Extortion
 

In short, my partner purchased 2 round trip tickets with the wrong departure date but the correct return date. So in order to avoid costly changes, I purchased two additional one-way departure tickets on the correct date. In the interest to avoiding and any confusion and leaving US Airways with empty seats that might have been available to someone else, I called customer service to inform them that I would only be using the return flights on the original ticket. No change necessary, just leave as it is or give the original departure tickets to another customer possibly on stand-by.
I tried my best to make it clear that I didn’t want to change or cancel anything at all. I just let them know that I bought an extra set of tickets on the correct date (giving US Airway more money in their pockets). But I would still be using the second leg of our return trip. No changes. No cancellations. But this meant nothing. My original flight which still stood and remained paid for would be cancelled, leaving us with no way home and all the money pocketed by US Airways. So even though I purchased additional tickets already I had to pay another, additional $300 ($150 per ticket) in order to make changes which I didn’t need.
Is this a poorly design policy or a well thought-out “policy” designed to extract more cash from loyal customers. I have now spent twice the cost of the original ticket just so I wouldn’t be stranded at my destination.
If US Airway will compensate me with a refund or a flight voucher for these unnecessary, straightjacketing overcharges I will leave the matter here and be wiser and more cautious when dealing with US Airways when necessary. If no refund or compensation is forthcoming I will send a copy of this letter to the Department of Transportation, the Better Business Bureau and any blog or online service that is concerned with unfair business practices of the airlines.

Just as an aside, did you purchase the two additional one way tickets from US Airways or another carrier?

The airlines will fall back on the Terms and Conditions to justify their actions. Almost all the main carriers have this policy, which is designed to support their bizarre and somewhat complex pricing structure. Many airlines price one way tickets higher than advance purchase returns. As a result, many passengers travelled only one leg and threw away the rest of the ticket. Instead of changing their pricing policy to something more rational, the airlines responded by cancelling the whole ticket for no shows, with no refund.

On the other hand, if you purchased your one way tickets from US Airways, they would have a hard time justifying their loss of revenue argument.

It is well thought out, it makes the hidden city trick more difficult.

business practice
 

the additional tickets were also on US airways and are now worthless. US Airways has extracted twice the cost of the original ticket.

@FAA... this policy is absurd. I've never heard of the hidden city trick. If this policy is the Airlines solution, it is unscrupulous and more of a scam to paying customers. If I show up at half time for a concert, I still paid for those seats. If I skip appetizers for an all inclusive meal, I still paid for the entree'. If I purchase a around trip bus fare or train ticket to NYC and chose to drive with my mother instead, my return trip would still be available. I paid for it. No other industry would allow this as a business practice.

In saying that the policy is well thought out, I am not defending the airlines. I am simply pointing out that the policy (which is common to all airlines) was implemented to prevent certain common ploys to book airfare at lower prices. Google search hidden city trick if you have an interest, also might google up throw away ticketing and back to back ticketing. These are all tricks that involved the intentional missing of a flight segment to take advantage of lower fares.

May I ask why, when you realized the outbound travel date was incorrect, you simply took mattewrs into your own hands and bought the additional tickets instead of contacting US Airways? Their call cenetr reprersentative would have advised you of what needed to be done to correc the error and that purchasing one-way tickets for the correct outbound date would result with the situation you now find yourself in. In many instances if you notice an error after booking online and call the airline immeditely they will waive the change fee to correct the error some even up to 24 hours after the tickets are purchased. If you wait longer the airline cannot differentiate a reques tdue to a booking error or if there was a change in plans and the passenger now wants a new departure date which would under their COC incur chnage fees.

Could you please answer the following questions for me:

Would you say you are an experienced or inexperienced traveler?

Did you book the tickets on US Airways' website or another travel website like Orbitz or Expedia? Was it oyur first time using the website.

How soon (in hours or days) after purchasing the tickets did you realize the error and then how soon after that did you purchase the additional tickets?

I may be able to provide some mediation with US Airways based on your answers to these questions but please be compltely truthful.

Thank you.

Bizarre
 

I''ve flown in the past yes but it's not like I fly every week. As per the Airline ticket, it was the following weekend when my partner forwarded me the flight info that I relized he had booked the incorrect date thru Tavelocity. I knew the tickets were none refundable or changeable so I thought the easiest solution would be to book a pair of oneway tickets on the correct date and use the return flight as booked. No changes needed, problem solved. It never occurred to me that the Airline would cancel the return portion of my flight or that they would have the right to do so. This is counter intuitive and bizarre practice. I can't imagine any other industry where this would be allowed or acceptable.

One of the problems is that you bought the tickets from Travelocity, which makes you their customer, not the airlines. All problems have to be solved through Travelocity.