United Airlines Confronts Ticketing Ploy That Nets Travelers Cheaper Fares
Skift Take
Airlines hate so-called hidden-city ticketing. They believe it flouts their fare rules and threatens how they do business. But are they being too aggressive as they try to thwart it?
United Airlines wants airport agents to monitor what it calls a "a growing trend" of so-called hidden-city ticketing, or passengers who book cheap fares to cities they do not intend to visit to save money. United is asking agents to cite possible scofflaws to its corporate security department, according to a new internal memo.
Hidden-city ticketing is not new. Sophisticated travelers know they often can save by booking a cheap one-stop flight — say Newark to Santa Ana, California to San Francisco — and getting off at the midpoint. Airlines have long hated it, saying it violates their contract of carriage. If a customer buys a ticket to San Francisco, they say, the customer must fly there.
"This practice can potentially offer discounts on airfare and [is] not aligned with United's contract of carriage," the airline told airport customer service workers. "As the practice grows, we need to ensure that we're both supporting our customers and properly enforcing the contract of carriage rules and United policies."
This growth comes as websites commercialize the practice. Most famous is Skiplagged, a site United unsuccessfully sued four years ago, which helps consumers find advantageous hidden-city legs
