2006-11-27 05:47:26 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Travel ➔ Air Travel
There are many reasons for this, some logical and others a complete mystery.
You have to start thinking about it from the Airlines point of view to see where they gain with return bookings.
First of all, the company gets all your money up front and costs to the return flight don't come into play for a year.(possibly)
Just think of all the lovely money of yours and thousands of others sat in their bank account earning interest or being available for investment.
Secondly, with the fluctuations with the price of oil (and we've seen it drop and drop recently) there's a fair chance you might pay x amount now for a flight that ends up costing them less as time goes on, bit of a gamble for them but they'll have people working on just this thing.
The main one is how many people actually take the return flight, imagine how many reasons come up where people don't bother, lose the ticket, run out of time, etc, etc and that's even better for the Airline, 100% profit.
There are other reasons which we will never get to know, things changing in the airlines structure, political changes, tax changes, etc which could also make the return flight cheaper in the future.
Shop around, and then haggle, haggle, haggle, i travel maybe 30+ flights a year, the upgrades and discounts i get just through asking would blow your mind.
2006-11-27 06:03:14 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not literally true but they do cost about 75% of return. Empty seats are no good to airlines. as they usually overbookflights anyway because a percentage of those who book don't turn up, then it can be viewed as an insurance policy against empty seats. The airlines want you to spend more somaking singles relatively expensive means they get more of your dosh when you book and they can earn interest on the money you've paid in advance. Look on it as a disincentive strategy. I guess one-way flights also account for a much smaller percentage of their trade and so they worry less about attracting punters for o/w flights.
2006-11-27 05:55:10 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you book a return flight, the airline doesn't have to trust to luck that the plane will be filled. With a one-way flight, the plane may come back half-empty, so you are compensating them for this just in case. Not fair is it?
2006-11-27 05:51:34 · answer #3 · answered by lou b 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They don't any more. At least, not if you travel with British Airways or other so-called low-cost carriers.
Twice this year I have bought single flights on BA to Geneva for just £50 including taxes.
2006-11-27 05:49:30 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well if a return is cheaper than what you can get a single for - buy a return, use it, and then if you dont need the return portion - either cancel it, or dont use it!!
2006-11-27 05:57:17 · answer #5 · answered by Shane 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Weird, isn't it!
And what's more, in a month time I'm flying from Heathrow via Zurich (2 hr stopover) to Salzburg, back from Salzburg again via Zurich to Heathrow. It's cheaper (!!!) than flying on the same dates just from Heathrow to Zurich and from Zurich to Heathrow!
I'm really missing the logic there!
2006-11-27 05:51:05 · answer #6 · answered by little_friend 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Where are you looking mine never do its always cheaper to book 2 one ways than a return!
2006-11-27 05:54:50 · answer #7 · answered by superstar 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
to airlines, one way flights are just a waste of resources.
2006-11-27 05:49:53 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
they dont always.sometimes it is cheaper to get two oneways from different companies than a return ticket.shop around!!!
2006-11-27 06:00:52 · answer #9 · answered by ducky 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
they love to rip us off
2006-11-27 05:48:51 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