Woman tried viral 'skiplagging' scheme to save money on flights but reveals it was a 'nightmare'
A woman who tried the viral 'skiplagging' scheme to save some money instantly regretted her decision.
Travelling is expensive, there's no doubt about that. So, any way to save money on airfares is appreciated by avid flyers.
Skiplagging is one way travellers are cutting the price of flights, but what exactly is it?
Well, it's essentially a way for customers to buy cheaper tickets while ending up in their intended destination.
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Katy Nastro, from Going.com, explained how the viral trend works while speaking to National Desk.
She said: “For example, say you wanted to fly from Orlando to New York. You know, see the city, but the price tag is a little bit out of budget. Maybe it’s $150.
“However, you found a flight from Orlando to Richmond via New York and that’s only $88, which is a pretty nice savings."
Nastro continued: “However, you got off in New York and you paid a fraction of the price for that direct flight price, but you bought a connecting flight.
“So, in essence, it’s basically like you bought a direct flight without the direct flight cost.”
While skiplagging is not illegal, airlines are trying to combat it as they are effectively losing money at the end of the day.
Heck, a teen has even been detained at an airport after using the money-saving scheme.
While many seem to love the scheme as it saves money, Jesse Collier's experience of skiplagging was a 'nightmare'.
After losing her job, Jesse explained in a Business Insider piece how she wanted to book a trip to New York from Los Angeles.
But with flights costing $400 for one-way, Jesse was looking at other options.
She wrote: "That's when I saw an ad for Skiplagged, which championed hidden-city ticketing. In my case, the trip was from Los Angeles to New York City to Buffalo."
Costing just $146, Jesse bagged a bargain, but it certainly wasn't worth it.
With the ticket, Jesse was permitted just one bag, though she quickly realized that would be going to Buffalo and she wouldn't be able to collect it in New York.
Attempts to retrieve her bag in New York failed, with Jesse's bag already on a plane to Buffalo.
The misery didn't stop there, however, as Jesse continued: "I found myself caught in this cycle of calling the customer-service line, being told that they would put my bag on a plane to New York City and that I could either have it delivered or go pick it up, only to be ghosted hours later and be told my bag never made it on that plane."
The traveller spent the next two days in the same clothes she boarded the plane in.
Jesse eventually got the bag delivered to her NYC AirBnB, not without having to fork out $60 on deliver fees.
While skiplagging saved her money, Jesse admits it really wasn't worth the hassle.
Callum Jones