Missing the outbound leg of a return flight

megakid · 5 Oct 2011 at 09:20

I've got a return trip in a couple of weeks with JAT Airways from Heathrow to Belgrade to meet some friends but now am making my own way there using another single flight direct from Spain.

I'm not too concerned about any possible refund but I did email them on the off chance I could get a part-refund for the outbound leg and keep the return leg. They've just come back to me and said "due to IATA rules, it's forbidden to use flight coupons without order".

I don't really understand what they mean but I want to confirm that if I miss my outbound leg, despite these IATA rules, I will still be allowed to board my return leg? I'm sure I've done this in the past without issue...

Scuzi · 5 Oct 2011 at 09:22

If you miss the outbound flight, your entire itinerary will be cancelled.

hurfdurf · 5 Oct 2011 at 09:23

I have never been able to do this, every time I have had to cancel and completely rebook. If you don't take the put bound flight they remove you from the return in my experience.

tlrBeta · 5 Oct 2011 at 09:24

Sorry to say, I also tend to agree with the above, I remember hearing this somewhere before.

FNGsam · 5 Oct 2011 at 09:27

I was told not to miss my outbound flight also for this reason recently as well. I'd start looking for a separate return flight now or getting back to Heathrow for the flight if you can.

megakid · 5 Oct 2011 at 09:44

Ok thanks! Looks like I should get straight on it, can cancel the return and book a single back.

Cheers all.

Dr House · 5 Oct 2011 at 09:58

I don't know if its the same with budget airlines, I have in the past missed the outbound flight with some small cheap airlines but the return leg was just fine (skyeurope).

You could try to checkin online and not show up at the airpot and see if they still cancel your return leg?

FNGsam · 5 Oct 2011 at 10:00

Dr House said:
I don't know if its the same with budget airlines, I have in the past missed the outbound flight with some small cheap airlines but the return leg was just fine (skyeurope).

You could try to checkin online and not show up at the airpot and see if they still cancel your return leg?

Although then you could have a whole other adventure if you turn up and your flights did get cancelled and then you just decide to fly to somewhere else on a whim!

gjrc · 5 Oct 2011 at 10:06

i missed an outbound leg of easjet the other day. just got on next flight out and return leg was untouched....

if its a package holiday it might be different i suppose.....

Saviola · 5 Oct 2011 at 10:16

gjrc said:
i missed an outbound leg of easjet the other day. just got on next flight out and return leg was untouched....
..

Depends on the airline. I too have done it with Easyjet, although I think they may book each leg of your trip separately.

However, AA would not allow me to do that, so I had to cancel and rebook.

MickeyFinns · 5 Oct 2011 at 10:24

Dr House said:
I don't know if its the same with budget airlines, I have in the past missed the outbound flight with some small cheap airlines but the return leg was just fine (skyeurope).

You could try to checkin online and not show up at the airpot and see if they still cancel your return leg?

I know that with easyJet every flight is a single in their system. Even when you book as a "return" you save no money over booking two singles, except the card fee.

tlrBeta · 5 Oct 2011 at 10:45

gjrc said:
i missed an outbound leg of easjet the other day. just got on next flight out and return leg was untouched....

if its a package holiday it might be different i suppose.....

But by the sounds of it, you where at the airpot / on the phone telling them you need to get the next one.

This chap is referring to not bothering turning up / not taking his outbound at all!

Belly · 5 Oct 2011 at 11:21

Me and the wife had booked a flight with either BA or BMI from Manchester to Heathrow on a Saturday and a return flight some two weeks later.

Our onward flight from Heathrow was brought forward so we booked a flight for the Frdiay Night and waived goodbye to the Saturday Flight.

When we got back to Heathrow our flights were still booked and we had no problems

cm1179 · 5 Oct 2011 at 11:29

i missed my outbound flight from chicago o'hare to the heathrow in 2002. i had flown from heathrow, to o'hare and got an internal flight to cleveland. on the return flight, i asked a flight attendant upon check in if my bags would be checked all the way through, i was told no. so, after about an hour flight to o'hare from cleveland, i head to baggage claim, i wait 15 minutes, no sign of my luggage, i nip outside for a smoke, come back, wait another 10 minutes, still no sign, i panic and run to the terminal. when i approach the desk i am greeted by another passenger with a cockney accent who informs me ''you've missed it, mate''. this is on a saturday evening, i inform the airline staff i'm due back at work monday. they check available flights from other airlines and i fly back to germany with luthstansa and arrive back in the uk about 17:00 on sunday. my suitcase was delivered to my door about a week later, i thought i'd never see it again. was a great service i thought.