Those who use "skiplagging" typically travel without luggage
According to BBC, citing court documents obtained by CNN, the passenger, whose name is not disclosed, purchased a ticket from Seattle to Oslo and missed the last connecting flight during a layover in Frankfurt. The airline claims the passenger intentionally missed the flight, and although he bought a ticket to Oslo, he had no intention of flying to the Norwegian capital. The connecting flight to Oslo via Frankfurt was significantly cheaper than a direct flight from Seattle to Frankfurt.
A way to save money
This practice of intentionally missing a connecting flight is called "skiplagging" (from English: skipping the last segment of a flight – the so-called "leg" – on connecting flights). Typically, this scheme is used by passengers looking to save money on air travel.
Connecting flights usually involve a layover at the airline's main hub. Such a flight can be cheaper than a direct flight to the layover city, because airfare is determined not by flight costs but by demand for the chosen route. By lowering prices on unpopular routes, airlines pursue two main goals: advertising and filling seats.
Typically, the layover occurs at the airline's hub airports and costs the airline significantly less than if it were at another point.
"For example, a direct flight from Seattle to Columbus on Alaska Airlines costs $250," says Tracy Stewart, editor of the travel website airfarewatchdog.com. "And American Airlines has no direct flights on this route, only connecting ones – with a layover in Chicago – at the same price to compete with Alaska," Stewart continues.
According to Stewart, passengers interested in flying from Seattle to Chicago (a direct flight on this route costs more) can buy tickets to Alaska with a layover in Chicago and intentionally miss the connecting flight. "It's a loophole that can easily be exploited," the expert says.
Why pay more?
According to analysts, skiplagging is not a new phenomenon. But the number of passengers using this scheme is growing.
"Many airlines have offered cheaper tickets for connecting flights with a layover at the airline's home airport for decades. For years, airlines turned a blind eye to passengers intentionally missing the last connecting flight. Because they still bought tickets and occupied seats," says analyst John Grant from consulting firm JG Aviation Consultants.
However, recently the number of websites helping passengers buy tickets using this scheme has increased significantly. One such site simply explains the main advantages of skiplagging. A direct flight from Atlanta to Orlando costs $250, while a connecting flight from Atlanta to Dallas with a layover in Orlando costs $130. "Pay $130 and get off in Orlando!" the site says.
Airlines claim they suffer financial losses due to passengers using this flight scheme. According to them, skiplagging deprives them of revenue from selling tickets to passengers flying on popular routes and prevents them from selling tickets on the flights that such passengers skip.
Can you sue for skiplagging?
The passenger against whom Lufthansa filed the lawsuit wanted to get to Berlin, where he flew on another flight, missing the Frankfurt-Oslo flight. The airline accuses the passenger of breaching contract terms and demands compensation of $2,300, which the airline claims it lost due to the intentional missed connecting flight. However, a Berlin court dismissed the airline's lawsuit in December. The airline stated it would appeal.
"Lufthansa is incurring significantly higher legal costs than the money it claims to have lost due to the passenger's actions. But they want to make it clear that they will no longer tolerate this practice," says Stewart.
Previously, the maximum airlines could do if they caught a passenger skiplagging was to revoke all their bonus program points.
Passengers who practice skiplagging have to travel light because luggage is typically sent directly to the final destination. There is also the risk that the plane might be diverted to another airport – for example, due to bad weather or other unforeseen circumstances. Nevertheless, the advantages of this scheme often outweigh the potential risks.
"It's hard to condemn those trying to save money on flights. Especially when the airfare system has such obvious loopholes," says Stewart.