Gringoes.com: One-way airfare unfair?

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Quem
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Joined: 27 October 2005
Location: United States
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Topic: One-way airfare unfair?
Posted: 07 March 2006 at 16:36

I just went to Travelocity to check out the price on a one-way, non-stop from Sao Paulo to Miami. Most of the big airlines offered this for around US$1025

! I thought that seemed kind of expensive, so I checked out the price for round trip, and yes, round trip is about US$50 cheaper than one-way. Someone please explain this to me.

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Russell
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Posted: 07 March 2006 at 17:45

I've never understood this either, and tried it a couple of times. Either airlines ripping us off, or perhaps something else. I'll investigate...

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finance
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Joined: 02 September 2004
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Posts: 345

Posted: 07 March 2006 at 18:02

Be careful, Russ. You may blow a hole on the side of the universe...!
Entire generations have gone to war and perished, trying to understand the airlines' pricing scheme...

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Russell
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Posted: 07 March 2006 at 18:29

Haha, it's looking like the answer is just greed. Apparently it's not always the case as some US carriers charge single prices on domestic flights, but I've had the same issue when travelling in Europe.

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Russell
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Posted: 07 March 2006 at 18:41

There's another theory related to empty seats, in that if a person only travels one way they will eventually cause an empty seat to occur on the way back. I don't buy this though, particularly when you apply this to a vast number of people travelling.

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finance
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Posted: 07 March 2006 at 19:27

I understand the buying in advance for better prices scheme and the saturday night-stay requirement.

I centainly can understand why a one-way seat wouldn't be exactly half of the round trip price, but why it would cost MORE, I do not know...

Truth is, I cannot remember the last time I actually bought a ONE-WAY ticket, so , luckily, it does not affect me a whole lot.

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maddog
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Joined: 20 December 2005
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Posted: 07 March 2006 at 23:32

I think problem is when you fly internationally. The airline have some responsibilty to ensure you meet the entry requirements or they will have to fly you back and could on occasions be fined.

The easiet way for the airline to do this is to ensure you have a return ticket. I know this would not apply to nationals returning home but as far as I am aware only Argentian has dual prices for gringoes.

I did manage to buy a single from the UK to Sao Paulo via Frankfurt for a reasonable price. When I tried to board at Frankfurt they would not let me fly with the single ticket, as the said the Brazilian authorites do not permit it. They made me go to the reservations desk , make a reservation for a flight back and give me the confirmation receipt, then cancel the reservation immeadiatly . So at least I never had to pay any extra.

What i don't understand is why return flights starting in Brazil to the UK / USA cost more than starting you journey in the UK/USA with the same airline.

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Rupert
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Joined: 14 February 2006
Location: Brazil
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Posts: 717

Posted: 08 March 2006 at 12:12

Yeh if you are not brazilian you need to have a return ticket to get here.

But I think the dual pricing is just another way airlines rip people off. But its the same on the trains etc.

UK to SP via Frankfurt is way out of the way!!! You must have got you're self a really good deal or did you have business in Frankfurt

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maddog
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Joined: 20 December 2005
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Posts: 219

Posted: 08 March 2006 at 14:38

I wanted the single ticket and it was the only route that offered it at about half the return fare.

As I don't live near London I have to fly to London first so it makes little difference if I go Via London or one of the major European cities. Some times it is even quicker depending on the timings of connecting flights.

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Russell
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Joined: 28 July 2005
Location: United Kingdom
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Posts: 4945

Posted: 08 March 2006 at 17:08

I spoke to a couple of travel agents, and they said mostly it's just airline arithmetic. They are out to snag business traveller money, and business travellers often need to do peculiar things at last minute notice, one way or specifically single leg trips to certain places.

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Travel in Brazil
Gringoes.com : Brazil : Travel in Brazil

Author	Message
Quem Senior Member Joined: 27 October 2005 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 278	Topic: One-way airfare unfair? Posted: 07 March 2006 at 16:36
	I just went to Travelocity to check out the price on a one-way, non-stop from Sao Paulo to Miami. Most of the big airlines offered this for around US$1025 ! I thought that seemed kind of expensive, so I checked out the price for round trip, and yes, round trip is about US$50 cheaper than one-way. Someone please explain this to me.

