Skipplag

Posted by BCRinFremont 5 years ago to Ask the Gulch
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The concept and realization of a cheaper air fare to a given city by booking a ticket which has an intermediate stop in the place one wants to go, disembarking there and leaving an empty seat for the remaining leg(s). From a purely capitalist perspective, this seems like a reasonable action. But, airline ticket contracts basically do not allow a purchaser to do this. My Objectivist mind is having trouble with this. Wherein is truth?


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  • Posted by freedomforall 5 years ago
    This practice was used frequently (and within airline rules) in the heyday of air travel (when there was real effort to give customer service) in the late 20th century. The airlines changed their rules to prevent customers from using the discounted prices designed only to high volume/hub cities to wreck the chance of airline profits on less popular intermediate routes. Running a competitive, profitable airline is a real challenge.

    (Stating the obvious, one must not check any baggage in this case. )
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  • Posted by 5 years ago
    It just seems anti-mercantilist, somehow. Once I purchase a product or service, I should be able to do with it as I please.

    I think a cruise ship will allow a customer to leave a tour at the next port or any port along the way.

    Capitalism does support the concept of contracting and pricing at levels that the market will bear.
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    • Posted by freedomforall 5 years ago
      "Once I purchase a product or service, I should be able to do with it as I please. "
      You agree to a contract when you buy the ticket and the carrier sets the rules. You are free not to agree to the contract and take your business elsewhere, but if you have accepted the contract by paying for the ticket you must abide by the terms of the contract.
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      • Posted by 5 years ago
        No “elsewhere” to go. Addressing Oligopolies like this is one way the government camel got its nose under the tent.
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        • Posted by evlwhtguy 5 years ago
          But there is "elsewhere to go" You can drive, you can pay full price, you can decide not to go. You are not in bonded servitude to these people.....the only reason most people say "i cant go elsewhere" is because it is inconvenient to go elsewhere.
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    • Posted by Steven-Wells 5 years ago
      If you want to try this on a cruise ship, you should check with the carrier explicitly so you can take your baggage with you.
      If you do this without baggage and just slip away, you'll cause immense amounts of grief to a lot of people, including many other passengers while the ship waits at the port to try to locate the missing passenger. I've experienced delayed departures when a passenger can't be located. It can happen due to any of traffic, forgetfulness, inconsideration, getting lost, injury, and so on.
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  • Posted by CaptainKirk 5 years ago
    And what do you do with the baggage you checked?

    The logistics this produces is insane. We have optimized this pretty well. Usually you can buy the trip you want, and the price difference is usually minimal.

    Back when we used a service, I was able to book some great trips. I had a layover in Houston, and I had the person make it an overnight stay so I could catch a BBQ place and check out Houston. It literally didn't cost me anything extra (outside of the meal and hotel), it got me back a day later...

    Nowadays, I am in just too much of a hurry!
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  • Posted by mminnick 5 years ago
    If you are going one way this approach might work. If you have to get back, you could be in a real world of hurt. the return would be from the booked destination not the local you disembarked at. Try showing yup with a ticket fra a to Z when you are in B. A few questions may arise from this effort. Just a cautionary note. for all inclined to try this approach to travel.
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  • Posted by CircuitGuy 5 years ago
    Iceland Air has stopovers in Iceland on the way to Europe. They let you schedule as long a stay in Iceland as you want at no additional cost. If you ever take them up on this, you'll find Iceland gets your money anyway. Iceland is expensive.

    Regarding your question about charging more for one leg of a trip than two, it used to annoy me. One time my company flew me to part of a trip, and I wanted to use the return leg of another trip I had purchased. I found out you can't take the return trip without the outgoing trip. I was 25 y/o. I was incensed, and after arguing they gave me a decent deal.

    These days I just accept it as a fact of life. The one time I flew private, I was amazed at how much easier it is, but it's much much more expensive. So I figure part of the price of flying commercial is the rules and rigmarole.
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  • Posted by 5 years ago
    For those that are not allowed to disembark, this technique would not work. But, is a person trapped on the plane, even though others leave? How would the airline know who is disembarking?
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