What is ‘skiplagging,’ and why is it dangerous to participate in?
Logan Parsons, 17, has been banned for three years from American Airlines after the company caught him planning to use only half of his ticket and get off the plane during his layover in Charlotte, N.C., instead of New York City, which was the ticket’s final destination.
Parsons was trying to get to Charlotte from Gainesville, Fla. In order to do this cost-effectively, he engaged in a travel hack known as “skiplagging,” booking a flight from Gainesville to New York, with his intended destination being the layover stop in Charlotte. However, when the Gainesville airport security saw that he had a North Carolina driver’s license, they took him in for questioning. He was caught there and told to buy a $400 ticket to Charlotte.
This practice can have serious consequences, so here is what you need to know about skiplagging.
What is skiplagging?
Skiplagging — or hidden city traveling — is a tactic flight passengers use to save money in which they buy a flight with a layover and get off there instead of the intended destination. As flight costs have increased over the last few years, with the average domestic plane ticket costing over $300, some passengers have engaged in skiplagging.. There are even websites — like Skiplagged.com — that are solely dedicated to this travel method.
Skiplagging isn’t illegal.However, it is frowned upon by airlines and can be a violation of their terms of service. The practice can even result in airline-enforced penalties, such as adding those passengers to no-fly lists, asking them to buy full priced tickets to their true destinations or even removing frequent flier miles from their accounts.
Even if airlines suspect you’re skiplagging, punishments could be on the way.
“Had this happen to me years ago unintentionally because the second leg of my flight was delayed multiple times, almost couldn’t go home,” commented @beautingaccident under @ceciliaregina275’s post.
With the arguably severe consequences from skiplagging present, this practice is a can have its downfalls.
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