Booking Additional Flight Without Cancelling

I have a r/t flight booked for my niece from EWR To CHS. Now she wants to come in earlier on a different day. To change the original ticket isn't worth it. It's cheaper to buy a one-way and leave the original alone. My question is this: If I do this and she doesn't use the original ticket to fly in and wants to use the original to fly home, since it looks like she didn't get on the flight, will they cancel the other part of the ticket? All the tickets will be on the same airline, United.

I hope that wasn't to confusing!

Thanks!

Yes, the airline will cancel the entire trip

I have a r/t flight booked for my niece from EWR To CHS. Now she wants to come in earlier on a different day. To change the original ticket isn't worth it. It's cheaper to buy a one-way and leave the original alone. My question is this: If I do this and she doesn't use the original ticket to fly in and wants to use the original to fly home, since it looks like she didn't get on the flight, will they cancel the other part of the ticket? All the tickets will be on the same airline, United.

 

I hope that wasn't to confusing!

 

Thanks!

Yes they might cancel the return portion if the first one isn't used .

I would call United or your TA and see it can be changed for a fee.

If you cancel is the money from the fare lost . Sometimes they issue you a credit that has to used within 12 months of cancellation.

I had talked to United about changing the ticket many weeks ago. The original ticket was about $230. It would cost $200. for the change fee plus the additional ticket. The one-way ticket is $120., so, cheaper to buy the one-way. I just got off the phone with my niece's mom and now they decided to drive there to get her from Pa. to CHS, a good 14 hr. drive! I explained to her about the return ticket that I didn't know the procedure when you're a no show for the first leg of a r/t ticket. I made the reservations for the original ticket because I'm the one that travels:rolleyes: I told her I'd look into it.

I don't mind doing a favor for someone and I don't even consider it a favor because it's family, but when it becomes your problem............

I just got off the phone with my niece's mom and now they decided to drive there to get her from Pa. to CHS, a good 14 hr. drive! I explained to her about the return ticket that I didn't know the procedure when you're a no show for the first leg of a r/t ticket.

So are they going to drive her round trip? Because whether she buys another ticket or drives to CHS, if she doesn't use the first part of the ticket that was already purchased, the return trip ticket will be canceled. Frankly, this would be a good time for her to learn that she can't change her mind once committed.

And if they do drive her round trip, you are likely out the price of the ticket. You may be able to cancel it, but you'll pay a large fee, and the value of the ticket will be your niece's to use in the future, not yours.

So are they going to drive her round trip? Because whether she buys another ticket or drives to CHS, if she doesn't use the first part of the ticket that was already purchased, the return trip ticket will be canceled. Frankly, this would be a good time for her to learn that she can't change her mind once committed.

And if they do drive her round trip, you are likely out the price of the ticket. You may be able to cancel it, but you'll pay a large fee, and the value of the ticket will be your niece's to use in the future, not yours.

They are only planning to drive from Pa. to pick her up and bring her back to Pa. for Christmas and were just planning to let her take the flight back to CHS. I did not buy the ticket for her, her parents did. I made the reservations at there request.

I guess it's less of a problem if the ticket going back wasn't going to be used.

As already answered in post #2, the flights must be flown in order. If she doesn't take the outbound, the return will automatically be cancelled, and she'll lose the value of the ticket.

When I inquired, a few weeks ago, about changing the ticket they did say that there'd be a credit issued for the difference in ticket price if there was one. The credit can't be used to pay the change fee but must be used within a year.

The only way I thought to ask you more experienced travelers was because I thought I read it here about the airline just cancelling the whole ticket. That would be a hard lesson for a new flyer to learn! When I think about how it was years ago with changing a ticket for a $25. fee it's horrible! I'm sure things won't change for the better!

The only way I thought to ask you more experienced travelers was because I thought I read it here about the airline just cancelling the whole ticket. .

And, they will cancel the entire ticket, if she doesn't call before the flight leaves to let them know she won't be there.

planning to let her take the flight back to CHS. I did not buy the ticket for her, her parents did.

So they are now crystal clear on the fact that she will not be able to use the return portion of the ticket to fly back to CHS? Did they decide to drive her back home too, or pay a change fee so she can still use it?

So they are now crystal clear on the fact that she will not be able to use the return portion of the ticket to fly back to CHS? Did they decide to drive her back home too, or pay a change fee so she can still use it?

No one has talked to United yet to see what they will do. My niece still needs the return portion of the ticket because I don't think her parents want to drive her back to Charleston. I'm sure they'd rather not have to go and pick her up, but they want to help move her. She was living with a guy who turned out to be a jerk!:mad: Live and learn!

No one has talked to United yet to see what they will do. My niece still needs the return portion of the ticket because I don't think her parents want to drive her back to Charleston.!

I think you've already been told several times what UA will do, and you state you spoke with UA about this yourself. If she is just a no-show on the outbound and doesn't contact UA before the flight to cancel, they will void the ticket, and that's the end.

