don't get it......

[747]

Could someone explain this....I don't get it.
I need a one-way LHR to KUL with Malaysia Airlines on a specific date.
(They seem to have twice daily flights and it has to be the MH1 evening flight, I need to match with three other travel companions).
I can't use Qantas points coz I'm told there's no award seats left on this specific date.
I go to a travel website which tells me that one way ticket is going to cost me $1061
BUT, the same site tells me that there is a one-way to Hong Kong, VIA KUL, which will cost me $840.00!!
Same MH flight from LHR to KL. $220.00 cheaper!!
Why wouldn't I buy this and just get off at KL. Could it be something to do with bags being checked all the way through.....in which case I just go on with cabin baggage and spread my stuff around evenly with my three travel companions.
Am I asking for trouble here....is there a catch?

Cheers

 

[docjames]

You can certainly get off - you'd have to come up with some semi-plausible reason why you didnt take the connecting flight. you could also look at costing to book the HKG component at a later date (ie. KUL "stopover") and then not check in for the KUL-HKG leg (which would solve the bag issue).

I would avoid a checked bag as they may check it to KUL only, but they may decide there's not enough recheck time and want to put tha bag all the way to HKG, then you'd delay the HKG flight for everyone else as your bag is found and offloaded, and then a prolonged wait to collect your bag.

If you cant separate the legs with a stopover at the price, then just take carry only and get your friends to manage the checked luggage.

/disclaimer/
In theory, MH could probably chase you for fare difference, but in practice airlines (well, "full service" ones) rarely do this.

 

[Alanslegal]

If flying hand carry only, there would be no issue not connecting to HKG. If with hand carry, then at LHR ask for the bag to be checked through to KUL only as you have "six bottles of Berry Borthers No.3 London Gin in your luggage and which you are gifting to your friend in KUL" or similar story.

If you are concerned that MH will chase you up about paying fare difference, which is so unlikely anyway, I'd go to the nearest FC and book the flights paying cash

 

[serfty]

In the day and age of e-tickets and the fading relevance of TAs¹, it would be quite simple to do what you propose.

In days gone by, your agent might very well get an "Additional Collection" notice - the airline would charge the Agent the fare difference between that booked and that you actually travelled - they would pass this charge on to you.

I have not come across a credible anecdote of such happening on an e-ticket in the last 10 years.


¹ (in a general, simple booking sense, no offense meant to those TAs out there reading this)

 

[747]

Thanks guys, for all your replys
I think I may "spread the luggage" and just take carry on, stuff.
I understand that MH have just upped their allowance from 20kg to 30kg for Enrich members (which we are)
90kg between 2 adults and 2 kids should be enough I'd think....
Cheers

 

[Mattg]

Do you have any interest in going to Hong Kong? You can always use KUL as a "stopover" and then go to HKG sometime in the future (and just pay for a return ticket which I presume you could find for under $220, in which case you'll be on top).

 

[747]

Um....no, not really, but thanks for the suggestion
i've bought the ticket now anyway....got it via a uk based travel agent, got a few quid in an acount there. Slightly cheaper but not by much.
Cheers

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Could someone explain this....I don't get it.
I need a one-way LHR to KUL with Malaysia Airlines on a specific date.
(They seem to have twice daily flights and it has to be the MH1 evening flight, I need to match with three other travel companions).
I can't use Qantas points coz I'm told there's no award seats left on this specific date.
I go to a travel website which tells me that one way ticket is going to cost me $1061
BUT, the same site tells me that there is a one-way to Hong Kong, VIA KUL, which will cost me $840.00!!

Cheers

As for the exaplnation - the price differential is because people are prepared to pay a premium for a non-stop flight to KUL ($1061) but are not prepared to fly via KUL if they want to get to HKG. In order to attract pax on the LHR-HKG market they need to price it lower than a direct flight LHR-HKG on CX/BA/BS (and enough of a difference to make it attractive to fly MH than one of those other carriers).

Pricing high on non-stop flights is common, as is pricing connecting travel at a lower price. Cases where you might find equal or higher pricing for flying with an en-route connection would be if the home airline has a sufficiently bad reputation that people are prepared to pay a surcharge for a reliable top quality carrier. So SQ for example can sell relatively high fares AU-China with a stop in singapore because people don't want to take the risk of flying a Chinese carrier.