Man exploits first-class air ticket to dine free for a year
 

Brilliant - and in hindsight, so "deliciously" obvious! Despite actually being an employee, I could never count on getting a First Class meal, let alone without even becoming airborne!

That story sounds suspicious to me - I've never known a lounge that was landside, or available to passengers who haven't checked in.

And an F/C passenger who no-shows 300 times? The airline could have lost a mountain of revenue. They aren't that stupid.

Really?

If this really happened then someone's abuse of the rules for personal benefit will undoubtedly mean restrictions for everyone else.

He didn't No-show

The staff had to know what he was doing. Either that their culture precluded them from questioning a First Class Passenger

Er, yes he did. He allegedly held bookinhgs on 300 individual flights, none of which he travelled on. Statistically there must have been occasions when the airline turned away business because F/C was fully booked.

That's all academic anyway - it never happened, I'm sure.

KBPsen

As in terms of being well thought-out, such as a brilliantly daring gems heist. Although that doesn't mean I condone jewel thieves.

That's assuming the story is true, which like you, I doubt. Surely the lounge staff would have noticed his 300 visits within one year? Also, wouldn't he have to check-in to use the facility, but then get himself offloaded or "miss" the flight - 300 times?! I don't think so.

Landside Lounge
 

The SSK When I worked at the then new Melbourne International Airport, the Qantas Lounge was most definitely landside. One floor up from the check-in desks and First Class Passengers were escorted from the Lounge through the airside area for boarding. It was certainly still in use landside when I left Melbourne in 1977.

And the China Eastern lounge at Xi'an is no exception:

Xi'an Xianyang International Airport

Nice story, though.

I'm not sure about the need to check in before entry, but the BA/Iberia lounge at Orly is landside.

Having been to the China Eastern lounge in PVG several times:
1. It's airside.
2. I've never found anything to "dine sumptuously" on there.

I don't think any of their other lounges would be better.

Not only is this guy a first class passenger, he flies every day! Must be some big shot businessman.

I heard this story a few months ago. Didn't believe it then.

So it's probably a myth, but I wonder how many scams and even criminal acts go un-noticed, as EEngr suggests, by 1st class ticket/regular flyer/hot-shot business man...

It crossed my mind a few months ago, when it looked mildly likely that Tehran could blow up spectacularly (an Israeli/US strike, possibly nuclear) that an enterprising passenger could buy a fully refundable ticket and systematically cancel/rebook every day until the airpoirt there was closed - and then avail himself of the EU denied boarding Regulation to get himself fed and accommodated until such time as the service resumed.

In Brazil during the 1970s to 1990s, the fully refundable IATA ticket was also used by privileged Brazilians as a hedge against their country's hyperinflation (annually hundreds or even thousands of percent) and monetary restrictions.

Although international air fares were all priced in US$, they could be paid in local currency at that day's official exchange rate. Thus well-off Brazilians would simply buy tickets, and after 12 months just "roll them over" for new ones, thereby avoiding the previous year's local inflation. Such tickets could also be refunded for cash at any of the respective airlines' offices outwith Brazil. A useful by-pass for the politicians and wealthy Brazilians, alike.

seafire6b
Yes, the original amount paid in Cruzaros/Cruzados/Reals/Nova Reals/etc. was refundable, but not the US$ equivalent.

Also, after this practice became popular the Gov't issued a decree that wholly unused tickets had to be recalculated after 3 months (and later 1 month).

seafire.
Yup. Large corporates with ex-pats did the same. Even when reg.s made it more difficult, the Travel agents did the renewal/roll over.

That reminds me of the tale of a pair of Aussie airline pilots who were on leave in Brisbane. Having blown most of their dosh in the afternoon at a casino, they did not have enough for dinner, and they could not use an ATM until after midnight.

So, the enterprising pair went to the airport and booked themselves on a return flight to Cairns, ID 90 Business or First, to be deducted from their salaries the following month. During the two sectors, they wined and dined in grand style, arrived back at their Brizzie hotel, and were able to carry on the next day.

True initiative, I'd say.
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