MFB,
This policy is the same for all airlines. When you purchase a ticket, if you do not fly a portion of your segment, it cancels your entire reservation, as it shows you as a no show. The person you represent, needed to have called UAL, and inform them that they would be driving to Chicago, so the return segment can be protected. There may have been a change fee involved, to do this, but chances are it would have been no more than $50-$100.
When you purchase a ticket, you are purchasing a ticket that includes ALL segments involved. You aren't purchasing one, seperately, for each segment. Therefore, if you do not take a portion of your ticket, it cancels, because, in effect, you are no longer in abidance with the contract of carriage. Again, this is the same with all airlines. In other words, the person you represent did not purchase a ticket from Chicago, to her originating city, she bought a ticket from her originating city, to Chicago, and back. When they failed to show up for the first portion, the entire ticket is then void. This is done to prevent people from taking advantage of the airlines, and purchasing a two way ticket, that may be cheaper than a one way, and only intending to use one portion of it. Or, purchasing a ticket from one city, to another, with at stopover, but getting off at the stopover, because the ticket just to the stopover location is cheaper - if you understand what I am trying to say.
My advice to you, would be to get a copy of UAL's contract of carriage. It is probably on their website. It will discuss this in the contract. -- Best of luck!
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