The curse of the one way flight?

[laffer]

Why do legacy airlines continue to insist on charging about 75% (or more) of the return fare for a one way flight . I just do not understand this policy? I am looking for a one way fare from lhr to syd and am being quoted about £700 when a return is close to £900. Seems insane to me.

 

[serfty]

Try Europe!

I see €118 for a return from FCO-VIE-FCO but €348 FCO-VIE one-way with similar fare rules - that's consistent with many other fares I have checked.

 

[laffer]

Thanks Serfty. That seems on par with a query I ran on the Qantas website whereby it was cheaper to book a return fare than a one way fare! Ridiculous. If ever the authorities wanted to look at a carbon tax perhaps they should encourage more one way flying

 

[harvyk]

Because with a return seat, they know that the cost of getting the plane from the origin to the destination and back to the origin will be fully covered, with a one way ticket they either have to fly an empty seat from the destination back to the origin, or hope that there is someone else who is willing to travel in the now empty seat...

 

[taswegian77]

Because with a return seat, they know that the cost of getting the plane from the origin to the destination and back to the origin will be fully covered, with a one way ticket they either have to fly an empty seat from the destination back to the origin, or hope that there is someone else who is willing to travel in the now empty seat...

I sort of disagree. You need to remember that the airline will get return bookings leaving from the other destination as well. What about bookings going via a transit stop like SIN or BKK. Airlines fully know what they are doing and are maximising their revenue. Just two days ago i booked a F ticket from BKK-MEl and ended up buying a return ticket when a one way woudl have done. The cost, 90000 baht one way or 135000 baht return. The real question should be why is it so much cheaper to buy a ticket overseas compared to AU dollars. When I bought my ticket I had to get credit card verification in BKK and the QFF ladt on the phone said I could verify it there an dpay AU dollars. My flight cost the equalivant of 4700 AUD but AU QFF quoted me $6450 to pay in AU dollars, now theres a rort but I guess they have their reasons. Either way I was always going to fly QF, luckily I could verify cc at airport when I check in.

IF JQ/TT/DJ can do same cost one way travel, then QF and like need to aim for this somehow btu remember QF is a full service carrier, the others are not so cost point is different.

 

[Mal]

Why do legacy airlines continue to insist on charging about 75% (or more) of the return fare for a one way flight . I just do not understand this policy? I am looking for a one way fare from lhr to syd and am being quoted about £700 when a return is close to £900. Seems insane to me.

Yeah it is insane. Same situation for me with my LHR-Australia one way. But keep in mind that legacy airlines have a lot of historical inflexibility, and only change when forced by competitors.

Should a (legitimate) competitor start offering UK->Australia fares on a one way basis, other airlines will take note and look at what they can do.

BA has had this happen in Europe where Economy fares are pretty much priced one way now rather than return. Thank Ryanair for that. Qantas is pricing some ex-AU shorthaul International fares as one way - Thank Pacific Blue (I believe) for that.

So airlines will change with competition...

 

[simongr]

My PA booked flights for my Boss and the one way J fare was the SAME as the RTN so RTNs have been booked.

 

[serfty]

It's a legacy of the earlier days of Air travel where flights were comparatively infrequent and one way travel would frequently result in empty seats in the other direction. It not so much the one-way fares are "high" it's the return fares that are "discounted".

These days, things are different, but as indicated it takes some real competition to break down these historical fare structures.

 

[odysseus]

BA has had this happen in Europe where Economy fares are pretty much priced one way now rather than return. Thank Ryanair for that. Qantas is pricing some ex-AU shorthaul International fares as one way - Thank Pacific Blue (I believe) for that.

So airlines will change with competition...

Similar change here. It used to be on a return basis as well, but is now pretty much one-way based.