United Airlines and Orbitz have filed a civil lawsuit against 22-year old Aktarer Zaman, creator of Skiplagged.com, a site helping travelers to find "hidden city" ticketing deals.

The site has been active for more than a year, saving travelers hundreds of dollars on one-way tickets. The idea is paying for a "hidden city" near the actual destination, and using a layover of the actual destination.

Like Us on Facebook

The civil lawsuit claims Skiplagged.com is "unfair competition" and promotes "strictly prohibited" travel. United Airlines and Orbitz want $75,000 in lost revenue from the Zaman, even though Skiplagged.com makes no revenue for the computer scientist Zaman.

Zaman claims there is nothing illegal about Skiplagged.com, but is still asking for donations to pay for his court case on the site. Even if the two multi-billion dollar corporations fail the first time, it may cost Zaman thousands to continue running the site.

Finding "hidden city" tickets has been a way to save money for over 30 years, as some destinations become too expensive to afford. Travelers are able to pay for a cheaper flight and get a bus or cab the rest of the way, for a much cheaper price.

It is not the first time United Airlines and Orbitz have tried to fight off any competition offering better deals. The airline industry works off trying to get travelers on the most expensive flight, and only promotes certain airports.

In the age of the internet, it is easier to find the best deal on a flight, and even if Skiplagged.com disappears, holiday experts are sure another site with similar intentions will show up.

TagsUnited Airlines, Skiplagged.com, hidden city tickets, Orbitz