Can airlines cancel a ‘no-show’ passenger’s return flight?
Simon Calder answers your questions on ‘Holy Year’ Rome, safety in Buenos Aires, passport expiry dates, and what to do when a return flight is cancelled
Q A friend of my son has been turned away from an American Airlines flight from London Heathrow to Auckland. The reason they gave: he missed his outbound flight from Auckland to Heathrow, which is true. He started his journey in New Zealand and, after missing his flight, bought a cheaper ticket via China.
He thought his return flight would be fine – but they have cancelled it. He has spoken at length to customer services without any help. He will have to book another flight at around £1,300, which for a 20-year-old looks punitive. What do you advise?
Kevin A
A Sorry to learn of not one but two extremely expensive mistakes. The first was to miss an ultra-long-haul flight (though I appreciate it may not have been his fault). The next was to assume – not unreasonably – that the return leg would stay in place. Unfortunately, that is not how “legacy carriers” such as American Airlines work. If someone is a “no-show”, the rest of the itinerary is automatically cancelled.
This sounds extremely harsh. Potentially it can benefit the airline by enabling them to sell the same seat twice, but the origins of the rule are buried in the baffling fares that carriers set. For example, next Saturday I can fly from London to New York, returning a week later, for £447. But the one-way fare is nearly five times as much. Airlines are keen to avoid so-called “tariff abuse” by passengers who use a return ticket for a one-way journey.
While they are legally entitled to do so, there is of course no suggestion that your son’s friend was anything other than unfortunate. I have urged carriers that auto-cancel reservations to at least notify the passenger this has happened so they are alerted as soon as possible and can start planning alternatives.
As things stand, all I can suggest is that if the reason he missed the original flight from Auckland was because of an event beyond his control – a massive traffic jam en route to the airport, or illness – his travel insurer may cover all the unexpected costs.
Just one more thought if he, or you, or anyone looks like missing a flight, it is well worth immediately asking the airline if they will allow you to postpone. Some will, for a fee, which is better than losing all the cash for a 23,000-mile round trip.
Q Rome is on our wishlist for this year – but we’ve heard that the city is going to be overflowing with people because it’s “Holy Year”.
Would you advise us to postpone and choose somewhere else? If so, where else could we find the same combination of history and cuisine, our two main interests?
Jonathan C
A To introduce the 2025 Holy Year, or Jubilee, there is no one better than Pope Francis. Heralding the auspicious celebration, he wrote: “The Jubilee has always been an event of great spiritual, ecclesial, and social significance in the life of the Church.
“Ever since 1300, when Boniface VIII instituted the first Holy Year – initially celebrated every 100 years, then, following its biblical precedent, every 50 years, and finally every 25 years – God’s holy and faithful people have experienced this celebration as a special gift of grace, characterised by the forgiveness of sins and in particular by the indulgence, which is a full expression of the mercy of God.”
What does all that mean for city-breakers? Many Catholics plan to make pilgrimages to Rome this year, and events such as the World Youth Jubilee from 28 July to 3 August will increase the city’s spiritual magnetism.
I asked the noted Rome guide, James Hill, for his forecast of how busy it will be. “Personally, I don’t think the numbers will be as bad as they say until Easter,” he predicts. But there is no doubt that Rome will be busier than usual, particularly from late March to November. That will mean higher prices for flights to, and hotels in, the Italian capital, as well as more pressure on everything from museums to restaurants.
If you can travel in the next two months, Rome will deliver all you need. After that, though, Athens is the other great European capital with a deep and rich history. And personally, I find Greek cuisine even tastier than Italian.
Q My wife and I will spend a few days in Buenos Aires next month en route elsewhere. Since booking I’ve now read the Foreign Office advice that Buenos Aires is unsafe: crime is rife, theft of valuables from tourists is commonplace and taxi drivers can’t be trusted. Should we still go or is it too risky?
Martyn C
A Whatever your final destination (I’m guessing en route to a South American and/or Antarctic cruise), Buenos Aires is worth as many days as you can spare. My strong prediction is that you will be thrilled by the energy, culture, cuisine and friendliness of the capital city.
The FCDO advice for Argentina does not hold back in its warnings. But most are true of all big cities, such as “pickpockets operate on public transport and at bus and train terminals” and that thieves on motorbikes snatch bags and mobile phones. There are some pragmatic suggestions that are worth adopting anywhere in the world. Examples include “always keep a close eye on your personal possessions – do not hang bags on the back of seats” and “keep your bags close while you are checking into a hotel or hostel – thieves posing as hotel guests can snatch them”. And a warning about the age-old “mustard scam”: one villain squirts mustard on you, then an accomplice pretends to help clean it off while your possessions are stolen. Any time you suspect you are being subjected to a distraction technique, do not engage and walk away.
In Buenos Aires, be particularly cautious in the atmospheric La Boca area, the Foreign Office warns: “Avoid the streets outside the Caminito tourist area and stay in the designated tourist area where there are high-visibility police patrols.” You might want to engage a local guide for some of your stay; she or he will keep you safe during a tour, and will also provide some useful advice for the rest of your stay.
My main caution is about the heat in February: you will be there at the height of summer, so wear sun hats, pace yourselves and perhaps take a couple of hours off in the early afternoon. Finally, take plenty of clean US dollar bills in a variety of denominations and ask your hotel (or guide) for the best place to change them, so you get the benefit of the informal “blue dollar” rate – better than the official rate as used by banks.
Q I am lucky enough to have a big year of travel planned. It currently looks like this: South Korea in April, Antwerp in September and Japan in November. I’d also like to squeeze in a possible trip to either Florence or Berlin. My problem is: my passport was issued on 23 December 2015 and expires on 23 March 2026. I’m worried about the trip to Japan as I will have less than six months left by the time I go. What is your advice?
Olivia C
A Lots of people – including some in the travel industry – seem to believe there is some kind of globally ordained rule that your passport should be valid for six months longer than you intend to remain in a foreign country. Fortunately, there is no such edict. Each nation – or, in the case of the European Union, a group of states – decides its own policy. Many countries, including South Korea and Japan, allow tourists to use their passports up to the expiry dates.
To run through each of your targets, starting with South Korea: you may read that it is obligatory to obtain a K-ETA (Korea Electronic Travel Authorisation). It isn’t. For the whole of 2025, British visitors are exempt, during what the authorities say is a bid “to stimulate tourism”. That will save you some bureaucracy and 10,000 won (about £5.50). For Antwerp, Berlin or Florence: you can be anywhere in the European Union (and wider Schengen Area) up to 23 December 2025. That is both your passport’s 10th birthday, beyond which is not valid for entering the EU, and three months before it expires – the last day you can be in the zone. For Japan, you will just need a blank page for your visa stamp.
So make the most of the remaining life of your passport – and make a note in your calendar to renew it perhaps a year from now.
One caveat: if there is any likelihood that you may need to travel for work, or family reasons, to a country with a “six-month rule”, look at renewing after your Antwerp trip in September. Egypt, for example, wants six months until expiry on the day you enter.
Email your questions to s@hols.tv or tweet @SimonCalder
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