How missing a flight on purpose can knock HUNDREDS off your plane fare (but airlines will hate you for it)

THERE are many ways that passengers can get cheap flights, but most of them involve a lot of work – like signing up to frequent flyer clubs.

But there is a pretty simple way to get a lower fare – and you might have already done it without even knowing: missing the second leg of a flight.

The practice, which is known as “hidden city ticketing,” can knock hundreds off the price of a trip.

The website Skiplagged first came up with the idea, where passengers would leave the flight during a stopover instead of carrying on to the final destination.

For example, if a flight from New York to LA with a stopover in Chicago costs £150, a flight from New York to Chicago could cost £300.

So the traveller would save half of the ticket price by booking the stopover trip and leaving in Chicago.

However, while the practice isn’t illegal, it is hugely unpopular with airlines and other travellers.

The first reason is because the price of the seats on the second leg of the journey would have been pushed up for other passengers, because the plane looked fuller than it was.

Secondly, the second flight will also suffer delays as the plane will be forced to wait to see if the passenger is running late for the connection.

The trick isn’t foolproof for travellers either – putting luggage in the hold is impossible as it will end up at the final destination.

It could also land passengers in trouble with the law, as some airlines ban the practice of “hidden city ticketing” in their fine print as a breach of contract, or at the very least you could be barred from a loyalty scheme.

But some thrifty passengers might be willing to meet those risks if the savings are large enough.