Atlanta Travel Forum

I read that airlines jack up their fares in their hub cities. I confirmed this by checking air fare from LAX to ATL which is $320.00. If I search LAX to Charlotte, NC I'm routed through Atlanta and the fare is only $178.00. I would be on the exact same flights. I understand that I would not be able to check bags. I'm wondering if anyone had successfully traveled this way? Both directions require a change of planes. Getting off in Atlanta will be easy however I'm not sure if I can check-in (return flight) in Atlanta when my flight was to originate in Charlotte? Would love to hear any experiences or words of wisdon.

I don't think what you read is always true. However, if I understand your question, you intend to book a roundtrip to NC, but get off in Atlanta and take the return flight back to LAX that originates in Charlotte. If you can get the boarding passes (check in), I don't see it as a problem since the flight has two legs and you have to get boarding passes for both. Afterall, depending on the layover time in Atlanta, what would happen if you missed your flight in either direction? You would have to take the next flight to LAX. So what you are doing is sort of the same thing. However, airfare changes by the day and the hour. Therefore, if you are going to do it, you need to lock that price in. It could very well flip flop and the non-stop from LAX to Altanta could be cheaper. I have done this once, but is was due to an mistake by the airline; not on purpose. With the advent of e-tickets, you may be able to pull it off. Hopefully someone else here that has done it frequently can tell you.

If you are trying to fly from LAX to Atlanta and you buy a ticket from LAX to Charlotte that has a change of planes in Atlanta and you get off the plane in Atlanta and do not board the connecting flight to CHarlotte, you probably do not have a problem going into Atlanta (assuming you do not check luggage.) Your problem is on the return flight. If the return flight is Charlotte to Atlanta to LAX and you do not check in and board the flight in Charlotte, most airlines will classify you as a no-show and cancel your return reservation. Most likely you cannot check-in in Atlanta for the return flight to LAX, your return flight is from Charlotte. No it is not fair, but the airlines right the fare rules and can do pretty much anything they want to do (welcome to unregulated capitalism.)

Atlanta is cheaper to fly through, than it is to fly to.

On the other hand, $320 round trip from LAX to Atlanta is not a bad price, it is doubtful that the airline can make a profit on that price.

David

Welcome to extremely regulated capitalism, actually. So regulated that it not really capitalim at all.

The airlines are one of the most regulated businesses in the US. They fly in and out of government-owned airports, their passengers are searched by TSA employees, their pilots are certified by the FAA, they have to get permission from the Dept of Transportation to open new intenational routes, etc.

The sad part of this is that it encourages managers who have a rigid bureaucratic mindset. After a while they forget who the customers are, because they work to please government bureaucrats, not to please you.

Imagine, for example, Burger King run under the same government supervision. You do not get it your way: you get searched at the door, the fry cook is government certified, an extra-large coke is less than three ounces, they have to get government permission to serve fish burgers, and you must pay extra to get your whopper without pickles.

Something I've heard works occasionally is that you can call the airline close to it's departure time and inform them that you cannot get to Charlotte on time but as you're between the cities you can make your connecting flight in Atlanta.

I have never tried this so don't know for certain that it works. Good luck on whichever method you choose though!