Effects of throwing away a sector

[Fruitcake]

I'm investigating a trip ex-NZ where prices are AUD$1400 cheaper than ex-Australia (although long haul segments are on the same flight). Pricing the trip AKL-xx-AKL is about $1000 NZD cheaper than AKL-xx-Australia. The level of pricing is understandable because of demand, competition with the direct NZ Space+ seat, etc. I'm based in Australia, but was planning to spend a weekend skiing in ZQN before setting off on the long haul leg of the flight anyway.

The flight is with VA. One of the default options for booking the flight is a 12 hour connection between the long flight and the final trans-tasman flight at BNE. What do you think are my chances of getting my bag checked only to BNE ("Ma'am, it's a 12 hour transit, I'll want to change clothes...") rather than WLG and then throwing away the last sector? Am I open to having points and SCs for the whole itinerary voided? Will I be questioned by immigration in BNE, because I "should" be going through transit and not entering Australia?

Otherwise we'll be returning to Sydney via WLG, with only an 85 minute connection to the last NZ flight of the day to SYD. Obviously it costs much less than $1400 p/p to get back from WLG so cost isn't an issue. And obviously enough it would be best not to book my BNE-SYD flight home on VA if I do plan to throw away a sector!

 

[MrHyde]

Airlines reserve the right to charge you for the difference in fares. However, in practice, it seems they don't bother.

Also, since it is the last sector of your ticket, there are no following sectors that would get cancelled. You should have no trouble in booking only to BNE and should have no issues with immigration either.

 

[Fruitcake]

Thanks MrHyde. Sounds like it might be worth taking the risk then. Especially if I book the 11 hour stopover in BNE before the connecting flight back to NZ, it should be easier to justify claiming bags in BNE (the checkin agent will presumably be reticent to allow me to claim bags on a 1h50m transit).

And thinking about it since I've realised that points are posted sector-by-sector. So if they were going to claw back points and SCs it's unlikely to be an automated procedure.

 

[Alanslegal]

I have thrown away about five sectors over the last two years, mainly because it was cheaper to buy return flights (intra-Europe) then getting one ways. I haven't been pursued from the airlines yet though if one was extremely paranoid that it may happen (extremely tiny chance) then best to go to Flight Centre and buy the ticket with cash and that way, the airline couldn't debit any credit card on file etc.

 

[MrHyde]

Wonder which risk is higher... being pursued for non-travelled sector or airline going bust... if the latter, don't buy cash.

 

[Alanslegal]

Wonder which risk is higher... being pursued for non-travelled sector or airline going bust... if the latter, don't buy cash.

Cheeky

Lucky I am a points hoarder so everything goes on the card .... and thankfully I have always paid with card because MA went bust recently and I was able to get my money back. And as a bonus I still earnt points and status credits for MA flights that never existed, and I managed to connect onto their MA J Lounge Wi-Fi at BUD which was still working even after they ceased operations