One way fares

[hifive11]

I know it has always been done, but why do airlines, in some instances, charge virtually the same for a single fare as a return.

I wish to travel GCI/MAN and then LGW/GCI. Instead of charging an outlandish amount for these two sectors, why not give me a decent deal and protect the return flight, instead of leaving me free to choose another carrier for the return, even though it will probably be just as expensive.

I know the cost of the outbound is about the same as a return, so they dont lose out financially, but what about showing some loyalty to customers. Why do they penalise me for wishing to travel on the same airline, instead of throwing me into the arms of the competition whose schedules may be more convenient.

This has always infuriated me and also most other people in the same position.

hi5 :mad: :mad: :mad:

[Globaliser]

Don't forget that you're not buying the same thing when you get an expensive one-way fare. You're usually getting an unrestricted fully flexible ticket, or something close to it.

I think that the traditional reason that airlines didn't sell cheap one-ways was that it would enable pax to circumvent the restrictions on the cheap return tickets that effected the market segmentation to make sure that business travellers (who had different travel patterns) would have to pay the high fares that they were actually prepared to pay - although we'd all naturally prefer to pay less - while leisure travellers who were not prepared to pay those fares could benefit from the cheaper fares on offer.

But there are carriers that will now sell cheap one-way fares - bmi for example. The fact that different carriers do different things is all part of the great experiment in which we're living, in which the major airlines try to see whether and how best they can compete with the low-fare airlines.

[sparkymarky]

Try something like the multistop option in Expedia.

You might find a suitable compromise there, for example if both routes are covered by different airlines within the same alliance you sometimes get a good deal.

No guarantees though!

[hifive11]

Why don't the airlines introduce a restricted one way which would be good for the ordinary passenger. Business travellers need flexibility and probably would not make use of such tickets and in fact I would imagine most want a return ticket anyway unless they are on a complex itinerary.

Booking a ticket is a nightmare, there are so many different rules and regulations with different airlines offering different deals that we will all end up in the loony bin trying to find the most economic way to our destination.

Sparkymarky, thanks for your suggestion.

Hi5

[PAXboy]

Why don't the airlines introduce a restricted one way which would be good for the ordinary passenger.They do and they are called LCCs/LoCos!

Business travellers need flexibility and probably would not make use of such tickets ...They do but often choose LCCs/LoCos to save money!

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"I tell you, we are here on Earth to fart around, and don't let anybody tell you any different." Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

[MarkD]

What gets my goat is when a flight is advertised

$200 one-way

but when you try and book it it's return only.

Advertising standards should insist it read $400 return ONLY if it can't be obtained 1-way.

Best course: book a return, don't show up. It's usually cheaper than one way on standard carriers as opposed to LCCs.

I can't see why you couldn't book a one-way even at return cost - you'd at least save some taxes/charges...

[hifive11]

PAXboy

Yes some LCC's do this but on others, the second you put the 'X' in the one way box the price goes up and is almost the same amount you would pay for the return.

What a stupid waste of a seat, I know the airline has got the money but what a shame if a passenger wants the seat and the flight shows full.

[bealine]

What a stupid waste of a seat, I know the airline has got the money but what a shame if a passenger wants the seat and the flight shows full.

..........and this is why all the world's airlines overbook!!! If only we charged reasonable fares, reasonable differentials between classes and promised not to oversell!!!

Where is UTOPIA AIR???;)