Flight attendant reveals his top tips for ‘skiplagging’ WITHOUT getting caught after 17-year-old was banned by United for using money-saving travel tactic
- Bobby Laurie worked as cabin crew for US Airways and Virgin America
- He says it is important to limit your interaction with airline employees
- Another tip to successfully ‘skiplag’ is to never check luggage
- READ MORE: ‘Skiplagging’ can save travelers hundreds of dollars per trip – and costs airlines tens of thousands in lost revenue. Here’s why it’s so controversial
A flight attendant has revealed his top tips to avoid getting caught when employing the money-saving technique known as ‘skiplagging,’ which recently saw a North Carolina teenager caught out and detained at the airport.
The concept – which is not illegal but frowned upon in the industry – works like this: A passenger books a flight from Point A to Point B with a stopover at their desired destination, and doesn’t board the connecting flight to Point B.
This often results in substantial savings on tickets but travelers can occasionally get caught out and last week 17-year-old Hunter Parsons was held by security officers when he got off his Florida to JFK flight in Charlotte and did not re-board. He has now been banned by American Airlines for three years.
To prevent such a mishap Bobby Laurie, who worked as cabin crew for US Airways (now American Airlines) and the now-defunct Virgin America, says there are three things travelers should avoid if they want to try skiplagging.
A flight attendant has revealed his top tips to avoid getting caught when employing the money-saving technique known as ‘skiplagging.’ Stock image
Firstly, he told DailyMail.com that it is important to limit your interaction with airline employees.
To do this, he advises checking in online or via an app, instead of going to a kiosk at the airport.
Then, unless it is something urgent, it’s better to ‘avoid speaking to airline staff’ for the entirety of the journey.
Bobby’s second tip, is to avoid using frequent flyer information as this could lead to your account being cancelled.
This means you will have to forgo getting a free upgrade or earning miles on the journey.
Lastly Bobby – who co-hosts the travel TV show The Jet Set – says skiplagging passengers should never check bags, as their luggage will likely end up at the final destination instead of being unloaded at the connecting airport.
Many airlines make it clear in their terms and conditions that the practice of skiplagging is not allowed. But travel pros highlight that the money-saving technique is not illegal.
Former flight attendant Bobby Laurie says its best for people to check in online or via an app, instead of going to a kiosk at the airport if they want to try skiplagging
Bobby worked as cabin crew for US Airways (now American Airlines) and the now-defunct Virgin America
Bobby Laurie’s top tips to successfully ‘skiplag’
Bobby Laurie, who worked as cabin crew for US Airways (now American Airlines) and the now-defunct Virgin America, offers his top tips to avoid getting caught when skiplagging:
One company taking advantage of the skiplagging loophole is flight-booking website Skiplagged.com.
The site even boasts: ‘Our flights are so cheap, United (Airlines) sued us… but we won.’
It has dozens of flights on offer, with the ‘skiplagged’ rates exhibited alongside the standard prices.
However, it does warn travelers not to indulge in the practice too often as airlines could pick up on it and penalize you.
Like Bobby, it also recommends not associating ‘skiplagged’ flights with a frequent flyer accounts as if you do, ‘the airline might invalidate any miles you’ve accrued with them.’
On Reddit, dozens of travelers have shared their views on ‘skiplagging.’
One commenter wrote: ‘One-off likely fine, but don’t make it a pattern.’
Echoing similar sentiments, another warned: ‘You’ll only get banned if you do it frequently.
‘I’ve done it a few times with a few different airlines but the last I did it was before Covid lol. So… use but don’t abuse.’
Offering a couple of tips to others, one ‘skiplagger said sometimes they have ‘said nothing and just left the airport with no consequence.’
While on a couple of other occasions, they went about calling the airline to declare fake personal emergency ‘preventing me from flying the final legs.’
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