Air travel in India has come under the spotlight as passengers report confusing and manipulative booking practices on airline platforms. A recent survey suggests that these bait-and-switch experiences have become more common, especially during times of IndiGo operational stress. Scroll down to find out!
Bait And Switch Experiences Among IndiGo Passengers
Dark patterns are sneaky tricks on websites or apps that make you do things you might not want to. According to The Free Press Journal, in airline bookings, this can mean showing one fare or refund rule at first, then changing it to something worse later. It can also include buttons that don’t work, hidden fees that appear at the end, or constant pop-ups that confuse and annoy you.
A nationwide survey by LocalCircles, with over 1,24,000 responses from 302 districts, found that IndiGo passengers complained about these bait-and-switch experiences, especially during last week’s flight disruptions, when over 5,000 flights were cancelled. Many said the cancellation button on the IndiGo app didn’t work, leaving them with no choice but to modify their bookings. Some passengers also reported getting much lower refunds than expected.
As per The Free Journal, one person paid ₹39,180 but received only ₹1,788, even though the airline promised a full refund. While these cases couldn’t be independently checked, they show how frustrated customers were. Over 64% of respondents said they were pushed into taking steps they didn’t want to.
Also Read: IndiGo Offers Travel Vouchers Worth ₹10,000 To Passengers Who Were Stranded On THESE Dates
Other Airlines Following Same Pattern
The survey also found that dark patterns affect other airlines too, not just IndiGo. Many passengers—around 80%—saw hidden charges, called drip pricing. They appear only at the final booking stage, reported The Free Press Journal. These could be convenience or platform fees on Air India, SpiceJet, or Akasa Air. About 35% of users faced “confirm shaming,” where the app pressured them to buy extras like insurance.
Over half of the respondents reported fake urgency alerts and repeated pop-ups, while 30% noticed “basket sneaking,” where extra services were added without their permission.
Have you also experienced this during air travel? Tell us in the comments!
Also Read: SpiceJet To Add 100 Daily Flights This Winter As Demand Rises And IndiGo Cuts Schedule
Cover Image Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons/ Laurent Errera