Man Uses First Class Ticket to Eat for Free at the Airport. For a Year.

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One man in China figured out the perfect—and harmless—scheme to score a free lunch, day after day.

The unnamed man purchased a first-class, fully refundable ticket aboard Eastern China Airline that came with access to a VIP lounge at Xi’an International Airport, where flyers can enjoy a free meal. For almost a year, he came to the airport, enjoyed his free food, and then rescheduled his flight for the following day, only returning to enjoy another complimentary meal.

Eventually, Eastern China Airlines officials noticed something strange—but only after the same ticket had been rebooked over 300 times, and the man had (presumably) enjoyed over 300 free meals. Although the officials confronted the man and he stopped his scheming ways, there wasn't much they could do. In fact, in the end, he just returned the ticket for a full reimbursement.

A spokeswoman for the carrier called the man’s free-meal scheme a "rare act." But unless they close the loophole, it seems likely to inspire copycats.

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