Cancelling a Flight

Blue264

DTDfanBoy wrote: »

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Airlines do not, and can not, bill people for not taking a flight.

The context of the post I originally responded to was the OP has a non ref ticket and was being advised to just not turn up for the flight. What I'm trying to show is that it is far better for the OP to cancel the ticket before the outbound flight and get a partial tax refund. Once the status on a ticket goes to No Show, the cost is lost. There is nothing to be by no cancelling this ticket. It's totally different with low cost carriers however.

jpsartre

The Emirates and the Qantas examples have to do with fees in connection with rebooking or cancelling a no-showed flight. I'll grant you that the Lufthansa example specifically talks of a no-show fee (in rather vague terms). All I can say is that I've never heard of any Lufthansa passenger that has been charged such a fee for simply missing a flight and a Google search didn't turn anything up either.

If the OP is absolutely certain they cannot travel I agree that there's nothing lost by cancelling although it's incorrect that they have to cancel beforehand in order to reclaim taxes.

DTDfanBoy

If the OP chooses not to cancel their ticket they can't be charged extra for not flying, they are also still able to reclaim any taxes less applicable admin fees, so if the OPs flight is non-refundable the only benefit they would gain by cancelling the flight is receiving the tax refund slightly sooner.

stoneman

jpsartre wrote: »

The Emirates and the Qantas examples have to be with fees in connection with rebooking or cancelling a no-showed flight. I'll grant you that the Lufthansa example specifically talks of a no-show fee (in rather vague terms). All I can say is that I've never heard of any Lufthansa passenger that has been charged such a fee for simply missing a flight and a Google search didn't turn anything up either.

If the OP is absolutely certain they cannot travel I agree that there's nothing lost by cancelling although it's incorrect that they have to cancel beforehand in order to reclaim taxes.

Correct, you can reclaim taxes even after the flight that you no showed for.
I have done this a couple of times myself. I wouldn't bother canceling either, simply because they would be able to sell your seat again and double dip.
In fact if there were little or no taxes to reclaim I would even checkin online before the flight, that defiantly stops them reselling, have done this with Ryanair on a few occasions.

littlereddevil

Although I don't cancel I've never gone as far as checking in.

SW17

jpsartre wrote: »

The Emirates and the Qantas examples have to do with fees in connection with rebooking or cancelling a no-showed flight. I'll grant you that the Lufthansa example specifically talks of a no-show fee (in rather vague terms). All I can say is that I've never heard of any Lufthansa passenger that has been charged such a fee for simply missing a flight and a Google search didn't turn anything up either.

If the OP is absolutely certain they cannot travel I agree that there's nothing lost by cancelling although it's incorrect that they have to cancel beforehand in order to reclaim taxes.

Would agree with you. Those rules that Lufthansa has, similar to a number of other (predominantly, but not exclusively US) airlines, are mainly there to target "hidden city", "throwaway" or "nested" ticketing. This has always gone on, but has become a bigger issue recently and United and Orbitz are litigating against a US website that shows people how to take advantage of it.

Am not aware of any passengers being charged yet, and it wouldn't apply in the OP's case (not that we are completely sure exactly what the OP's case is, as the fare basis wasn't disclosed, just assumed it is a non-refundable ticket).