Could we perhaps ask for luggage to be unloaded---- so we would be able to have a shower at Manchester, after all we would have just had an 11 hour flight.

You could try and ask. If you do please come back and tell us if you're successful or not. I suspect you won't be though i'm afraid.

Even if you get your luggage unloaded the fact that you don't show for the MAN - BRU flight alerts the airline to your actions - they could still seek the relevant fare difference, not saying they would but they would be within their rights to do so.

I say do it, then hopefully they will then charge you the full price.

I can't imagine any airline willingly unloading someones bags so they can have a shower - so thats a pretty poor excuse. Want a shower? Pack some stuff in your carry-on.

...and what the others said about hidden city etc.

If you don't check your bag to your final destination, it's called "short checking", and most airlines will not do it for you.

This is a poor plan for reasons already stated, PLUS, what about flight problems? Sometimes the routing is changed, and you may not have a stop at MAN anymore; what would happen if you instead went directly to BRU?

OK-- OK I,ll have to think bout this

Dont think about just fly the regular route and you wont get penalized.

Don't even think about this. Airlines are always on the look out for hidden city ticketing and attempting to short check your bags is the clearest sign that you're trying it on. Here's a case of someone who got caught and had to pay up -

tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g1-i10702-k5175276…

If (let's make that when) you get caught, what are you going to do? Carry on all the way to Brussels to get your bag and pay for another flight home? Or settle with the airline? And don't think settling with the airline is going to be cheap. You'll have to pay the change fee and difference in fare. And the fare difference will be between what you originally pay and a same day walk up one way full fare - which will make your eyes water - not the difference you're currently seeing.

The reason MAN-LAS costs more (I''m assuming this is Virgin) is because it's non-stop. If you want cheaper fares then look at indirect flights. You have BA via Heathrow, and also all four of the main US carriers fly to MAN from either JFK, Newark, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Chicago and Washington-Dulles.