Have you ever gotten that feeling that travel websites show an increase in air fares if you search multiple times? You are not alone, and you are not imagining anything. As many as 7 in 10 consumers said they have experienced it.
That’s not all. From drip pricing, false urgency, basket sneaking and forced actions, airline apps and travel websites are trying all types of ‘dark pattern’ tricks on Indian travellers — this even as air fares have surged up by as much as 40 per cent in certain key routes due to more and more Indian travelling, even as capacity constraints have risen.
The survey by LocalCircles between May and August this year received more than half lakh responses from across 322 districts in the country and saw some startling trends — more than 80 pc of consumers said they have felt that airline apps and travel websites create a false sense of urgency to get them to book faster. This includes notifying that ‘only one or two seats are available at this price’, often pushing consumers to make hasty decisions which they may end up regretting later, if travel plans change and they are confirmed seats that cannot be refunded or rescheduled/cancelled. While 62 pc respondents said they had experienced it ‘very frequently’, 19 pc stated experiencing it ‘sometimes’.
Another major issue is hidden charges. 62 pc consumers said they had frequently experienced hidden charges — compared to the price with which they were lured to do the booking may be different and what they finally pay may be much higher, as there are hidden charges (not taxes) which are not presented upfront, but only later, when you are making the payment.
“Many consumers want airlines to display the total airfare to be charged upfront when they are searching for air fares and flights instead of at the last step of payment,” said a statement issued by LocalCircles on Friday morning.
Basket sneaking is another irritant, where websites sneak unwanted offers or a service (like insurance, meal, seat selection or fast lane at airports) is added and unwary customers end up paying for it. 40 pc air travellers said they have experienced it very frequently while 27 pc said they had experienced it sometimes.
LocalCircles found all the national airlines are equally guilty of indulging in one form of ‘dark pattern’ or the other. This range from drip pricing, basket sneaking and false urgency, taking air travellers for a ride not just literally but figuratively as well.
This even as the government has repeatedly branded dark pattern tactics by online e-commerce and travel sites as illegal and a ‘cybercrime’. The Central Consumer Protection Authority in November last year banned 13 dark patterns like false urgency, interface interference, bait and switch etc.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation had warned airline and booking portal representatives to find ways to counter such practices and protect consumer interests in a meeting recently. The Department of Consumer Affairs had recently considered integrating the Air Sewa portal with the National Consumer helpline after over 10,000 complaints were received over such deceptive online ‘dark pattern’ practices.
