In 2016 a traveller named James Lloyd searched Skyscanner for a flight from New Zealand to the UK via Bangkok and got a result no one could book with a straight face: a connection of 413,786 hours, roughly 47 years, in a Thai airport. He asked the company how he should spend the time, and Skyscanner’s social media team answered in kind, turning a search glitch into a widely shared piece of customer-service humour.

Screenshot of the Skyscanner exchange about a 47-year layover – part 1

The 47-year layover search result

Lloyd posted his question on Skyscanner’s Facebook page: “Just wondering what you’d recommend I do during the 47 year layover your website has suggested?” His screenshot showed an ordinary-looking itinerary from New Zealand to the UK, with a stop in Bangkok and a connection time of 413,786 hours. The precision is what makes it funny: the result looks like any other search until you do the maths.

Skyscanner is a flight and travel metasearch engine, not a travel agent. Founded in Scotland in 2002 by Gareth Williams, Barry Smith and Bonamy Grimes and launched in 2003, it is based in Edinburgh and passes bookings on to around 1,200 airline and agency partners. Its pages receive about 110 million visitors a month. In November 2016 the company was bought by China’s Ctrip, now Trip.com Group, for about $1.75 billion.

Screenshot of the Skyscanner exchange about a 47-year layover – part 2
Screenshot of the Skyscanner exchange about a 47-year layover – part 3

How Skyscanner replied

Instead of a stock apology, the company’s reply played along with the premise and suggested how a traveller might fill nearly half a century in an airport. The full exchange is in the screenshots on this page, read in order. It was shared widely online and remains a neat example of a brand turning a technical error into goodwill with a sense of humour.

For travellers, the useful lesson is simpler: when a result doesn’t make sense, stop and check it before you pay.

Screenshot of the Skyscanner exchange about a 47-year layover – part 4
Screenshot of the Skyscanner exchange about a 47-year layover – part 5
Screenshot of the Skyscanner exchange about a 47-year layover – part 6
Screenshot of the Skyscanner exchange about a 47-year layover – part 7
Screenshot of the Skyscanner exchange about a 47-year layover – part 8
Screenshot of the Skyscanner exchange about a 47-year layover – part 9
Screenshot of the Skyscanner exchange about a 47-year layover – part 10

How to read a flight-search itinerary

Glitches like this are rare, but confusing itineraries are not. A few habits catch most problems before you pay:

  • Check local dates on every leg. Overnight flights, time-zone changes and connections after midnight can make a sensible route look strange, or hide one that really is wrong.
  • Write a quick timeline: depart, arrive at the hub, depart again, land. If the dates don’t line up, ask the seller before booking.
  • Read the airport codes. A connection listed under one city can involve two airports and a cross-town transfer, sometimes with an entry visa.
  • Know whether it is one ticket. A protected connection on a single booking is rebooked if the first flight is late; separate tickets and self-transfers usually are not, and you may have to collect and re-check bags.
  • Price the whole journey. A cheaper fare with a long wait can cost a hotel night or an extra day of leave.

Making a long layover comfortable

For a real layover of a few hours, plan for food, seating, charging and any medication, and check which airport services stay open overnight. Keep essentials in your carry-on bag, and before posting a screenshot of your trip, read our boarding-pass privacy advice: booking references and barcodes can reveal more than you think.

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