<p>I’m sure you have too. But the airlines game is pretty simple and no ones stopping anyone from getting off planes. There are some considerations (like the checked bag issue you mentioned) but 99/100 there’s no issue with doing this.</p>
<p>I’m supposed to get off the plane anyway to board another plane to get to destination C. It actually says change planes on the flight listing. I just would not board the plane for the second leg of the flight. Momofwildchild, I wonder if Southwest is as concerned with those who haven’t checked a bag?</p>
<p>Lovestheheat,</p>
<p>They don’t care. I’ve personally done this a bunch (using ORD-PGV and get off in Charlotte) with US Air.</p>
<p>Just make sure anything you bring is squishy and can be put under your seat in case the overhead bins fill up and they force you to check roll aboards.</p>
<p>I’ve had lots of trouble completing 2nd legs … with USAir especially. More than once I’ve had to rent a car and finish on the Interstate. So when the schedule is tight or the route is complex, I try to book “out” and “return” separately.</p>
<p>I mention this because it’s not always the passenger that causes 2nd leg issues. Many times it’s the airline … canceling flights, combining flights, etc.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>The idea is that a non-suicide bomber should not be able to reliably leave a checked bag in a plane that s/he is not on. So if you miss your connection, they would have to remove your checked baggage, although this is probably not normally a big issue, since most missed connections are due to flight delays of the earlier segment that would also cause the baggage to miss the connections.</p>
<p>Really, they’re not going to cancel or delay the flight for you. They sure as heck don’t hold the airplane when I’m running to get a connection, they are outta there! Just bring a small enough bag that there is no way you’ll have to check it (and with SW, check in early because that is who gets the A boarding passes and overhead compartment room). I still recommend calling them after you get off as a courtesy, to say you won’t be onboard.</p>
<p>Here is a common issue that I’ve had-(numbers made up, but this is the concept).</p>
<p>Let’s say I’m flying from Chicago to Frankfurt business class.<br>
The fare to go nonstop round trip on business class is $8,000.</p>
<p>But if I check the fare out of Newark, it might only be $5,000. They want me to fly from Newark to Chicago, get on the VERY SAME flight and go direct to Frankfurt, then return to Chicago and back to Newark. </p>
<p>It’s hard for me to justify this money with my clients. So what I’ve done is - book a one way to Newark (perhaps the night before and get some business done, then go Newark-Chicago, Chicago-Frankfurt. On the way back, I go Frankfurt-Chicago and instead of continuing on to Newark, I just go through customs and depart the airport. No issues. </p>
<p>I don’t get all the comments about luggage - well, duh, you can’t plan to ditch the last leg of your flight if you have a checked bag - unless it’s your first port of entry into the US like my example. </p>
<p>I absolutely wouldn’t call the airline “as a courtesy” and tell them I’m not taking that last leg. What’s the point? I fly very frequently and people don’t show up for flights all the time. That’s how people like me get upgrades to first class. The people at the gate handle it. You’re not “showing any courtesy” by telling some reservation agent somewhere about it.</p>
<p>
you can if your plan is to leave a bomb in your luggage … leaving luggage behind on a plane could be a much bigger version of the marathon bombers leaving their backpack on the sidewalk and walking away.</p>
<p>Yes, we get it. But when you’re PLANNING to ditch your last leg, you obviously don’t do it with checked luggage because duh, you want to walk away with your luggage.</p>
<p>“The idea is that a non-suicide bomber should not be able to reliably leave a checked bag in a plane that s/he is not on. So if you miss your connection, they would have to remove your checked baggage, although this is probably not normally a big issue, since most missed connections are due to flight delays of the earlier segment that would also cause the baggage to miss the connections.”</p>
<p>Right. So if you failed to board the last leg and you had luggage on the flight, then it could raise a red flag because they’d know there was unaccompanied luggage on that last leg. But duh, if you’re deliberately trying to ditch, you don’t check your luggage in the first place! So no alert is ever “triggered.” You guys are making this more complicated than it needs to be. Use carryons and ditch the last leg if you’re so inclined.</p>
<p>I think the problem is when you are on the same plane with only one boarding pass or have a round trip ticket. Since boarding passes are scanned, if you have a connecting flight, you will have two boarding passes. If you do not get on the second plane, they will know because your boarding pass has not been scanned. If I recall correctly, your boarding pass also mentions (certainly their records do) whether you have checked baggage. So I don’t think it will be a security issue. Of course, if it is a round-trip ticket, your return portion will be cancelled. </p>
<p>I do think if you did this habitually, the airline might catch it, esp. nowadays.</p>