memoryx1322
Light Weight
- Депозит
- $0
As someone who travels often for work or to visit family, I stumbled upon an intriguing discovery: it’s possible to buy items on airplanes without actually paying for them. Here’s how I uncovered this peculiar loophole.
The Initial Curiosity
During my frequent flights, I often need to buy a coffee, food, or even a bottle of water. In 2024, we no longer use physical money; credit cards are the norm. Yet, flight attendants always ask us to activate airplane mode, and even if we don't, there's no way to have network access during the flight. So, how do in-flight payments work?
The Payment Conundrum
Typically, when we make payments at a store, we present the card to the machine, which connects with the bank’s server to check if we have enough money. If we do, the amount is deducted, and we receive a notification from our bank. However, this process can’t be the same while in the sky. There’s no way the payment machine can communicate with the bank server to verify the funds.
The Workflow Revelation
I began my research to understand the workflow. Here’s what I found:
There’s no internet connection during the flight, and thus no instant communication with bank servers.
When you present your card, the machine stores the information from your card.
Once the airplane lands and reaches its final destination, it connects to the internet, and the payment is processed. Only then do you receive the payment notification.
This seemed like a normal process, but something was missing. Since there’s no network, there’s no balance check during the flight. What happens if I have a credit card with a zero balance? Would I still be able to buy my coffee? And when we arrive at the airport, how would my bank handle my zero balance? Would my balance go negative?
Putting the Theory to the Test
To understand this better, I decided to test it out. Given my financial struggles and background as a hacker, I had a card with a -$100 balance. During a flight, I was hungry and decided to try my hack. I ordered food, coffee, and water and confidently presented my card.
Ten seconds later, the attendant thanked me and said, “Enjoy!” I was shocked. How did this work?
I waited until we landed, expecting a notification from my bank, but received nothing, even after three days.
Verifying the Bug
Was this real? Did I find a bug in the system? To confirm, I tried the same trick on my flight back with a different airline. It worked again! No notification, no charge. This convinced me it was a general bug.
However, this was just my experience. I needed more information to understand if this was a common issue.
Deeper Investigation
I dug deeper and discovered that low-cost and medium-sized airlines often face this issue. However, some major airlines use sophisticated technologies with satellite connections that mitigate this problem directly.
Exploiting the Loophole
How can one profit from this? By buying items that can be resold later, like cigarette packs, perfumes, wine bottles, and gifts. However, there’s a limit to how much you can spend during a flight. You don’t want to attempt a $500 purchase if the maximum allowed is $300.
To deal with this, look for the most expensive product on the flight and ensure the maximum allowable amount is equal to or greater than that product’s cost. Then, buy multiple items that add up to that high amount.
Disclaimer: The above information is based on personal experiences and observations. Intentionally exploiting this loophole may be considered fraudulent and unethical. Airlines and banks may take legal action against such practices. It is advisable to adhere to ethical standards and avoid exploiting payment systems.
The Initial Curiosity
During my frequent flights, I often need to buy a coffee, food, or even a bottle of water. In 2024, we no longer use physical money; credit cards are the norm. Yet, flight attendants always ask us to activate airplane mode, and even if we don't, there's no way to have network access during the flight. So, how do in-flight payments work?
The Payment Conundrum
Typically, when we make payments at a store, we present the card to the machine, which connects with the bank’s server to check if we have enough money. If we do, the amount is deducted, and we receive a notification from our bank. However, this process can’t be the same while in the sky. There’s no way the payment machine can communicate with the bank server to verify the funds.
The Workflow Revelation
I began my research to understand the workflow. Here’s what I found:
There’s no internet connection during the flight, and thus no instant communication with bank servers.
When you present your card, the machine stores the information from your card.
Once the airplane lands and reaches its final destination, it connects to the internet, and the payment is processed. Only then do you receive the payment notification.
This seemed like a normal process, but something was missing. Since there’s no network, there’s no balance check during the flight. What happens if I have a credit card with a zero balance? Would I still be able to buy my coffee? And when we arrive at the airport, how would my bank handle my zero balance? Would my balance go negative?
Putting the Theory to the Test
To understand this better, I decided to test it out. Given my financial struggles and background as a hacker, I had a card with a -$100 balance. During a flight, I was hungry and decided to try my hack. I ordered food, coffee, and water and confidently presented my card.
Ten seconds later, the attendant thanked me and said, “Enjoy!” I was shocked. How did this work?
I waited until we landed, expecting a notification from my bank, but received nothing, even after three days.
Verifying the Bug
Was this real? Did I find a bug in the system? To confirm, I tried the same trick on my flight back with a different airline. It worked again! No notification, no charge. This convinced me it was a general bug.
However, this was just my experience. I needed more information to understand if this was a common issue.
Deeper Investigation
I dug deeper and discovered that low-cost and medium-sized airlines often face this issue. However, some major airlines use sophisticated technologies with satellite connections that mitigate this problem directly.
Exploiting the Loophole
How can one profit from this? By buying items that can be resold later, like cigarette packs, perfumes, wine bottles, and gifts. However, there’s a limit to how much you can spend during a flight. You don’t want to attempt a $500 purchase if the maximum allowed is $300.
To deal with this, look for the most expensive product on the flight and ensure the maximum allowable amount is equal to or greater than that product’s cost. Then, buy multiple items that add up to that high amount.
Disclaimer: The above information is based on personal experiences and observations. Intentionally exploiting this loophole may be considered fraudulent and unethical. Airlines and banks may take legal action against such practices. It is advisable to adhere to ethical standards and avoid exploiting payment systems.