Central Idea

Due to complaints of deceptive practices by airlines and online travel agents, the Indian Ministry of Civil Aviation has urged IndiGo to fix its website, which a government official termed a Dark Pattern “cybercrime.”

“Dark Patterns” in Airline Practices

Deceptive Techniques: Airlines and online portals have been accused of employing “dark patterns” in their user interfaces, which manipulate consumers into purchasing products they did not intend to buy.
Consumer Affairs Secretary’s Stance: The Consumer Affairs Secretary, Rohit Kumar Singh, defines “dark patterns” as tactics nudging consumers into unintended purchases, constituting unfair trading practices and possibly cybercrimes.
Pervasive Issue: Approximately 10,000 complaints related to these practices have been lodged with the Ministry via the National Consumers Helpline over the past eight to nine months.

IndiGo’s Practice: IndiGo Airlines, for instance, employs a tactic known as “false urgency,” creating a sense of urgency by implying that consumers must pay an extra fee (₹99 to ₹1,500) for seat selection during booking, portraying all free seats as unavailable.
Transparency Issue: Passengers are not adequately informed that they will be auto-assigned free seats if they choose not to pay the extra fee.
Obfuscation: The “skip” option, although present, is inconspicuously located, demonstrating “interface interference.”

SpiceJet’s Pressure for Insurance: SpiceJet’s website pressures passengers to purchase travel insurance by using alarming phrases like “I will risk my trip” if they opt out, playing on passengers’ fears.
“Basket Sneaking” by MakeMyTrip: MakeMyTrip adds a convenience fee when customers reach the payment gateway after booking, a practice known as “basket sneaking.”

Ministry of Consumer Affairs Guidelines: These dark patterns have been defined in the draft guidelines released by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs in September.
DGCA’s Stance: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) permits “unbundling” airfares but emphasizes that these services must be offered on an “opt-in” basis, with clear descriptions without ambiguity.
Parliamentary Committee Report: A parliamentary committee report urges transparency in seat-wise airfares, fair pricing mechanisms to ensure reasonable profit margins, and effective grievance redressal mechanisms.

The crackdown on deceptive airline practices by the Indian Ministry of Civil Aviation signifies a push for transparency and fairness in the airline industry.
The rise of “dark patterns” and other misleading tactics in online booking processes has raised concerns about consumer exploitation and cybercrimes.
As the government takes action to address these issues, passengers may expect a more equitable and transparent air travel experience in the future.

India’s Draft Guidelines on Dark Patterns