If you grew up in the early days of the internet, figuring out ways to use the free software version of a piece of an expensive piece of software was a fairly easy task. Before loading it up, all you needed to do was shut off the internet, or, change the time on your computer, which fudged with the application’s ability to properly verify how long you’ve had the app.
While many companies have found ways around these connectivity hacks, there’s one woman on TikTok (@theonlysevahc) who found a way to make free purchases while on an airplane using her iPhone’s Apple Pay feature.
She says that after locking her credit card, she’s still able to use the application on whatever POS systems the flight attendants are using and that the charges won’t go through while she’s up in the air.
In the viral clip that’s accrued over 2.4 million views on the popular social media application, she pantomimes “tapping” the phone several times, which is soon followed by the familiar ding of the Apple Pay sound.
She added in a caption for the video: “Life hack AND KEEP THAT CARD LOCKED.”
It seems like other TikTok users were already privy to this type of in-air trickery, like one person who penned: “Now why u gone tell our secrets.”
“Ngl I paid for something while we was in the air and it did not go through,” another person said.
There was one TikTok user who gave a more detailed approach on how to ensure that the charge never goes through, noting the duration of time airlines usually implement in an attempt to try and get the money they’re owed. “Move your money out the account you used they’ll try everyday for 5 days then give up,” they wrote.
However, there was someone else who said that they work in the airline industry and they know whenever someone’s transaction didn’t go through. “Lol I’m a flight attendant and it shows us when it’s locked you get charged as soon as we hit the ground,” they said.
Another viewer claimed, “I got down 113 came off my card.”
“Nah cause Apple will have you pay for it later .. I always get Apple charges days after I buy something,” someone else wrote, stating that while it seems like you may’ve avoided the charges, they ultimately do come to collect at some point.
@theonlysevahc Life hack 😂😂😂 AND KEEP THAT CARD LOCKED
♬ original sound – GuefComedy
It seems that transactional delays on Apple payment systems are something many users of the tech company’s financial services have dealt with. Several Redditors have talked about the longer-than-expected delays it takes for transactions on their Apple Card to show up.
When it comes to airline travel, one student made headlines in 2014 after he discovered how to hack Apple’s Passbook to get himself free airline boarding passes for flights without spending a dime—as all of the passes were fake.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Apple via email and @theonlysevahc via TikTok comment for further information.
