Buying A Ticket - There's the Rub
dawnwil said:
I don't know if it's possible to pick up only the return segment (some policies won't allow this-- ie. if you don't show up for the departure segment, you forfeit the return ), but the fares quoted above are through the Last Minute Club.
This is one of the tough things of 1/2 charter flights - as you say they are not usually willing to sell 1 way, so you have to find a flight already planning to leave that is going back, and when.
I think you will find if you call (Toronto) they will not sell 1/2 a R/T even for full price, e.g. pay for the YYZ to DR part also and not use it ( which is too bad as they don't charge a lot anyway for a RT ticket).
But... you should be able to go to Transat and Skyservice web sites ( they are the airlines, while Last Minute sells on behalf of the tour company - including seats on air only - the airline does not sell seats per se) and query for various returning flights. Then you can see what airports and more importantly when they are going back.
Another resource is look at
www.gtaa.com which is the Toronto Airport site and check the real time arrivals board online - you can see all airlines and where they are coming from. Find POP arriving 9 pm.? Go to the airport around 3 p.m. and they should be loading up.
I'd suggest on a day you are not planning to go, you go to POP airport, or PUJ, etc., when they are boarding flights ( which are at quite odd hours too quite often) and ask the check-in agent how and when and where you can buy a 1/2 RT ticket, e.g. which upcoming flights do they think are empty ( and now starts a good time for that - with kids in school with of course the risk they cut back on a lot of flights).
I found with local AT staff (Domincian not CDN) they are quite amenible to payola, as I paid CDN $50 for a "Club Class seat to the local girl giving out the boarding passes vs. paying the Montreal based guy CDN$170 for the official thing. A few pesos may get you a lot of intel.
I think you may find PUJ and LRM are a LOT busier year round than POP off-season. Admittedly neither too handy to a POP starting point.
If you've not permanent residence in the DR and have overstayed the tourist card, no big crime but allow time to pay up at the overpaid booth at passport control. Also remember AT and Sky have limited checked baggage allowance, like 40# a person or 44#, something like that.
NB: If you had a run in with the law in the past ( and NOT the INS) you can probably apply for a waiver - I have a buddy with an armed robbery in his past ( stupid 19 y.o. kid at the time) and a CDN pardon and they (US INS) granted it, though he has to renew it either annually or biennially.
In any case they eventually allow you to touch the soil to connect. If you were expedited removal with INS I think they black mark you for 5 years on the spot and you practically need a federal judge to permit it again before that.