	IP Logged

Russell Gringoes.com Guru Joined: 28 July 2005 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 4945	Posted: 07 March 2006 at 17:45
	I've never understood this either, and tried it a couple of times. Either airlines ripping us off, or perhaps something else. I'll investigate...
	IP Logged

finance Senior Member Joined: 02 September 2004 Online Status: Offline Posts: 345	Posted: 07 March 2006 at 18:02
	Be careful, Russ. You may blow a hole on the side of the universe...! Entire generations have gone to war and perished, trying to understand the airlines' pricing scheme...
	IP Logged

Russell Gringoes.com Guru Joined: 28 July 2005 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 4945	Posted: 07 March 2006 at 18:29
	Haha, it's looking like the answer is just greed. Apparently it's not always the case as some US carriers charge single prices on domestic flights, but I've had the same issue when travelling in Europe.
	IP Logged

Russell Gringoes.com Guru Joined: 28 July 2005 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 4945	Posted: 07 March 2006 at 18:41
	There's another theory related to empty seats, in that if a person only travels one way they will eventually cause an empty seat to occur on the way back. I don't buy this though, particularly when you apply this to a vast number of people travelling.
	IP Logged

finance Senior Member Joined: 02 September 2004 Online Status: Offline Posts: 345	Posted: 07 March 2006 at 19:27
	I understand the buying in advance for better prices scheme and the saturday night-stay requirement. I centainly can understand why a one-way seat wouldn't be exactly half of the round trip price, but why it would cost MORE, I do not know... Truth is, I cannot remember the last time I actually bought a ONE-WAY ticket, so , luckily, it does not affect me a whole lot.
	IP Logged

maddog Senior Member Joined: 20 December 2005 Online Status: Offline Posts: 219	Posted: 07 March 2006 at 23:32
	I think problem is when you fly internationally. The airline have some responsibilty to ensure you meet the entry requirements or they will have to fly you back and could on occasions be fined. The easiet way for the airline to do this is to ensure you have a return ticket. I know this would not apply to nationals returning home but as far as I am aware only Argentian has dual prices for gringoes. I did manage to buy a single from the UK to Sao Paulo via Frankfurt for a reasonable price. When I tried to board at Frankfurt they would not let me fly with the single ticket, as the said the Brazilian authorites do not permit it. They made me go to the reservations desk , make a reservation for a flight back and give me the confirmation receipt, then cancel the reservation immeadiatly . So at least I never had to pay any extra. What i don't understand is why return flights starting in Brazil to the UK / USA cost more than starting you journey in the UK/USA with the same airline.
	IP Logged

Rupert Senior Member Joined: 14 February 2006 Location: Brazil Online Status: Offline Posts: 717	Posted: 08 March 2006 at 12:12
	Yeh if you are not brazilian you need to have a return ticket to get here. But I think the dual pricing is just another way airlines rip people off. But its the same on the trains etc. UK to SP via Frankfurt is way out of the way!!! You must have got you're self a really good deal or did you have business in Frankfurt
	IP Logged

maddog Senior Member Joined: 20 December 2005 Online Status: Offline Posts: 219	Posted: 08 March 2006 at 14:38
	I wanted the single ticket and it was the only route that offered it at about half the return fare. As I don't live near London I have to fly to London first so it makes little difference if I go Via London or one of the major European cities. Some times it is even quicker depending on the timings of connecting flights.
	IP Logged

Russell Gringoes.com Guru Joined: 28 July 2005 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 4945	Posted: 08 March 2006 at 17:08
	I spoke to a couple of travel agents, and they said mostly it's just airline arithmetic. They are out to snag business traveller money, and business travellers often need to do peculiar things at last minute notice, one way or specifically single leg trips to certain places.
	IP Logged

Topic: One-way airfare unfair?
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