Why does Lufthansa pay for a missing passenger?

Lufthansa is suing a passenger for not having completed the "last part" of his trip, but the case is not Regrettable It appears that, according to the legal documents obtained by CNN from the court, the passenger, who could not be appointed for legal reasons, seems to have failed to travel from Seattle (Norway) to Oslo via Frankfurt. in Germany. .

Some see in this case a strong reaction of the airlines against a website called "Sciping" or "Skiplagging", that travelers use frequently to get tickets. Cheap flight.

The site offers travelers cheaper fares with airlines, thanks to indirect flights.

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Flights to "transit cities"

Indirect flights usually include a stopover in a major city or the main city of the relevant airline, and this travel destination may be cheaper, using an indirect flight, than other direct flights to the same destination, because the ticket price On demand, more than the cost.

"For example, Alaska Airlines has set a price of $ 250 for a direct flight from Seattle, Washington, DC," said Tracy Stewart, responsible for changing the content of a travel website known as the name of Airfarewatchdog or Airflowatch Dog. Columbus, OH, "and American Airlines do not have direct flights to this destination, but can offer the same price for the same flight and add a transit station in Chicago, Illinois, to compete with Alaska Airlines.

Travelers who wish to travel directly from Seattle to Chicago, which requires higher fare tickets if they choose to travel directly, may choose the indirect flight of American Airlines and fall behind on the last part of the trip, explains Stuart. This is a loophole that can be exploited. .

Does this happen frequently?

According to analysts interviewed by the BBC, the use of Scip Lageng by travelers is not new, it is increasing day by day.

"For decades, many airlines have sold cheap airline tickets to passengers at transit terminals at major airports to reduce costs," said John Grant, consultant at JG Consulting. consultants.

"For many years, the airlines turned a blind eye to travelers who missed the last destination of the flight, in any case, the seats were reserved."

More recently, however, the number of websites helping travelers seize cheaper travel opportunities via Scape Lage.

In 2014, United Airlines filed a lawsuit against Skybending for "unfair competition", a case dismissed by a Chicago court for jurisdictional reasons.

The airlines claim that these practices cost them money because they deny them the benefits of the travelers who transport them to their destination, as well as the impossibility of selling the siege ticket abandoned by them. passengers during the last leg of their journey.

For example, a passenger from Lufthansa wanted to join Berlin for his return and did so on a separate flight after missing the Frankfurt-Oslo flight. The German airline sued the man for violating the rules of the contract and claimed financial compensation of about $ 2,300, following the passenger's change of the last part of the return flight, Lufthansa said.

But a Berlin court dismissed the airline's complaint, while a spokesman for Wolfhansa said the company would challenge the court's ruling.

"Lufthansa spends more money on this problem than she claims, but she wants to send a message," said Tracy Stewart, a travel expert.

In other previous positions, some airlines have closed accounts for the passenger miles caught in Scip Lageg.

Can things go wrong for travelers?

Travelers using this means of transport carry light luggage, as the usual baggage often goes directly to the final destination of the flight. There is always a risk of going to another airport if the flight is hijacked in case of unforeseen or unforeseen weather conditions. But the benefits deserve the risk.

"It's hard to criticize a person who wants to save money on his trip, especially if there are very obvious flaws in airline ticketing," Stuart said.