward travel requirement" the Thai immigration wants. If you have any doubts, get yourself a tourist visa before you leave. No problem with Thai immigration.

Now, if you decide you want to stay 2 months longer (just as an example), you can use the return coupon. Go to the Bangkok (or Thailand anyhow) office of the airline you flew in on. You can not usually refund the unused coupon, but since you have proof you paid for the original return ticket with an open return, you can now book a return flight back to your country using your unused coupon as CREDIT towards your return flight. Most unused return coupons are still valid for at least one year (that's the advantage of buying a full fare ticket originally). So in that one year the return coupon is good for a return fare. You may have to pay the difference between the original value of the return coupon and what it costs at the time you actually use it. If the fare has gone up in the time you've been in Thailand, you must pay the difference in the fare increase. The airline will accept the return coupon as CREDIT to the ticket you purchase, and you can book a flight home.

Just be sure that when you purchase the original ticket, you leave the return as an OPEN return.

I've done this before with Singapore airlines, and Thai International, and it works.