Is such a ticket possible?

wrote in message
...
Excuse this rather newbieish post. Is it possible to purchase a roundtrip
ticket from country A to country B and have that ticket be able to be used
ANYTIME/ANYDATE (subject to flight schedules) for AS LONG AS THE AIRLINE
IS IN BUSINESS and flying those routes? What airlines do this; how best to
find the most reasonable price in carrying out such an objective?

You can buy a full-fare open return ticket between city A and city B (not
country A and B but I'm sure you get my drift). Generally, you will choose
an outbound date, time and flight, and the return sector can be marked
"open". Every airline that has a traditional ticketing model will sell you
a ticket like this. It's generally known as a "full-fare economy" ticket
and the fare code will usually be designated as "Y".

These tickets are fully changeable and fully refundable without penalty, so
even if a flight/date/time is marked on the ticket, if you don't take that
flight it won't matter, your ticket remains valid - but only for a maximum
of one year from date of issue (after that time, fares may have changed and
so the unused portion of your ticket would have to be refunded and a new
ticket issued).

Also, these tickets are often interchangeable between airlines - because all
airlines *usually* have the same maximum fare, they will quite often accept
another airline's full-fare ticket (provided the airline that issues the
ticket is still in business!) for travel on their services.

HOWEVER these tickets are *VERY* expensive. For example, a discounted,
restricted ticket from New York City to London could cost $400 or less at
the moment. The full "Y" fare, according to www.continental.com (used as an
example) is $2876! The exact same maximum fare shows on aa.com, etc. So,
you need to be absolutely certain that you need this level of flexibility.

If you told us what you were planning in terms of a trip, we might be able
to find a better way. If you're going somewhere and don't know when you're
coming back, it will be MUCH cheaper to buy two roundtrip tickets and throw
the RT halves away.

HOWEVER these tickets are *VERY* expensive.

An alternative is to book a discounted excursion ticket, where you set the
return date. But first check the cost the airline will levy for changing
your return (this could be as little as $100). Changing the return on a
discounted ticket, once you know when you really want to return, could save
a bunch over a full fare ticket. But be sure also to know what the maximum
stay is for the ticket you are using (some very restrictive tickets have a
30 day max, others 90, student fares or other special arrangements may
allow longer stays).

Traveller wrote:

These tickets are fully changeable and fully refundable without penalty, so
even if a flight/date/time is marked on the ticket, if you don't take that
flight it won't matter, your ticket remains valid - but only for a maximum
of one year from date of issue (after that time, fares may have changed and
so the unused portion of your ticket would have to be refunded and a new
ticket issued).

I believe you have to notify the airline that you will extend
beyond the scheduled date, don't you? If it's just a "no show",
then the ticket will be cancelled (as I understand it).

--
Ken Tough

"Ken Tough" wrote in message
...
Traveller wrote:

These tickets are fully changeable and fully refundable without penalty,
so
even if a flight/date/time is marked on the ticket, if you don't take
that
flight it won't matter, your ticket remains valid - but only for a
maximum
of one year from date of issue (after that time, fares may have changed
and
so the unused portion of your ticket would have to be refunded and a new
ticket issued).

I believe you have to notify the airline that you will extend
beyond the scheduled date, don't you? If it's just a "no show",
then the ticket will be cancelled (as I understand it).

--

If you "no show" on a full Y fare, the *ticket* is still valid - you just
don't have a *reservation* any more. So, you could in theory turn up at the
airport, and ask to get on the next flight - and as long as there's space on
the plane, you will. s

Hilary wrote:

Some airlines have "no show" penalties for passengers who do this. It's
much better to tell them if you're not going to be taking the flight,
that way the seat is there for someone else who needs it.

Also, if you have a multi-stop ticket and decide instead to make
your own way for (e.g.) the first leg of the return journey,
then airlines will cancel the rest of the journey. Whether you
can argue, on a full fare, that you should be allowed to make
the flight I am skeptical...

--
Ken Tough

On Fri, 26 Mar 2004 14:06:29 +0000 Hilary wrote:

: These tickets are fully changeable and fully refundable without penalty,
: so
: even if a flight/date/time is marked on the ticket, if you don't take
: that
: flight it won't matter, your ticket remains valid - but only for a
: maximum
: of one year from date of issue (after that time, fares may have changed
: and
: so the unused portion of your ticket would have to be refunded and a new
: ticket issued).

: I believe you have to notify the airline that you will extend
: beyond the scheduled date, don't you? If it's just a "no show",
: then the ticket will be cancelled (as I understand it).

: If you "no show" on a full Y fare, the *ticket* is still valid - you
: just don't have a *reservation* any more. So, you could in theory turn
: up at the airport, and ask to get on the next flight - and as long as
: there's space on the plane, you will. s

:Some airlines have "no show" penalties for passengers who do this.

For full fare tickets?

: It's
:much better to tell them if you're not going to be taking the flight,
:that way the seat is there for someone else who needs it.

Like otherwise the airline will not overbook?

--
Binyamin Dissen
http://www.dissensoftware.com