If she wants to change her ticket, she'll have to pay the change fee ($200) and then any difference in fare between the original ticket and the new ticket.

I think you've already been told several times what UA will do, and you state you spoke with UA about this yourself. If she is just a no-show on the outbound and doesn't contact UA before the flight to cancel, they will void the ticket, and that's the end.

 

If she wants to change her ticket, she'll have to pay the change fee ($200) and then any difference in fare between the original ticket and the new ticket.

Yes, I do understand that and was responding to "waterbugs" post. When I was first told of the situation a few weeks ago they (niece) only wanted to change the date to get home before xmas instead of the day after. Now, they want to eliminate the flight and just use the return ticket. I just went online and into the reservation and eliminated the first segment and left the 2nd segment alone. The change fee of $200. would be owed and a voucher of $98. would be issued for future use. I did not complete the transaction yet.

YNow, they want to eliminate the flight and just use the return ticket. I just went online and into the reservation and eliminated the first segment and left the 2nd segment alone. The change fee of $200. would be owed and a voucher of $98. would be issued for future use. I did not complete the transaction yet.

I can only assume that's due to wanting to make sure your niece and/or her parents don't want to make yet another change, or still with the original RT ticket rather than pay another $200 to change it. Good luck. Something tells me they aren't going to understand why it costs more to not use part of the ticket.

I can only assume that's due to wanting to make sure your niece and/or her parents don't want to make yet another change, or still with the original RT ticket rather than pay another $200 to change it. Good luck. Something tells me they aren't going to understand why it costs more to not use part of the ticket.

Meg, that's exactly true! At this point I don't think there's a benefit to doing it now. There might be a fare for $100. or less for the one-way back and it would cost them less then using and making the $200 changes to the original ticket. My niece's mom might re-think making that 15 hr trip and incurring more expense in gas and time. These are not rich or even "comfortable" people as far as finances go.

You are also correct with them not understanding about the cost in eliminating the first half of the ticket! It's a stupid and unfair rule.

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You are also correct with them not understanding about the cost in eliminating the first half of the ticket! It's a stupid and unfair rule.

:confused:

Perhaps next time, advise them to purchase two one way tickets. If they had done so, it would have avoided the change fee.

! It's a stupid and unfair rule.

Had my sympathy until this.

Using "Stupid and unfair" as a justification to not agree with something stops in kindergarden

:confused:

 

Perhaps next time, advise them to purchase two one way tickets. If they had done so, it would have avoided the change fee.

Yes, thank you! Probably, before this happened, if they had the choice of paying $50. more for 2 one-ways, they would still go with the cheaper price. Lesson learned, I hope!

Had my sympathy until this.

Using "Stupid and unfair" as a justification to not agree with something stops in kindergarden

Luckily, I wasn't looking for sympathy, and never would, for the loss of money. However, when I lost my child sympathy really helped. Advice for my niece was all I was asking for.

Thank you to all of you that took your time to give your advice. I really appreciate it and will pass it on.

 

You are also correct with them not understanding about the cost in eliminating the first half of the ticket! It's a stupid and unfair rule.

I assume that you also stamped your feet when you wrote about rules being stupid and unfair. :mad:

They wanted a cheap fare and that's what they bought. Unfortunately they found out that sometimes cheap is expensive.

Am I correct in understanding that this discussion is all over a $230 ticket?

Had my sympathy until this.

Using "Stupid and unfair" as a justification to not agree with something stops in kindergarden

+1

When you buy airline transportation or cruise tickets or hotel rooms or many other things, you also buy the rules that govern that transaction. If you are so focused on the price that you ignore these distinctions, I can only say: Caveat Emptor.

In various European countries, consumer lobbies would like to bring this to court as airlines should not be allowed to refuse to give all or part what you paid for and e.g. in Switzerland a lot of legal opinions say that the airline would be in the losing position. If you order and pay for a set menu in a restaurant, they can not refuse to serve the main course and/or desert because you don't want the soup.

However so far airlines have settled before it went to court. I had my own experience in 2011 when I could not fly the first part of a cheap return ticket. I phoned airline to make sure that I could use return ticket and was told NO, as per fare rules. When I insisted to talk to someone in management and mentioned what I had read about the legal opinions and consumer lobbies, they "graciously" allowed me to use the return ticket. I was told they had to "fix" it in their systems so I would not be thrown out. I had no problem at all flying back.

BTW airline was Swiss.

By the way, airline was Swiss.

In various European countries, consumer lobbies would like to bring this to court as airlines should not be allowed to refuse to give all or part what you paid for

In this case, the airline is NOT refusing to give what the consumer paid for. What the consumer paid for was a ticket that had very clearly stated rules and restrictions attached to it. The consumer agreed to those rules and restrictions. One of those said that if the consume later wanted to change the ticket from a round trip to a one way, there would be a penalty fee charged. The consumer agreed to that, so they are getting exactly what they paid for. Nothing more, nothing less.

wrong post