Not using return leg of RT airline ticket

Techincally they can come after you and charge you.

Realistically, I have never even heard of it happening and will be doing it myself in a few weeks. I think if it's a "one time" or rare on any one airline they aren't coming after you.

Thanks for the quick reply!

But i will pay for the whole thing. So what would they be coming after? Each fare is 125...so flight Naples to madrid is 125 and then Madrid back to Naples (which I won't use) is also 125. I will pay the entire amount...put the entire 255 on my card. so i will pay for it all. just not use one leg. to me, it seems what would be the problem b/c i DID pay for it. but then again........wasn't sure if i was overlooking some potential problem so that is why i posted here.

If you read the LONG terms and conditions on US airlines.... If you do this technically they can change you to the one way fare you were trying to avoid.

As I said, based on LOTS of flying and lots of time on boards like this I can only see this happening if you were doing it like every week to commute between Point A and Point B. For a one off or rare occurance, they aren't hunting you down. I am doing it on Iberia later this month and don't forsee any problem!

If you read the LONG terms and conditions on US airlines.... If you do this technically they can change you to the one way fare you were trying to avoid.

As I said, based on LOTS of flying and lots of time on boards like this I can only see this happening if you were doing it like every week to commute between Point A and Point B. For a one off or rare occurance, they aren't hunting you down. I am doing it on Iberia later this month and don't forsee any problem!

Christy,

I agree with you that it is completely illogical that a one-way costs more than R/T. I think that most of us who travel completely agree. If a one-way were always 1/2 the cost of a R/T, everyone's travel planning would be easier.

Technically, the reason that they would charge you a penalty is because you bought a R/T ticket instead of a one-way to save money (e.g. you owe the difference between the R/T and the more expensive one way because you violated the "rules").

That being said, I have bought R/T tickets a number of times and not used the return ticket. I've never been charged a penalty.

Carol and Laura - Thanks. Feel better hearing from two people who have done it and not had a problem. And Carol.....hope to hear how your next trip goes as I too am planning on flying on Iberia!
Comments/input/suggestion from any others is appreciated too!
Thanks.

Is there some reason you are locked into Iberia? I just played around with Iberia fares for mid July. The best RT I was finding was around $335 and one way was over $800. Understand the desire to throw away the return portion. BUT found some Luthansa one way fares for $152. That beats anything else I found.

Frank

Probably depends on where you are going. My roundtrip was $89 total. So.... while I was not locked into Iberia they were by far the cheapest option (even cheaper then the "budget" airlines!)

(I assume) that Luthansas flight won't work for her because of the 1) IF she took EasyJet from Naples to Milan - the connection in Milan - it leaves at the same time as the EasyJet flight, which would only give her an hour and half between flights 2) If she flew the entire flight from Naples to Lisbon she couldn't get to the airport early enough riding the ferry from Capri that morning.

Read her original posting .....if I book a RT flight (Naples to Madrid..on Iberia)......

That is all I was responding to. Not knowing dates or any other information it simply looked like Luth was an option.

I have read her original posting, but it was a continuation of another posting about about an EasyJet connection. I was just trying to clarify to why she had picked the Iberia flight.

Hi Christy.

Just for the fyi - The charges they can come after you for are the cost of a full "Y" class, or unrestricted coach fare one way ticket. IE - the most expensive coach ticket they sell, usually 3-4 x's the cost of the average market ticket, depending.

Right now on that route, looks to be running about $1,600.00USD for an unrestricted coach ticket, so that would probably be your worst case scenario, unless Iberia also specifies fines, etc.

That being said - everyone on here is right. Not that we should be recommending it - but it's very rare for the airline to enforce this. They usually only do it for habitual offenders/agents.

Now you know though, just in case. Cheers. chris

Christy, I have always wondered about how they could "come after someone" when sometimes people just miss the return leg legitimately.. like when they become ill. If you are questioned I would just say I was worried about flying that day as I had a bit of a fever... LOL

As always, THANKS to everyone for taking the time to add your "two cents". I feel so grateful that people are willing to take the time to look up flights, offer explanations, etc. it's really what this board is about and why I always feel so eager to help when other users have questions that I have insight to. Thanks again!

So - just to clarify - I am not locked into Iberia but it was an option that I came up with and it's the one that works the best with schedules/times. So that is why I asked that question. Initially my first choice was an Easy Jet flight routing through Milan but I have learned that the connection seems too close and I shouldn't book. Option two then became the Iberia option.
The facts in case anyone has other suggestions:
On the morning of Sept 5th I will be on Capri so need to ferry to Naples. I need to get to Madrid by the latest 8pm (ideally more like 4 or 5pm). So looking for Naples to Madrid flight, cheap as possible (of course!), don't mind connections but need to consider will be ferrying over from Capri so can't depart too early. THANKS

Where did you find that cheap Lufthansa flight??!! I just checked (my travel date is Sept 5) and the one way is $2010 and the RT is $431! yikes.

Thanks again to all.

Christy,

That Luthansas flight doesn't operate on Saturdays or Sundays (or at least any Saturday I could find). The others ones are REALLY expensive and include an overnight somewhere or a 35 or 55 minute layover in Munich - I am not even sure why they would advertise that route.

Here is its flight schedule for other days of the week:
Lufthansa

Flight 1861

Departs: 9:45a
Naples (NAP)

Arrives: 11:20a
Malpensa (MXP)

Layover in Milan, Italy (MXP) for 6h 20m

Lufthansa

Flight 1806

Departs: 5:40p Malpensa

Arrives: 7:50p Barajas (MAD)

I have worked in the airline and travel industry since 94. Christy I can assure you they will not come after you. That is only done when they can prove a pattern of behavior by you. For example if you bought RT tickets for Naples to Madrid for travel every week and only used the outbound every time. A one off ticket is not worth the time. If you really want to cover yourself go on-line and cancel your return after you get to your destination. This is a courtesy to the airline and gives peace of mind they will not come after you even though they will not. You could just tell them my plans changed and I was trying to be nice by canceling the return so they can resell it. Somebody canceling a return portion of a ticket 2 weeks before a flight draws less attention than a no show.