American Airlines has filed a lawsuit against travel website Skiplagged Inc, claiming that the site sells tickets that exploit a pricing loophole and save travelers money. Skiplagged allows travelers to engage in skiplagging and hidden-city ticketing, a practice where they book a flight with a layover but leave the plane during the layover to save on the ticket cost. While skiplagging is generally not illegal, American Airlines argues that it violates their policies.
The airline’s move comes just a month after it banned a 17-year-old passenger who attempted to use skiplagging to save money on a ticket from Gainesville, FL, to Charlotte, NC. American Airlines accuses Skiplagged of deceiving consumers by making them believe they have found a secret loophole and warns customers against revealing the arrangement to the airline.
American Airlines further argues that Skiplagged has never been authorized to resell their tickets. The airline claims that every ticket sold by Skiplagged is at risk of being invalidated, casting doubt on the legitimacy of the website’s operations. Skiplagged has faced similar legal issues in the past, having been sued by both United Airlines and online travel agency Orbitz for promoting prohibited forms of travel.
In the previous lawsuits, Skiplagged’s founder, Aktarer Zaman, settled with Orbitz and successfully had the United Airlines lawsuit dismissed. However, American Airlines remains determined to challenge Skiplagged’s practices and seek legal remedies. The lawsuit raises questions about the extent to which travel websites can exploit pricing loopholes and whether airlines have the right to prohibit such actions.
As the legal battle unfolds, the outcome will have implications for both Skiplagged and the broader travel industry. Travelers who have utilized hidden-city ticketing and skiplagging may find their savings at risk if American Airlines invalidates their tickets. Meanwhile, other airlines may closely monitor the lawsuit’s progress to determine whether they should also take action against Skiplagged or similar websites.
It remains to be seen how the court will rule in the case against Skiplagged and whether this lawsuit will deter other travel websites from promoting similar practices. In the meantime, travelers are advised to exercise caution when using such services and to familiarize themselves with each airline’s policies to avoid any potential issues.
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