Hacking Airline Lounges for Free Meals • Hacker News Board

Re: Hacking Airline Lounges for Free Meals

#21

Post by rguldener » Tue, Feb 04, 2014, 2:57 PM UTC

aquateen wrote: post #15

You could buy a first class ticket and hold on to it for a year, then use the lounges whenever you actually do travel. It doesn't look like this is possible in the US though. I don't see an airline that offers their lounge just for having a first class ticket. Alaska even requires a ticket for the day you're there.

In the article it says he rescheduled his ticket more than 300 times so he might have just always moved it a day or two and basically flew every day... ;)

Re: Hacking Airline Lounges for Free Meals

#22

Post by rjbond3rd » Tue, Feb 04, 2014, 3:00 PM UTC

sleepyhead wrote: post #16

Can people please stop using "hacking" about every little tweak, tip, or technique to gain something?

Complaining about the usage of "hacking" is also very tired.

Re: Hacking Airline Lounges for Free Meals

#23

Post by edwintorok » Tue, Feb 04, 2014, 3:02 PM UTC

Another interesting story in the comments of that article: https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2014/02/hacking_airli...

Re: Hacking Airline Lounges for Free Meals

#24

Post by adaml_623 » Tue, Feb 04, 2014, 3:13 PM UTC

stupandaus wrote: post #9

The idea of having to go through security everyday for free meals sounds unpalatable.

First Class ticket normally goes through an express and polite service... (maybe even in the US)

Re: Hacking Airline Lounges for Free Meals

#25

Post by kaybe » Tue, Feb 04, 2014, 3:21 PM UTC

brk wrote: post #20

Uberphallus wrote: post #2

I work in a pretty big GDS/IT company and that wouldn't happen in our systems. Virtually no airline asks for such a retarded business rule, flexible classes allow generally 1 to 5 changes in departure date/time(no questions asked), after that it requires manual intervention on a case by case basis.

I'm thinking he never changed the actual flight info, he just manually "photoshopped" the data on the ticket. Even with the barcodes, many airports and lounges do not actually check the barcodes, they just visually verify the info. There was a story a few years back when Delta and some others started doing boarding by zones. People were doing online checking, saving their printable ticket as a PDF or whatever, and ed…

That could explain why on my last few flights boarding was done according to random-seeming letters. At least you can't guess them that easily.

Re: Hacking Airline Lounges for Free Meals

#26

Post by ThoreauAway » Tue, Feb 04, 2014, 3:23 PM UTC

rjbond3rd wrote: post #22

sleepyhead wrote: post #16

Can people please stop using "hacking" about every little tweak, tip, or technique to gain something?

Complaining about the usage of "hacking" is also very tired.

so where do we go from here?

Re: Hacking Airline Lounges for Free Meals

#27

Post by leoedin » Tue, Feb 04, 2014, 3:25 PM UTC

brk wrote: post #20

Uberphallus wrote: post #2

I work in a pretty big GDS/IT company and that wouldn't happen in our systems. Virtually no airline asks for such a retarded business rule, flexible classes allow generally 1 to 5 changes in departure date/time(no questions asked), after that it requires manual intervention on a case by case basis.

I'm thinking he never changed the actual flight info, he just manually "photoshopped" the data on the ticket. Even with the barcodes, many airports and lounges do not actually check the barcodes, they just visually verify the info. There was a story a few years back when Delta and some others started doing boarding by zones. People were doing online checking, saving their printable ticket as a PDF or whatever, and ed…

I don't understand the apparent desire for early boarding. Almost every airport lounge I've been in has been more comfortable than the aircraft. The plane's not going to leave without you. I much prefer sitting in the lounge and wandering on last.

Re: Hacking Airline Lounges for Free Meals

#28

Post by corin_ » Tue, Feb 04, 2014, 3:29 PM UTC

dmethvin wrote: post #11

In any airport I frequent, this would not be worth the money. Some garages offer free parking for 30 minutes for pick-ups, but by the time you park, go through security, eat, and return you would owe at least $4. Then there's the time/gas cost of getting to/from the airport. Even if you used public transport it could be expensive, it's like $16 round-trip on BART from SFO to downtown San Francisco.

There are airports that are easier to get to (for example London City Airport that I use often) - though not sure how many airports that conveniently located have good first class lounges. But would definitely make sense if you live near the airport, or work at the airport, or if rather than going just for a meal you use it as office space (go there, eat breakfast, work using their free wifi, lunch, etc.)

Re: Hacking Airline Lounges for Free Meals

#29

Post by danielweber » Tue, Feb 04, 2014, 3:31 PM UTC

sleepyhead wrote: post #16

Can people please stop using "hacking" about every little tweak, tip, or technique to gain something?

If we weren't on a webtube BBS called "Hacker News" I'd be much more likely to agree.

Re: Hacking Airline Lounges for Free Meals

#30

Post by nly » Tue, Feb 04, 2014, 3:32 PM UTC

sleepyhead wrote: post #16

Can people please stop using "hacking" about every little tweak, tip, or technique to gain something?

A hack is a novel solution using existing technology outside of its primary intended use case. Even though this is a 'social hack', a hack is nonetheless exactly what this is.