Flying to a destination in the same country, with a connection in a different country.

July 9, 2009 9:12 PM

Flying to a destination in the same country, with a connection in a different country--is it possible on a single one-way ticket? Is there a name for it?

So I was on the Air Canada website, and it doesn't allow me to fly from Los Angeles to New York. With them being an Canadian airline, they wouldn't have a direct flight and would have to fly me to Toronto first, or something. My guess is that it's illegal for airlines to do this for some reason (why?).

I'm guessing I wouldn't be able to fly from say, Vancouver to Toronto via Minneapolis via an American airline either on a single one-way flight. Is this illegal for airlines worldwide or is it legal in some countries? Which ones? Is there a specific name for this situation?

posted by ajackson to travel & transportation (5 comments total)

Just brainstorming here:

- I think in cases like that, you'd be switching planes at the connection, which would either mean you'd go through customs or you'd be "in transit" (no customs checkpoint, because you're already in the secured area when you get off the plane)
- Airlines probably charge more for international flights. That'd probably count as two.
posted by Sys Rq at 9:35 PM on July 9

This is known as cabotage. The Wikipedia article even lists a Boston-Toronto-Seattle itinerary on Air Canada as an example that would be prohibited. The reasons have mainly to do with protectionism. It is prohibited by most countries, but there are exceptions.
posted by grouse at 9:48 PM on July 9

As a Canadian airline, one end of each Air Canada flight must be inside Canada.

An article on the US-Canada-Mexico open skies negotiations from 2007. Apparently they expect to have negotiated something by 2017.
posted by GuyZero at 9:52 PM on July 9

Take a look on your favorite travel website for trips from Paris to Saint-Denis, Reunion. Chances are you'll have a connection in Madagascar. Similarly, Paris to Saint-Pierre, Reunion will have you transfer in Mauritius.

Paris to Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe is even worse. Double connections in Madrid and Santo Domingo; and Punta Cana and San Juan will take you through two other countries before returning to the first. (I also found a Miami and San Juan pairing).

I'm not sure if these count as "single ticket" flights, however, as they all involve two or more airlines.
posted by clorox at 10:15 PM on July 9

Cabotage is absolutely the right answer.
posted by mdonley at 4:14 AM on July 10