A flight attendant has taken to social media to warn travelers about the potential dangers of "skiplagging" flights , cautioning that airlines may impose severe penalties. The flight attendant, known as @traveling.mermaid on TikTok, shared a story about a friend who was banned from American Airlines due to this practice .
Skiplagging, also referred to as hidden city ticketing , involves purchasing a ticket for a trip with a stopover, but with no intention of taking the connecting flight. Airline mistakes 101-year-old woman for infant in booking glitch Fears over deadly 'sloth fever' as doctor warns it may become 'unstoppable' For instance, a ticket from London to Geneva might include a stop in Paris - occasionally, it could be cheaper to book the Geneva flight and disembark in Paris rather than booking a direct flight to the French capital. In the US, skiplagging has become so prevalent that an entire website has been created to assist budget-conscious travelers in finding the best deals.
However, while it may seem harmless, skiplagging can lead to serious repercussions if an airline catches you in the act. Although not illegal per se, several major airlines have company policies that ban individuals caught repeatedly skiplagging on their flights. "There are some sites that let you buy flights, let's say to New York , and there is a connection in Washington, D.
C. And it's cheaper to do the connection to Washington, D.C.
, and then to go to New York , right," @traveling. mermai.