As airfares continue to surge, travelers increasingly turn to skiplagging for more affordable options. Skiplagging is the practice of booking a cheaper flight with a layover at a destination the traveler intends going to, and then intentionally skipping the final leg to secure a lower fare. While this approach can be tempting for cost-conscious travelers, the World Travel Agents Associations Alliance (WTAAA) highlights a concerning reality: it’s travel advisors who often bear the brunt of the consequences, facing penalties for practices driven by price-conscious consumers who book through the travel agency channel.
“Skiplagging is a long-standing issue in the travel industry that we do not support, but travel agents cannot control customer behavior once travel is underway,” said Otto de Vries, executive director of WTAAA. “While airlines have filed unsuccessful legal cases against consumers who skiplag, they continue to issue Agency Debit Memos (ADMs), penalizing agents whose clients break fare rules by not taking a flight segment.”
A recent survey by Passport-photo.online found that over 64 percent of American fliers skiplag at least 25 percent of their flights annually, with the practice increasingly popular among younger generations as a way to find cheaper fares and more convenient routes. Social media platforms including TikTok have even promoted skiplagging.
“We do the right thing by booking as per the published fares, but the practice of holding the agent financially responsible when the client breaks airline rules remains a major concern,” said De Vries. “It’s time airlines play a straight game on pricing without huge markups for hub-to-hub tickets versus to final destinations, which would diminish the incentive for skiplagging.”
While skiplagging can constitute a violation of airline terms, a 2019 court case in Berlin dismissed Lufthansa’s attempt to sue a passenger for over $2,300 in fees avoided by skiplagging, likely due to the difficulty of proving intentionally missed segments.
However, according to IATA Resolution 830a, airlines have an easier path to enforcing penalties against travel advisors via ADMs issued through the Billing and Settlement Plan system when advisors’ clients go against fare rules without the advisor’s knowledge.
“The consequences are clearly uneven based on whether the consumer booked direct or via an accredited agent who unintentionally booked a so-called skiplag itinerary on behalf of their customer,” added De Vries. “While airlines struggle to punish direct booking consumers legally, they readily fine agents, sometimes contributing to agency closures from the financial impact. This unequal treatment must be addressed.”
WTAAA emphasizes that travel advisors have a duty to advise clients about the potential risks associated with skiplagging. These risks can include voiding return flights, losing frequent flier benefits, facing legal action or having accounts banned by the airline. Ultimately, however, it should not be the travel advisors who bear the financial cost of their clients’ travel decisions.
WTAAA calls for an open dialogue between the airline industry and travel advisor associations to address the increasing issue of skiplagging. This dialogue should focus on finding solutions that protect consumers’ rights to make informed choices while ensuring a fair and sustainable environment in which travel advisors can operate.
For more information, visit www.wtaaa.org.
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