What is it with intra-Europe flights and the one-way penalty?

[Homer]

As part of our Europe trip in Oct/Nov we want to fly from Milan (either MXP or LIN, we don’t care) to Munich but Lufthansa wants more than $700 per pax (there are three of us) for a one-way trip in Y. If I make it a return trip it’s around $100 per pax but I have been told that if we don’t take the return leg (which we wouldn’t as we are leaving Europe via FRA) then they charge the difference between the return and the one-way fare to your credit card.

The alternatives seem to be Air Berlin or German Wings at just over $100 for a one-way fare, but the departure times aren’t great - both around 9am - and they go via another German city (eg Cologne) making it a 7+ hour affair instead of a nice, one-hour direct flight on LH. I’ve thought about taking the train but it’s also a 7+ hour affair.

Does anyone know of a more cost-effective solution than paying $2K+ for three people to sit in Y for an hour...?

 

[Flashback]

As part of our Europe trip in Oct/Nov we want to fly from Milan (either MXP or LIN, we don’t care) to Munich but Lufthansa wants more than $700 per pax (there are three of us) for a one-way trip in Y. If I make it a return trip it’s around $100 per pax but I have been told that if we don’t take the return leg (which we wouldn’t as we are leaving Europe via FRA) then they charge the difference between the return and the one-way fare to your credit card.

The alternatives seem to be Air Berlin or German Wings at just over $100 for a one-way fare, but the departure times aren’t great - both around 9am - and they go via another German city (eg Cologne) making it a 7+ hour affair instead of a nice, one-hour direct flight on LH. I’ve thought about taking the train but it’s also a 7+ hour affair.

Does anyone know of a more cost-effective solution than paying $2K+ for three people to sit in Y for an hour...?

Either train... or... don't take the return leg. What's to say you weren't just too late to check-in?

 

[samh004]

Could you buy a visa debit card from Woolworths with only a limited amount on it? That way when they try to charge you the extra, they’re buggered!

 

[Flashback]

Just to note, I was looking for the opposite route (MUC-MXP) a few days ago to catch up with wijomas this weekend but just couldn't find a 'decent' way there.

 

[Travel Guru]

I book return flights for pax only wanting to take a one way all the time (and have dont myself) and have never been ADM'd.

Why dont you go down to your "friendly" Flight Centre, ask them to book the return, pay cash...problem solved.

TG

PS. Does it actually say anything in the T&C's that they'll charge you? I know LH threatened to start ADM'ing several years ago for such things but nothing ever came of it to the best of my knowledge and if there's nothing in the T&C's they'd have no legal right to charge your card

 

[Homer]

Thanks to all for your replies. My TA says that she’s not aware of anyone being charged either - apparently the “trick” is to call and cancel your return ticket rather than do a no-show and then the only way they will track you down is by doing a manual audit and this is unlikely. I’m not sure if that’s true though, I’m just reporting what she said...

So I guess I’ll give that a go and I’ll use one of those bank travel Visas which are debit cards, as was suggested, which will be pretty much drained by then anyway. That means I can’t use my TA as she’s with AMEX Travel and thus can only use my AMEX card for their bookings.

Is it better to book directly with the airline site, eg Lufthansa, or use something like Expedia for these types of bookings? Is one better than the other? I’ve never booked something like this without my TA’s involvement.

 

[Flashback]

Thanks to all for your replies. My TA says that she’s not aware of anyone being charged either - apparently the “trick” is to call and cancel your return ticket rather than do a no-show and then the only way they will track you down is by doing a manual audit and this is unlikely. I’m not sure if that’s true though, I’m just reporting what she said...

So I guess I’ll give that a go and I’ll use one of those bank travel Visas which are debit cards, as was suggested, which will be pretty much drained by then anyway. That means I can’t use my TA as she’s with AMEX Travel and thus can only use my AMEX card for their bookings.

Is it better to book directly with the airline site, eg Lufthansa, or use something like Expedia for these types of bookings? Is one better than the other? I’ve never booked something like this without my TA’s involvement.

I'd just book whichever is cheaper

 

[Travel Guru]

Thanks to all for your replies. My TA says that she’s not aware of anyone being charged either - apparently the “trick” is to call and cancel your return ticket rather than do a no-show and then the only way they will track you down is by doing a manual audit and this is unlikely. I’m not sure if that’s true though, I’m just reporting what she said...

So I guess I’ll give that a go and I’ll use one of those bank travel Visas which are debit cards, as was suggested, which will be pretty much drained by then anyway. That means I can’t use my TA as she’s with AMEX Travel and thus can only use my AMEX card for their bookings.

Is it better to book directly with the airline site, eg Lufthansa, or use something like Expedia for these types of bookings? Is one better than the other? I’ve never booked something like this without my TA’s involvement.

Why can your TA only take AMEX?

TG

 

[samh004]

Why can your TA only take AMEX?

TG

It’s an AMEX TA

My parents use them in HK, they can be quite hopeless at times

 

[Travel Guru]

It’s an AMEX TA

My parents use them in HK, they can be quite hopeless at times

Oh gotcha.

So why do they keep using them if theyre hopeless, do they have access to private fares/deals other TA's dont?

TG

p.s where on the GC are you Sam?

 

[Flashback]

Oh gotcha.

So why do they keep using them if theyre hopeless, do they have access to private fares/deals other TA's dont?

TG

p.s where on the GC are you Sam?

