Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.United Airlines and booking company Orbitz are suing a young American entrepreneur for establishing a website that searches for cheap flight tickets by using a loophole known as “hidden city ticketing”.
Aktarer Zaman, 22, founded Skiplagged.com last year to publicise the cheap deals that could be secured by booking one-way flight tickets. The flight must have a layover in the desired destination, and the traveller then does not take the onward flight.
While the method is not always the cheapest, it can often reduce the ticket price considerably; in a similar way to how split-booking train journeys can cut the fare cost.
“[Hidden city ticketing] has been around for a while, it just hasn’t been very accessible to consumers,” Mr Zaman told CNN.
The New Yorker is being sued by the airline and booking company for $75,000 in compensation for lost revenue. They claim the practice of hidden city ticketing is “unfair” and “strictly prohibited”.
Fliers wanting to get to California may be able to book a discounted ticket from New York to Hawaii, for example, with a stopover in Los Angeles.
The loophole only works if you are travelling on a one-way ticket and are taking carry-on luggage – stowed bags would continue without their owners to the final destination.
Prices are often lower for certain hub airports as airline companies want to attract travellers to regional airports.
Mr Zaman insists he has done nothing illegal and is merely exposing an “inefficiency” in airline ticket prices.
Skiplagged has launched a campaign to fund its legal costs and has already received more than $10,000 in donations.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments