Would you fake a honeymoon for flight upgrades?

Could a couple of prop rings get you both cushier seats?

The BF and I are going to Bali, and there's a travel hack we've always wanted to try.
I heard hotels are quite strict on upgrading newlyweds to honeymoon suites, but airlines ask fewer questions.
Will telling the check-in desk that we are our honeymoon make any change to our odds of getting an upgrade?"
Jessica

This isn't a travel conundrum so much as it is a question of ethics. Not simply because you might be setting yourself up for a karmic comeback, should you and BF go on to tie the knot in the future.

Sadly, it's because there's no proof it works — and it would be immoral of me to lead you on thinking a couple of prop rings will get you both cushier seats.

"We are on honeymoon": the idea that these four magic worlds will summon up an instant fare upgrade sounds too good to be true.

When I asked Qantas whether there was a hard and fast policy on upgrading newlyweds, they passed over the conversation quicker than the vows at a shotgun wedding.

Surely, if it worked, premium seats would start filling up with honeymooning couples and cabin staff would have to start questioning a decade of declining marriage rates. Looking at the $900 difference in cabin prices to Bali, the cost of a $240 wedding licence and a little forward planning seems like incredibly good value.

However, if you are hoping to rock up to the check-in desk and bluff about your nuptials, you've got some nerve. What are you going to do if they ask to see your marriage certificate?

This whole debate leads on to another point - in some destinations, travelling as an unmarried couple can cause big problems. Conservative or devoutly religious countries can sometimes have strict rules on who can and can't share hotel rooms.

Indian hotels in the popular honeymoon beach states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala require passports for check-in, which can be a problem in more conservative areas. Last year, district officials raided an unfortunate "unmarried couple" in Chennai who had "occupied a room and consumed liquor". Shock horror.

Most holiday destinations are "accustomed" to cohabiting couples, but you shouldn't rely on people to turn a blind eye. Parts of Indonesia, in particular, have very different views on unmarried travellers' sleeping arrangements.

After the country promised to crack down on extramarital sex last year, you only need look to the headlines about the proposed "Bali bonk ban" to see how unscrupulous operators might look to exploit or extort holidaying couples. At the time the Centre for Indonesian Law in Melbourne reassured travellers that Indonesia was "awash with laws that are never enforced", but also aknowledged these awkward grey areas could leave tourists exposed to extortion by those fishing for bribes.

Lying about being on your nuptials seems like inviting trouble.

It's best not to provoke too much scrutiny if you don't want to spend your fake honeymoon on opposite sides of a hotel.

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