A professional skateboarder was forced to snap their skateboard in half at the airport so they could take it on the plane for free and avoid paying an additional fee.

Shaun Hover was travelling on a Spirit Airlines flight when he was told he would have to pay $89 (£76) to bring his board onto the aircraft, because it wouldn’t fit into the box used to measure luggage sizes.

Instead of leaving it behind or paying the fee, the skateboarder stomped on his board, breaking it in half and carrying it onto the aircraft in two seperate pieces.

In a video posted on Instagram, Mr Hover shared his three possible choices with followers: a) Pay the $89 fee; b) Don’t board the airplane or c) Never let Spirit Airlines know your next move.

“It was one minute until they were going to close the gate and my family was already on the plane,” Mr Hover told Newsweek.

“At first I was thinking I had two options; either cough up the money or leave the board behind. Then I realized it would be most economical and funny to snap my board down the middle and fold it in half, thus making it ‘fit the dimensions’ of a free personal item.”

At the end of the video, he shared how a flight attendant gave him free snacks on the flight after witnessing the incident and feeling bad for him.

The post on Instagram has now gained over 17 million views and over 15 million views on TikTok.

A few days later, he posted another video of himself attempting to skate with the same board, now taped back together.

Other skateboarders who had similar experiences expressed their sympathy and shared their own airport encounters.

Pro skater Tony Hawk commented: “Haha I did the same at London Heathrow because they wanted me to check it in. But mine went in the trash because they wouldn’t let me take the two pieces as carryons.”

Another pro skateboarder Jon Depoian wrote: “I almost did that one time too and they had a change of heart. Would be fun to take off the deck and walk around the airport to see if any kids want it.”

Spirit Airlines, an American low-cost carrier, charges for carry-on bags and checked luggage. One personal item that fits entirely in the smaller sizer box, for example a purse or small backpack, is included in the standard ticket price. However, another personal item or anything larger would require an extra fee to be paid.

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