Is it possible to purposefully miss a flight to force a short-check?
Let's say you're transiting through London with checked bags. The airline refuses to short-check your luggage. You then proceed to miss the second flight, forcing them to take your bags off the airplane. The following questions arise:
Is it guaranteed that the airline won't fly your bags without yourself on the plane?
Can they legally force some sort of a financial penalty for skipping the second flight?
Is it generally legal (as in, not a crime) to do this?
Are other complications likely to arise, e.g. a long talk with the airport security to make sure you're not a terrorist who's got cold feet?
Best Answer
Is it guaranteed that the airline won't fly your bags without yourself on the plane?
Pretty much, yes. I respectfully disagree with Berwyn on this, if such a mistake would happen then people would get fired for breaching security. See my answer Why can't I travel onwards if my bag wasn't going to make the flight? here and Moyli's comment on it.
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Can you purposely miss a flight?
Can I get charged for missing a flight? Most airlines only charge a fee for missing a flight if the passenger seems to have a habit of doing it purposely, commonly known as skiplagging, in which a passenger books a ticket with no intention of taking the secondary legs of a trip in order to secure a cheaper fare.Do you have to pay for a flight if you miss it?
Although airlines often charge you for a new ticket if you miss a flight, there are important exceptions. But to find out if you qualify, you need to act fast. Calling the airline before your departure can significantly increase your chances of getting rebooked on the next flight at no additional charge.What happens if I miss my flight due to short layover?
If you missed your connecting flight due to a short layover, the airline will book you on the next flight free of charge as long as the connecting flight is part of the same ticket.Regular People Try Punching A UFC Fighter
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Answer 2
Just this summer I had a connection at ORD where for fare reasons I could have made a second leg flight before the one on which I was booked. One of my two bags went on the earlier, more expensive flight without me, while the other was inexplicably delayed until the second day following.
I would so not count on this as a gimmick for baggage retrieval.
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