This brought back a flood of memories from my corporate security days at TWA, Clark. Thank you for the great piece.
The really sharp skiplaggers never checked bags. They would buy two separate super-saver tickets just so they could use the coupons in the exact sequence they were issued. One wrong move and the whole itinerary got flagged.
I used to send messages to the ATO (Airline Ticket Office) when we spotted the pattern, and I would pay my ticket agents and gate agents $50 cash every time they confiscated one of those tickets for me. Kept things interesting.
Solid breakdown. Loved the baggage tag illustrations especially.
Some passengers definitely owned up to it. lol. Every once in a while I’d have to reprice a ticket for someone who just thought they were getting a good deal with a third party and would end up having to pay me at the counter.
Clark, you just unlocked another layer of memories.
One of the more elaborate scams we dealt with at TWA involved a shoe company. They would buy one super saver ticket and one full fare ticket. The passenger would check in using the full fare ticket to get the first class boarding pass, then switch the flight coupons at the gate.
I had one guy arrested right off the plane. When we opened his briefcase it was filled with every color magic marker the ticket agents used.
We let them run it up to about 100K before I told the businessman he could either pay me the 100K or I was going to prosecute. The money appeared very quickly.
The airlines only have their ridiculous pricing algorithms to blame.
It is shocking to see price gougers openly celebrate their predatory immorality.
Bottom Line: Airlines try to screw their customers!
It does feel that way sadly. It’s all about the money.
This brought back a flood of memories from my corporate security days at TWA, Clark. Thank you for the great piece.
The really sharp skiplaggers never checked bags. They would buy two separate super-saver tickets just so they could use the coupons in the exact sequence they were issued. One wrong move and the whole itinerary got flagged.
I used to send messages to the ATO (Airline Ticket Office) when we spotted the pattern, and I would pay my ticket agents and gate agents $50 cash every time they confiscated one of those tickets for me. Kept things interesting.
Solid breakdown. Loved the baggage tag illustrations especially.
Some passengers definitely owned up to it. lol. Every once in a while I’d have to reprice a ticket for someone who just thought they were getting a good deal with a third party and would end up having to pay me at the counter.
Clark, you just unlocked another layer of memories.
One of the more elaborate scams we dealt with at TWA involved a shoe company. They would buy one super saver ticket and one full fare ticket. The passenger would check in using the full fare ticket to get the first class boarding pass, then switch the flight coupons at the gate.
I had one guy arrested right off the plane. When we opened his briefcase it was filled with every color magic marker the ticket agents used.
We let them run it up to about 100K before I told the businessman he could either pay me the 100K or I was going to prosecute. The money appeared very quickly.
These guys were on another level.
Can’t believe this corporate thievery isn’t illegal.
Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia once owned up to doing this!