Current:Home > NewsAmerican Airlines sues a travel site to crack down on consumers who use this trick to save money-LoTradeCoin
American Airlines sues a travel site to crack down on consumers who use this trick to save money
View Date:2024-12-23 19:49:07
DALLAS (AP) — American Airlines is suing a travel website that sells tickets that let people save money by exploiting a quirk in airline pricing.
American sued Skiplagged Inc. in federal court in Fort Worth, Texas, this week, accusing the website of deception. It threatened to cancel every ticket that Skiplagged has sold.
In a practice called skiplagging and hidden-city ticketing, travelers book a flight that includes at least one stop, but they leave the plane during a layover. Generally skiplagging is not illegal, but airlines claim that it violates their policies.
Last month, American booted a 17-year-old from a flight and banned him for three years when he tried to use the tactic to fly from Gainesville, Florida, to Charlotte, North Carolina, on a ticket that listed New York City as his destination. For the teen, that was cheaper than booking a flight directly to Charlotte.
In the lawsuit, American accused Skiplagged of tricking consumers into believing they can tap “some kind of secret ‘loophole.’” American said the website poses as an ordinary consumer to buy tickets, and warns its customers not to tip off the airline about the arrangement.
American said Skiplagged, which is based in New York, has never been authorized to resell the airline’s tickets.
“Skiplagged’s conduct is deceptive and abusive,” the airline said in the lawsuit. “Skiplagged deceives the public into believing that, even though it has no authority to form and issue a contract on American’s behalf, somehow it can still issue a completely valid ticket. It cannot. Every ‘ticket’ issued by Skiplagged is at risk of being invalidated.”
There was no immediate response to a request for comment left with Skiplagged.
Skiplagged has been sued before. United Airlines and online travel agency Orbitz accused Aktarer Zaman, who was in his early 20s when he started Skiplagged around 2014, of touting “prohibited forms of travel.” Zaman, who started a GoFundMe to pay his legal costs, settled with Orbitz, and the United lawsuit was dismissed.
veryGood! (882)
Related
- Jason Kelce Jokes He Got “Mixed Reviews” From Kylie Kelce Over NSFW Commentary
- Can the SEC stand up to the richest man on the planet?
- How a father's gift brought sense to an uncertain life, from 'Zelda' to 'Elden Ring'
- Sports betting ads are everywhere. Some worry gamblers will pay a steep price
- After entire police force resigns in small Oklahoma town, chief blames leaders, budget cuts
- Why the Ingredients of Ice-T and Coco Austin's Love Story Make for the Perfect Blend
- Freddie Mercury's costumes, handwritten lyrics and exquisite clutter up for auction
- You'll Have More than Four Words to Say About Our Ranking of Gilmore Girls' Couples
- Congress is revisiting UFOs: Here's what's happened since last hearing on extraterrestrials
- Twitter CEO addresses employees worried about Elon Musk's hostile takeover bid
Ranking
- Who's hosting 'SNL' tonight? Musical guest, start time, where to watch Nov. 9 episode
- You can now ask Google to take your personal data out of its search results
- Third convoy of American evacuees arrives safely at Port Sudan
- To try or not to try — remotely. As jury trials move online, courts see pros and cons
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Mixed Use
- Law Roach Clarifies What Part of the Fashion World He's Retiring From
- ISIS chief killed in Syria by Turkey's intelligence agency, Erdogan says
- Pro Skateboarder Brooklinn Khoury Shares Plans to Get Lip Tattooed Amid Reconstruction Journey
Recommendation
-
Minnesota county to pay $3.4M to end lawsuit over detainee’s death
-
Why the Ingredients of Ice-T and Coco Austin's Love Story Make for the Perfect Blend
-
King Charles' coronation crowns and regalia: Details on the Crown Jewels set to feature in the ceremony
-
One Tree Hill’s Hilarie Burton Shares How Chad Michael Murray Defended Her After Alleged Assault
-
Bluesky has added 1 million users since the US election as people seek alternatives to X
-
This is the first image of the black hole at the heart of the Milky Way
-
What the latest U.S. military aid to Ukraine can tell us about the state of the war
-
Shop the Best Spring Wedding Guest Dresses for Under $50