Return Flight Cost

[airfieldinfo]

Hi all

Can anyone in the industry explain to me why a return flight UK-US is (in some cases) half the cost of a single flight using the same airline.

I am immigrating to the US and feel a bit ripped off by wanting a single flight.

Should I book a return and just not show up?? Surley this would mean more work for the airline.

[MathFox]

Just buy the return and call the airline some weeks after arrival that plans did change and whether you can get a refund for the return trip. (BTW, they should refund the taxes; with the cheapest fares you won't get a refund of the fare.)

You can also use your return creatively (for visiting family). Buy another (return) ticket to the States. The airline will use your time in the States for computing your "minimal stay" and you'll be able to make a two day visit to family without paying the highest ticket price.

[Anansis]

I've never understood why airlines do this. I assume it's to prevent the majority of return flight passengers from shopping around for the best deal.

Try Iceland Express. As a budget airline they offer one way fares between Europe and the east coast of the USA without charging a premium (connecting through Reyjkavik on a single ticket). Failing that check some of the holiday charter operators. They usually offer reasonably priced one way tickets (particularly to Florida).

Iceland Express: Cheap flights to Iceland every day with Iceland's low-fare airline (http://www.icelandexpress.com/)

[PAXboy]

airfieldinfo, mostly it's about history. Before LCCs, carriers wanted you to stay a Saturday night - so that biz people coming home on Friday had to pay full fare. Then they found that biz folks were booking lots of singles or, FA worse, going out with them but back on another carrier - perhaps open jaws ticket from another place.

So, they made you book the return and if you didn't show - that was dandy too. In the modern world, many of them still to the old ways.

I sit to be corrected.