Reserving Seats on the Train by Deception
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Question
Hello. Introduction: This concerns a train in Poland, where each carriage has several compartments, and each compartment has six seats. Question: Is it permissible for two friends to purchase tickets for themselves in one compartment at full price, and separately book the remaining seats in the compartment, indicating at the time of purchase that it is for a disabled person, thus receiving an 85% discount, thereby ensuring that no one else can sit with them in the compartment, allowing them to travel in peace and for the sake of modesty? And simply, when the conductor comes, he will see that the "disabled" passengers supposedly did not arrive for the trip. Is this permissible, and how is it different from a situation where a person with a disabled child ordered tickets, but in the end, his son did not come, and he benefits from the empty seat purchased at a reduced price? Thank you very much
Answer
Hello
It is forbidden.
The reason is that the railway company certainly does not agree to this, as without your reservation, the seats would likely be taken by people who would pay the full price.
Therefore, this is considered theft, and theft from non-Jews is forbidden.
Source
Shulchan Aruch, Choshen Mishpat, Siman 348, סעיף 2