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B to B Blues
ChrisCrossings · December 23, 1999

Thanks a lot, Mr. Luehrmann. Last week's column, which featured our cybercontrarian's views on back-to-back ticketing - a controversial but common booking trick - drew so many irate e-mails that I couldn't answer them all. Here are just a few of the letters:

Q: Your comments about back-to-back ticketing and the agent's role in the execution of them show your lack of understanding of the penalties the agency community faces in breaking the rules to accommodate a sale. The agent wouldn't make less money by booking two different airlines, but with the sophistication of the computer systems, the airlines can track two different airlines on an itinerary and if the traveler doesn't use one of the coupons on a ticket, this throws up a red flag and the tracking begins.

If it is determined that it is a back-to-back and an agent has done the ticketing, the penalty, as you pointed out, is a debit memo for the full fare on both tickets. Would you take that chance and be liable for possibly hundreds to thousands of dollars -- no exaggeration -- for a mere five percent commission on the two tickets?

-- Claire Pickman

A: You are confusing my comments with Mr. Luehrmann's. He asserted that agents refuse to do back-to-backs because they're greedy. I'm less concerned with the agent's motive, and think that back-to-backs should be an option for travelers. How such an itinerary is booked is beyond the scope of this column.

Q: I don't like the implication that travel agents won't book back-to-backs. We have gotten debit memos when we have participated in this practice when the tickets are on the same airline. We have no problem booking back-to-backs on different airlines, and, in fact, suggest this routinely to our customers. Since most agents now charge fees, we would probably come out ahead with two tickets. However, our goal is to give the client the best deal possible and make him or her a repeat client.

-- Jahala Woods

A: Now I'm confused. So you're saying that when you've booked two back-to-backs on two airlines, you haven't gotten into trouble. What about the reservations system?

Q: As a savvy airline traveler, surely you are aware of the many airlines now participate in code sharing. When you advise the general public or travel agents to book more than one airline to avoid "being found out," I suggest you reconsider and see how many airlines now code share and how difficult your suggestion is in reality.

-- Donna Beck

A: Now I'm really confused. Between code sharing, Big Brother reservations systems and omniscient airlines, I am no closer to knowing when you'll get caught doing a back-to-back ticket and when not. Does anyone know for certain?

Q: Just a quick note to let you know that we have been happily booking our customers on back-to-back tickets using different carriers for years. As we are not 'in bed' with any airline for overrides, this practice actually earns us more commission (small though that is) and saves our customers big bucks. Providing value and service is our commitment to our customers, and if we can reduce some airline revenue at the same time, great. I have lots of other little tricks to save big bucks too.

-- Cassie Mann

A: Cassie, I thought airlines could track that kind of thing. Now what's it going to be?

Q: Back-to-back tickets are in violation to the airline tariffs. This is what needs to be challenged, not requesting that the agent violate their contracts with the airlines and stand the chance of substantial penalties and vastly higher fares.

-- Frank White

A: I agree. But last time I checked, the airlines were still making the rules. Unless the government steps in, or public pressure causes them to cave in on this issue, it's gonna stay the way it is.

Q: Small correction to your article: Back-to-back tickets are not "illegal". The airlines may not like it, and they may have all kinds of restrictions in place, but the government is not yet so far in hock to the airlines as to throw you in jail for booking back-to-back tickets.

-- Lyle Seaman

A: Wait a minute, I thought back-to-backs were in violation of the rules. Doesn't that make them illegal? Am I missing something here?

Q: When you buy a back-to-back ticket you are stealing from the airline by trying to circumvent the published fare rules. This is stealing, plain and simple.

When you purchase an excursion ticket or a deeply-discounted fare you are holding a perishable commodity. Only a certain percentage of seats on the aircraft go for these lower fares. The airline is selling them to you under a published agreement that you use your ticket as purchased and holding to the restrictions.

If not for the restrictions, everyone would end up with a $200 ticket, every airline would go broke, and airline tickets would once again belong to the rich and famous only. You'll be on Greyhound.

Back-to-back ticketing is illegal because it is theft. It is just as much an act of theft as walking out of Macy's with a sweater you didn't pay for. By the way, who am I? I'm a loyal airline employee. I am not a capitalist -- I actually hate the system. But I am realistic about what keeps my company in business. If you don't like it, take the train.

The airlines are not public transportation, they are not supported by tax dollars, they don't owe you a ticket for any particular price any more than Ford owes you a car at any particular price. Deal with it!

-- Alissa Henderson

A: Thanks for representing the airline point of view for us. Obviously, I disagree with most of what you say -- particularly the part about airlines not being public transportation (in fact, for all intents and purposes, they now are) -- but you're certainly entitled to your opinion.

Q: How can you sit here and advocate the defrauding of a company? Back-to-back ticketing is just that -- it's saying, gee, I really don't like the fare that such-and-such airline charges for the trip I wish to take, so how can I trick them into selling it to me for what I want.

In any other industry that is fraud, and you would be prosecuted for it. Next time you're in a store and you see a nice shirt you like, maybe a nice designer label, how about you try and switch that label with a label from the stores in-house line of shirts? Come on, why should you pay more for the designer? After all, a shirt is shirt, right? See what happens when you're caught. My money says you'll be given a first hand look at your municipality's criminal justice system, and rightly so.

So why is it OK, just because it's an airline ticket instead of a shirt? Nobody's lying to you, you are told before you pay that an itinerary of such and such flights on such and such dates is a certain fare, with this you have the option of traveling on a different itinerary, not defrauding the airline by changing the labels (back-to-back ticketing ) to avoid paying the fare you rightly owe.

-- Michael Frost

A: You are one of only a few defenders of the airline industry on this issue, and I commend you for taking that position. First, let me say that after reading your letter and all those preceding it, I am about as confused as I've ever been. Are back-to-backs illegal or sorta legal or legit?

I believe they're technically legal because they do represent an airline contract of carriage. But put two of these tickets together on the same itinerary and you've violated an airline rule.

Second, will an airline find you if you've broken its rules? I doubt that you can get thrown into jail for traveling on a back-to-back, but if there's someone out there who knows of a person who has gotten thrown in the slammer for using this ticketing trick, I would certainly like to know about it.

Beyond that, agents run a low risk of being caught in the act when they book itineraries on two separate airlines that don't code share If, however, carriers share information, it might be a good idea to skip the back-to-back ticketing.

This still leaves the question of whether a traveler should attempt to self-book a back-to-back itinerary. I think the decision must be left to the individual.

Ask yourself: Is the less restricted, but more expensive, ticket a fair price to pay, or is the airline bilking me? And if the answer is yes - if the airline isn't playing fair - then do two wrongs make a right? I can't make that choice for anyone.

Christopher Elliott's column appears on Thursdays. All e-mailed questions to ChrisCrossings become property of Ticked.com and may be edited, condensed or republished at the site's discretion. You may reach Elliott at chris@ticked.com. Or visit his home page at http://www.elliott.org.