I believe he is on / near Royal Pines Golf Resort ?

 

[samh004]

Oh gotcha.

So why do they keep using them if theyre hopeless, do they have access to private fares/deals other TA's dont?

TG

p.s where on the GC are you Sam?

I really do wonder sometimes why my parents still use them, convenience I guess. And I would assume it’s because they’re with AMEX that Homer can’t use anything but an AMEX with them.

I doubt they have good deals, and quite often try to charge excessive fees just to search for fares, but there must be some hidden benefit.

I’m at Royal Pines

I believe he is on / near Royal Pines Golf Resort ?

 

[Homer]

I really do wonder sometimes why my parents still use them, convenience I guess. And I would assume it’s because they’re with AMEX that Homer can’t use anything but an AMEX with them.

I doubt they have good deals, and quite often try to charge excessive fees just to search for fares, but there must be some hidden benefit.

I’m at Royal Pines

I’ve never been charged any fees to search for anything. In fact I’ve never been charged a single fee by AMEX Centurion Travel which I’ve used for about four years now. The aren’t perfect though. For one thing you are dealing with a call centre and the inevitable churn in a team like that means that it’s unlikely you can have a single travel agent for a long period. I’ve had four different agents since I started using them, ranging from very experienced to someone who may still live with her parents...

But the benefit of the call centre is that they are available 24/7 so, for example, when I need to change one of my intra-Europe flights today I know that I will be able to call someone in Sydney and get that change made. Also I’ve occasionally had to call them from the US or Europe, etc, at whatever-time-it-is here in Oz and there is always someone there who can pull up your details and get to work for you.

The biggest reason that I continue to use them is that they have access to special fares and special privileges and I don’t know if you can get the same benefits in other places (you probably can - but I just don’t know where). For example our EK flights SYD-DXB-LHR-CDG-DXB-SYD next month in F are costing just over $8K each. That’s less than QF charges for J and this is in EK’s F suites on the 380. AMEX also provides free limo transfers at the start and end of the trip (not required on the next trip because EK does too), plus one transfer during the trip and fast-track arrivals in selected cities. Also I like the hotel benefits that mean we get free nights (eg in Munich we are staying for 4 nights at the Mandarin Oriental while paying for two, in Paris we get a free night at the Park Hyatt, etc), room upgrades at time of booking (or check-in at some properties), and other special privileges during the stay.

That’s why I use them.

 

[Ewing]

Thanks to all for your replies. My TA says that she’s not aware of anyone being charged either - apparently the “trick” is to call and cancel your return ticket rather than do a no-show and then the only way they will track you down is by doing a manual audit and this is unlikely. I’m not sure if that’s true though, I’m just reporting what she said...

Good thing to keep in mind.

I'm spending 3 weeks in Europe next March and will probably have 3 or 4 one way flights. If it ends up cheaper to book returns and cancel, it might be worth the risk

For example our EK flights SYD-DXB-LHR-CDG-DXB-SYD next month in F are costing just over $8K each.

Wow. Maybe I should give AMEX travel a try, and look beyond Oneworld for my trip. Is that a special Centurion or partner fare?

If it's available to sole travellers, it might be time to cancel my QF booking ($4,500 in PE) (this is a self funded trip).

I’m at Royal Pines

Ooh, I was there a few months ago (May) for a conference. I skipped the golf day that was part of it though because I didn't want to embarrass myself

-Shaun

 

[NM]

Either train...

I would certainly be considering this option. Its only about 230 miles and the trains there are very reliable and more comfortable than economy on a LCC. And its possibly quicker when you consider check-in times, collecting luggage and airport-city transfers.

 

[medhead]

The train also goes up through the alps and it is pretty spectacular scenery. I've done the trip Italy to Munich twice. First time there was a nice Italy girl traveling from Milan back home to a town halfway up the pass on the Italian side. Had a great chat to her about the history and the highlights of what we were seeing.

 

[samh004]

Ooh, I was there a few months ago (May) for a conference. I skipped the golf day that was part of it though because I didn't want to embarrass myself

There are so many conferences, but I’m always happy to meet any members for a drink that end up at RPR’s.

 

[Homer]

Wow. Maybe I should give AMEX travel a try, and look beyond Oneworld for my trip. Is that a special Centurion or partner fare?

I deal with Centurion Travel but AMEX Platinum Travel may have access to the same fares - I don’t know. This particular fare is a companion fare so two/four/six, etc, pax need to be travelling. If you’re travelling solo then the fare would be different.

 

[Homer]

The train also goes up through the alps and it is pretty spectacular scenery. I've done the trip Italy to Munich twice. First time there was a nice Italy girl traveling from Milan back home to a town halfway up the pass on the Italian side. Had a great chat to her about the history and the highlights of what we were seeing.

Did you take the fast (tilt) train from Milan to Munich via Zurich or one of the scenic trains?

 

[medhead]

Did you take the fast (tilt) train from Milan to Munich via Zurich or one of the scenic trains?

One of the scenic trains, as when I've done the trip it was from Venice once and Rome the other time. There is a daily Rome-Munich non high speed train. We hooked up with this train in Verona when travelling from Venice. I think the girl coming from Milan also joined the train in Verona. It goes up through the bremer pass iirc and then through Innsbruck to Munich.

I wasn't aware of a high speed train via Zurich. If you are considering journey length that that would be a better option. And the scenery would be just as good, I'm sure.