Virgin Blue: Is there a way round this?

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Perth Flyer

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Am looking to fly to Melbourne in December from PER. DF are quoting $400 for a single.

However, a flight PER-MEL-ADL is $200 cheaper even though it connects on exactly the same flight

If I was carry on luggage only then I would book the flight to ADL and "miss" the connecting flight in MEL.

However, I will be checking luggage in. This is sold as a "connecting" flight by DF rather than two singles. Does luggage get checked in to its final destination on DF? Can I request to pick it up in Melbourne?

I don't think it would be fair to "miss" the MEL-ADL leg as this would cause undue inconvience to the other passengers

Any help/insight gratefully received
 
I can't comment on DJ, but once of QF I was travelling KGI-PER-MEL-SYD on connecting flights, but I checked my luggage only as far as MEL (went home and returned to airport with hand luggage only for the trip to SYD). Also know people who (again on QF) did a flight BME-MEL-ADL with checked luggage and only took the BME-MEL sector.
 
Am looking to fly to Melbourne in December from PER. DF are quoting $400 for a single.

However, a flight PER-MEL-ADL is $200 cheaper even though it connects on exactly the same flight

If I was carry on luggage only then I would book the flight to ADL and "miss" the connecting flight in MEL.

However, I will be checking luggage in. This is sold as a "connecting" flight by DF rather than two singles. Does luggage get checked in to its final destination on DF? Can I request to pick it up in Melbourne?

I don't think it would be fair to "miss" the MEL-ADL leg as this would cause undue inconvience to the other passengers

Any help/insight gratefully received

AFAIK it is illegal for checked bags to travel without a PAX on board??

I'm sure you have already but have you checked QF & JQ? I assume in December its pretty busy anyway, I just booked my Xmas home flights and all airlines were super expensive with very little avail.
 
Once I bought a $29 MEL-BNE-NTL on Virgin when they were matching flights during that big war between JQ/TT in 2007 and "missed" the last sector, and the lady next to me was doing the exact same so I felt better then. Just shows what a ripoff DJ charge on MEL-BNE. And I am sure that Boarding staff wouldn't go on mass searches or delay a flight due to late connecting pax cause I guess many people doing this-Especially on this route.

AFAIK it is illegal for checked bags to travel without a PAX on board??
They will offload your baggage if there is no pax for that bag, and it usually ends up at Baggage Blues.

Not willing to way peanuts and fly the striped coughcat? I see they now have morning departures ex PER on some days.

Although do be careful. They did change of my my BNE trips to a Direct MEL-NTL instead. Mind you that was booking 8 months in advance.

However, I will be checking luggage in. This is sold as a "connecting" flight by DF rather than two singles. Does luggage get checked in to its final destination on DF? Can I request to pick it up in Melbourne?
It will go right through to ADL. I guess if they were reasonable they could just not attach a "connecting" baggage tag to it so it will get off at MEL, but I dont know what their policies are.

Not willing to way peanuts and fly the striped coughcat? I see they now have morning departures ex PER on some days;)
 
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Note that throw away ticketing can sometimes lead to being charged full fare for the actual flights flown
 
Note that throw away ticketing can sometimes lead to being charged full fare for the actual flights flown
And can lead to some very annoyed passengers and crew when the flight is delayed while the page missing passengers who have failed to board the aircraft.
 
Just keep in mind that they will try to get your bags to ADL, so whilst chances are that your bags will be on the same plane as you, if they are not, they will re-route them to end up in ADL, not MEL.

Also it's not quite illegal for them to have checked bags not travel with the pax, it's just they will never tell you it's happened, and you can't place in a request (such as been bumped to an earlier flight) where your bags would be on a different flight to you.
 
You could always get airsick upon approach to Melbourne and decide not to continue flying that day.

In my experience though, I would only feel comfortable with this having carry on luggage in my direct control.

Murphy's Luggage Law - the more important and critical it is for your baggage to be routed correctly, the more likely it is to end up back at you departure point.
 
Re short-checking of the bags - a simple 'I have business samples in the bag I'll need to drop off to a client meeting me at Melbourne airport' should do the trick.

I just hope the scheduled layover in MEL will give you enough theoretical time to claim bag and re-check it (otherwise they might not let you do it).

Once in MEL a simple - 'I have to stay with my client' should be enough to off load you from the flight to ADL.

The only suggestion is perhaps that you DON'T put a FF number against the booking. That way they can't take the miles off you for not completing the flight.
 
Re short-checking of the bags - a simple 'I have business samples in the bag I'll need to drop off to a client meeting me at Melbourne airport' should do the trick.

Yes very sensible, anyone of a number of excuses should do the trick. You could be dropping off a case load of "presents" to relatives ... it is December (ie. then no need to worry about time for rechecking bag), etc.
 
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