Hidden City Plane Tickets

Skyrocketing airline fares can put a damper on travel plans. It doesn’t seem to make sense when a direct flight to Phoenix costs more than a flight that only includes Phoenix on its route. Booking a ticket to a stop on connecting flights rather than a destination can sometimes be cheaper. It seems simple enough not to get on the last leg of the flight. Yet, these “hidden city” tickets stir up an ethical dilemma among passengers.

The website, skiplagged.com, took advantage of these “hidden cities” and directed customers to the most cost effective flights regardless of final destinations. Both United Airlines and Orbitz.com are suing Aktarer Zaman, the site’s creator.

Booking a trip and failing to get on the last leg of the flight is not just an inconvenience for airlines, it muddles their metrics and ostensibly takes seats away from other passengers. Think of it like reserving a table at a restaurant and failing to show up — the wait staff denies others the seating even though you never intended to commit.

Aside from the moral dilemma, “hidden city” ticketing can start a vicious cycle of fare hikes. The airlines lose money on unfilled seats and may try to recover by increasing fares or overbooking flights. While these effects may not be immediate, they take a toll on all passengers and are difficult to reverse.

From a personal standpoint, “hidden city” passengers will also be unable to check bags — their final destination is not the one the airline assumes. Similarly, some airlines penalize customers who routinely skip out on flights — removing their frequent-flyer status and other airline perks.

While “hidden city” ticketing is a creative way to avoid high fares, it seems to do more harm than good. In addition to the moral component, this scheme seems apt to backfire on consumers. Even though the lawsuits against Aktarer Zaman may be a bit overdramatic, “hidden city” tickets are best kept hidden.