Post: #1

When I went to Colombia in 2010, I bought a 1-way ticket. I didn't know when I was returning.

At the airport, when I was checking my bags, the person from Spirit said that I needed a return ticket to board my flight. She absolutely would not let me get on without a return ticket. The woman was very dense and would not elaborate to me if this was a Spirit policy or some sort of law.

I ended up buying a refundable ticket, right there, at 5 in the morning, checking my bags. I just canceled it later.

Has anyone else had this issue? Any idea if this is actually a law or just some retarded airline policy?

Post: #2

(07-25-2013 02:26 AM)Sonsowey Wrote:  When I went to Colombia in 2010, I bought a 1-way ticket. I didn't know when I was returning.

At the airport, when I was checking my bags, the person from Spirit said that I needed a return ticket to board my flight. She absolutely would not let me get on without a return ticket. The woman was very dense and would not elaborate to me if this was a Spirit policy or some sort of law.

I ended up buying a refundable ticket, right there, at 5 in the morning, checking my bags. I just canceled it later.

Has anyone else had this issue? Any idea if this is actually a law or just some retarded airline policy?

Usually depends on what country you're flying to. Certain countries have a stated policy that you must have a return or onward flight to visit, and while it may not even be enforced, airlines understandably don't want to be responsible for taking you home if they turn you away.

Thailand actually has a policy like this that is rarely enforced. I was asked for proof of return when I checked in at the airport in SF this time around, but I had printed out an itinerary from China Air, and that saved me. They barely gave it a second glance.

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Post: #3

Yes.
LAX to Manila. Was told I must have a return ticket or an onward ticket out of the country. After 5 minutes of explaining that I have been to Manila several times and never had a problem I finally got a manager. The manager brought me a contract to sign saying they would not pay for my return flight if I was not allowed into the country. I signed it. No problems at all when I got to Manila.

Post: #4

Several years ago, I flew to EE on a one-way ticket. Nobody asked at either departure or arrival to see a return ticket.

OP, good move to buy a refundable ticket and then cancel.

Post: #5

I got caught once going to the PI, but did it this way the other times:

Do some research on Kayak, take one of your old flight itineraries in your email box, "forward" it, maybe do some cut-and-paste of an airline logo, and change the itinerary to reflect an onward flight.

Then, cut the headers out, print it and show it to the desk agent if asked. Probably a good idea to use a different airline than the one you're flying on. They just want to CYA. Takes five minutes and no cost.

Post: #6

Aren't roundtrip tickets to these type places cheaper than one-way, anyways?

Even if you have a "change of heart" and decide to stay longer than your return was originally scheduled.

Post: #7

^^^ For those who are not just going for a 2-week or 1 month holiday one-ways are a better deal. Some guys live some where for a few months then fly somewhere else to live so it makes no sense to buy a round-trip ticket as they don't want to go back where they came from.

Example LAX to Manila one-way around $700-$800, round trip around $1,000 - $1,100.

If they don't want to go back to LAX then it makes no sense to buy a round-trip ticket.

Post: #8

This has always really annoyed me, because of the fact you are forced to do it, and that it's so easily worked around. But you still need to go through the motions to make everyone happy. Spirit arilines too actually said I needed an onward ticket to St. Maarten in the carribean when I went there, but I was actually leaving on a private boat. So the captain of the boat literally whipped up a 4 line 'ticket' in word, and I gave them that.

Similarly it's easily forged, or bought/refunded at no cost, so I don't know what these airlines/countries really think they're accomplishing. Too, even if they had proof, if someone's trying to illegally immigrate, a couple hundred bux wasted on a ticket really isn't going to be the deal breaker IMO.

Post: #9

(07-26-2013 11:42 AM)DirectDanger Wrote:  ^^^ For those who are not just going for a 2-week or 1 month holiday one-ways are a better deal. Some guys live some where for a few months then fly somewhere else to live so it makes no sense to buy a round-trip ticket as they don't want to go back where they came from.

Example LAX to Manila one-way around $700-$800, round trip around $1,000 - $1,100.

If they don't want to go back to LAX then it makes no sense to buy a round-trip ticket.

That's a no brainer in that scenario, but I don't know how many times I've looked for a one-way only to see that it was more expensive that round-trip.

Post: #10

This happened to me once because i had dual-citizenship/passports. The bitch at the Emirates counter in Manila didn't let me board my one-way flight to get to the U.S because i was using a commonwealth passport, even though i showed her my expired U.S passport and even my Birth certificate.

I ended up staying in Manila for 5 extra days until my next flight. I got a notch in those 5 days from online game even though i was pretty pissed off at the Pinay chick at the counter. That came at a price for hotel and delay fees (for the ticket). Also had to pay for a visa to my own fucking country to get into the States!

Edit: The bitch at the counter demanded i buy a return ticket to Manila or any other commonwealth country but i refused.

Post: #11

This happened to me, I was refused check in. So I went over to the ticket counter of the airline I was flying and sweet-talked the girl behind the counter to print off a return ticket 'confirmation' stating I had a return. This came from the ticket printer and so looked official enough that no one asked any questions. It's just a box ticking exercise, making sure that you have a return ticket. Completely arbitrary. Usually the airline subcontracts compliance and the people checking really don't care, but the airline can get in trouble if they bring someone over without a return ticket.

Ticketing systems allow them to place a temporary hold on a ticket without requiring payment. I think it just expires if no further action is taken.