CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA: A sixteen-year-old boy was detained at a Florida airport after he was caught skiplagging, a practice of buying an indirect ticket with the intention of exiting the airport at the layover stop.
Logan Parsons was flying from Gainesville, Florida to Charlotte, North Carolina, but he purchased a ticket that terminated in New York City because it was cheaper than a direct flight to North Carolina. When he arrived at the gate, the airline agent became suspicious because Logan's ID showed that he was from Charlotte. The agent took Logan to a security room and interrogated him, and Logan eventually admitted that he was planning to skiplag.
What is Skiplagging?
"They kind of got out of him that he was planning to disboard (sic) in Charlotte and not going to make the connecting flight," Logan's father, Hunter Parsons, told Queen City News. "Our concerns are he is a minor and was kind of left to fend for himself several states away," he continued, adding, "I think a stern warning, 'Hey this is frowned upon, if you do it again there would be consequences, financial penalties.'"
The airline canceled Logan's ticket and forced the family to buy him a direct flight to Charlotte. Logan's father said that he was unaware that skiplagging is frowned upon by airlines. He said that the family has used the method in the past to save money on flights, and they did not think it would be a problem for Logan to do it on his own. "We've used skiplagged almost exclusively for the last five to eight years," Hunter Parsons said. "We were not worried about his flight."
'It seems to be a bit harsh to me'
An airline attorney who spoke with the media said that the way the situation was handled was "harsh." He said that Logan is a minor and did not know what he was doing, and that he should not have been detained. "It's the first time he's flown, and he really doesn't know what he is doing. It seems to be a bit harsh to me. I just don't understand why they would do this," said Bruce Brandon. "Was it a security issue or was it a contract issue? Was he held against his will in that back room?"
American Airlines has since said that they are investigating the incident. They said that skiplagging is a violation of their terms and conditions, but they also said that they understand the family's position. "Purchasing a ticket without intending to fly all flights to gain lower fares (hidden city ticketing) is a violation of American Airlines terms and conditions and is outlined in our Conditions of Carriage online," the statement read.
The future of Skiplagging is uncertain
The incident has raised questions about the practice of skiplagging and how airlines should handle it. Some people argue that skiplagging is a legitimate way to save money on flights, while others say that it is unfair to airlines.
In recent years, many major flight providers have taken action against outlets that connect passengers with cheaper flight options via the controversial method. United Airlines and Orbitz sued Skiplagged in 2014, claiming the company's site "intentionally and maliciously" interfered with their businesses. More recently, Lufthansa brought a lawsuit against a passenger who had attempted to skiplag on their airline. The company later dropped the suit. It remains to be seen how American Airlines will handle the situation going forward. An investigation is underway.
