Lufthansa sues passenger for using ‘hidden city’ travel hack

By: Natalie O.

Bargain-hunting travelers beware!

Germany’s largest airline is suing a penny-pinching passenger — in a first-of-its-kind lawsuit — because he ditched his flight at a layover city to save some cash, according to reports Tuesday.

The precedent-setting case exposes the travel industry’s disdain for the so-called “hidden city” hack— in which passengers book flights with their final destination as a layover point to avoid the higher cost of non-stop flights, CNN reported.

For example, someone flying from New York City to San Francisco could book a cheaper flight from New York City to Lake Tahoe with a layover in San Francisco — then simply get off there.

In the German case, an unnamed male passenger booked a round-trip Lufthansa Airlines flight from Oslo to Seattle with a layover in Frankfurt in April 2016, CNN reported, citing court documents.

But when it came time for him to return to Olso, he skipped out on the connecting flight in Frankfurt, and hopped a different plane to Berlin.

Lufthansa airlines is now demanding $2,385 — the full cost of the flight with interest. The company claims the move is a violation of their terms and conditions, according to the court papers.

Airlines don’t like the rule-bending practice because it can delay flights and result in higher fares, which costs them cash, according to Fortune.com