Peter Greenberg: Forfeiting an Air Ticket
By: Peter Greenberg | 2008-09-19
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My wife and I plan to cruise on a one-way trip from Lisbon, Portugal, to Florida. The cruise company charges a very high price for a one-way airfare, and so do most airlines. I found a travel company offering a tour of one week in Portugal, including airfare, hotel, and rental auto, for a little over $1,000. Why not take the tour and on the last day board the vessel for the trans-Atlantic cruise? We would just forfeit the return air ticket! I know airlines don't go for that, but what can they do about it? Should I do what I have proposed above?
Thank you.
-T. Lewis, Severna Park, Md.
The quick answer to your question is: Yes, you can do what you have proposed. You can forfeit the return ticket, but NOT the departure ticket. It is imperative that you use your departure ticket, because if you do not, you will be credited as a no-show. If you are credited as a no-show during departure, you will likely be unable to claim a return ticket. But if you use your departure ticket, you can easily forfeit your return ticket. Yes, the airlines may not like it, but you're right; there's not much they can do about it.
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