8 in 10 flyers encounter surprise charges while booking airline tickets

A new survey found that 80% passengers in India experience some dark pattern, including forced add-ons, and bait and switch behaviour while booking or managing flights on airline apps or websites

While IndiGo’s operational issues have dominated headlines in recent weeks, a broader picture of passenger (bad) experiences with airlines has also come into focus. A nationwide LocalCircles survey has shown that airlines across India continue to deploy dark patterns on apps and websites, which leads to confusion, unwanted add-ons and hidden costs for many passengers.

 

The study found that eight in ten airline passengers (80 per cent) in India have experienced some form of dark pattern while booking or managing flights on airline apps and websites, with Bait and Switch, Forced Action and Drip Pricing emerging as the most widespread tactics. The findings come from a survey based on over 124,000 responses from users across 302 districts in the country.

 

Bait and Switch most commonly reported complaint 

According to the survey, 70 per cent of consumers who use airline platforms said they “very frequently” observed Bait and Switch behaviour, where the fare or refund policy initially shown changed to an altered, inferior option during the transaction. Only 6 per cent said they had never experienced this. The report cited examples such as low fares or full-refund claims being altered at the payment or cancellation stage.

 

The survey noted a rise in such complaints during recent operational disruptions faced by Indigo flyers, when some passengers who attempted to cancel tickets reportedly received refund values far lower than the fare paid, despite public communication assuring full refunds. Some users also reported that cancellation options were disabled while modification options remained available.

 

Forced Action and Confirm Shaming widely seen 

Forced Action emerged as the next most common dark pattern, with 64 per cent of respondents stating that they were “very frequently” made to take actions against their will or consent. These include interface designs that nudge users to add services such as insurance or seat upgrades or proceed through limited pathways in the booking flow. Only 8 per cent said they had never experienced it.

 

About 35 per cent said they “very frequently” encountered Confirm Shaming, where the language used on an app or website made them feel guilty, fearful or uncomfortable while declining optional services. Examples cited in the report included prompts such as “I will fly uninsured” or similar formulations that have previously drawn regulatory attention from the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA).

 

Hidden charges remain a major complaint 

Drip Pricing was another area of concern, the report noted. 80 per cent of respondents said they very frequently found hidden charges that appeared only at the final payment stage. These included convenience fees, seat selection charges, baggage costs, and other add-ons that were not shown initially. Only 2 per cent reported never encountering such charges on airline platforms.

 

The report included examples from Air India, SpiceJet, and Akasa to illustrate how drip pricing is experienced by passengers. Regulatory bodies have even previously fined companies for similar practices in other sectors.

 

False urgency, pop-ups and basket sneaking 

Fifty-six per cent of those surveyed said airline apps or websites very frequently displayed a false sense of urgency through alerts about limited seats or multiple users viewing the same fare, which later appeared inaccurate. A further 25 per cent reported encountering such alerts sometimes.

 

Nagging, which includes repeated pop-ups prompting app downloads or sign-ups even after users decline, was experienced “very frequently” by 40 per cent of respondents. Fifteen per cent said they had never encountered such interruptions.

 

Meanwhile, Basket Sneaking, where additional services such as insurance, meals or seat upgrades are added without explicit consent, was reported “very frequently” by 30 per cent of consumers, while a further 34 per cent said they encountered it sometimes. 13 per cent said they had never experienced it.

 

The report noted that draft guidelines for the prevention and regulation of dark patterns were issued in 2023 under the Consumer Protection Act. While some notices have been sent to airlines, consumer feedback suggests that it has resulted in very limited resolutions so far. LocalCircles stated that it plans to share the findings with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and the CCPA to aid further action.