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Instead of booking a direct flight to a desired location, customers in America are purchasing multi-stop fares with a stopover in the place they intend to go, forgoing the final leg of their journey.

Businesses argue the practice amounts to fraud because customers are purchasing flights they don't intend to travel on, while skiplaggers believe they are simply exploiting a loophole in ticket pricing.

The plan was for the teen to get off the plane in Charlotte where he lives, his father told local television station Queen City News, but before he could board his flight, he was stopped by gate agents and taken to a room.

Over the years, airlines have tried suing to claw back what they say are financial losses caused by skiplagging, either by targeting individuals or sites that facilitate the practice, but making their case in court has proven tricky.

"This practice violates our fare rules and we are taking action to stop it to help protect the vast majority of customers who buy legitimate tickets," the airline said at the time.

Hidden city sites in the US offer guidance to passengers on how to avoid getting caught, including not linking frequent flyer points when booking and only using carry-on baggage, a possible deterrent to customers using Australian airlines, which tend to crack down on cabin bags, Mr Chamberlin says.

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