EU investigates airline ticket prices offered online

Airline Industry Information, Dec 19, 2003

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The European Union is to investigate airline sales of tickets over the Internet after several hundred passenger complaints were submitted to the European Commission.

The complainants objected to being charged different prices for the same ticket, depending on where they lived. According to the Commission the difference in ticket prices online can be as high as 300% and the differential appears to be exclusively based on the buyer's country of residence.

The Commission has written to the Association of European Airlines, which represents most major European carriers, to ask for an explanation of the practice. The airlines have until 29 February 2004 to respond, reported The Associated Press.

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