Monday, August 19, 2024 Indian consumers are increasingly facing airfare surges, with 72% reporting price hikes during searches, raising concerns over dynamic pricing tactics by airlines. A recent survey by LocalCircles reveals that a remarkable 72% of Indian consumers have encountered frequent airfare hikes during multiple searches within a single session. The survey, which gathered responses from 13,988 participants, highlights growing concerns that airlines may be using dynamic pricing strategies to adjust fares based on user behavior.
While airlines attribute these fluctuations to factors like demand and operational costs, the data suggests a potentially troubling trend. Many consumers have reported instances where airfares increased when searched multiple times on the same device, but returned to lower prices when accessed via a different device or browser. This raises significant concerns about the transparency of airline pricing practices and the possibility of unfair treatment of consumers.
The survey also revealed that 62% of respondents have experienced hidden charges during the flight booking process, which only become apparent at the payment stage. Many consumers express frustration that the final cost of a ticket is often much higher than the initial price due to these undisclosed fees. There is a strong demand among consumers for airlines to display the total airfare upfront during the search process, rather than revealing the full cost only at the payment step.
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