During the Spring Festival travel period, civil aviation traffic also increased rapidly. According to predictions from the Civil Aviation Administration of China, civil aviation passenger traffic during the Spring Festival this year will reach 80 million, with an average of 2 million passengers per day, which is expected to hit a record high. The strong travel demand also makes some illegal "black ticket agents" ready to take action. Recently, ultra-low discount air tickets have begun to appear frequently on the Internet, so where do these tickets come from? Is it reliable?
Are ultra-low discount tickets reliable? Where did it come from?
The reporter searched for "special air tickets" on the second-hand trading platform and found that some sellers selling special air tickets advertised that the air tickets were "free of infrastructure and fuel fees" and even said they were sold at a 20% discount. So are these ultra-low discount air tickets really a "pie"?
Liu Ting, a staff member of the online travel booking platform: The so-called "no fuel cost" means that this kind of special ticket actually adds the cost of fuel to the ticket price. There are actually many sources of such air tickets. Common methods include low-price tail tickets, mileage redemption tickets and even stolen credit cards. Such air tickets will have problems such as slow ticket issuance and poor cabin class. Not only will the cancellation and change rules be strict, some tickets may even be unable to be issued, causing losses to passengers.
In our country, air ticket agents include online booking platforms and air ticket agents at all levels. Agents can obtain part of the air tickets from airlines for distribution. Generally speaking, the price of air tickets sold by regular air ticket agents is similar to that of online booking platforms, and the price difference will not be too big. Air tickets that are far lower than the market price may be sold by agents who do not have the qualifications to sell tickets, also known as "black ticket agents".
Some "black ticket agents" obtain mileage by stealing other people's miles, purchasing miles from third parties, etc. to redeem air tickets and sell them to other passengers at a higher price. Regarding the buying and selling of mileage points, airlines have a very clear attitude, that is, "any buying and selling of miles is prohibited." Therefore, consumers who purchase such tickets may not be able to board the flight. Another way is through stolen credit cards. Criminals use other people's credit cards to purchase air tickets and resell them to consumers at prices significantly lower than the market price. Once discovered by the credit card holder, the card holder will apply to the bank or airline for a refund and refund of the stolen amount. Consumers who purchase this ticket may eventually be unable to board the flight.
Chen Yinjiang, deputy secretary-general of the Consumer Rights Protection Law Research Association of the China Law Society: After consumers’ rights and interests are harmed, it is often difficult to safeguard their rights. On the other hand, it will also disrupt the normal sales market order of air tickets and affect the healthy development of the industry.
How to identify "black ticket agents"?
"Black ticket agents" refer to institutions or individuals that are not qualified to sell tickets, or agents that use illegal and illegal means to sell tickets. When purchasing tickets from "black ticket agents", consumers not only face financial losses and travel delays, but also risk leaking personal information. So, how to identify "black ticket agents"?
Chen Yinjiang, deputy secretary-general of the Consumer Rights Protection Law Research Association of the China Law Society: You must purchase air tickets through formal channels. For example, you can buy tickets through the airline's official website, or you can buy corresponding ticket products through regular merchants on regular platforms.
In addition, experts suggest that consumers can use multiple channels to compare whether the ticket price is reasonable when purchasing tickets. Tickets adopt a dynamic pricing method, which is affected by many factors such as operating costs, supply and demand, and market competition. It is highly market-oriented and fluctuates greatly. . However, if you purchase tickets for the same flight at the same time, the price difference between different channels will not be too large. There may be risks behind the too-low fare reminder.
If you purchase tickets on a second-hand trading platform, you should postpone the confirmation of receipt. Generally, regular tickets can be issued within a few minutes after purchase, while low-price tickets may be issued slowly or be canceled. If receipt is confirmed immediately after the ticket is issued, the platform will transfer the money to the merchant. Once the ticket is canceled later, it will be very difficult for consumers to apply for a refund. A safer way is to wait until the plane lands before confirming receipt of the goods. During this period, the platform will retain the money. If a dispute occurs, it will be relatively easy for consumers to return the money.
Chen Yinjiang, deputy secretary-general of the Consumer Rights Protection Law Research Association of the China Law Society: If consumers do encounter problems, they must collect relevant evidence in a timely manner and safeguard their legitimate rights and interests in accordance with the law. For example, you can complain to the Consumers Association, or you can complain to the administrative department of civil aviation and ask them to mediate to solve this problem. If the matter cannot be resolved through this kind of mediation, consumers can also apply for arbitration or go to court to safeguard their legitimate rights and interests.
Experts: We should intensify efforts to crack down on “black ticket agents”
In response to the emergence of "black ticket agents", in addition to consumers, experts also suggest that airlines, online trading platforms and regulatory agencies should pay attention to it, take corresponding measures, and intensify the crackdown.
Chen Yinjiang, deputy secretary-general of the Consumer Rights Protection Law Research Association of the China Law Society: I think first of all, airlines and platforms cannot provide corresponding illegal sales or illegal agency channels for such "black ticket agency" institutions. Once he illegally sells this kind of ticket product through your channel, causing damage to the legitimate rights and interests of consumers, the airline may also bear corresponding responsibilities.
In addition, experts also suggest that online trading platforms should also pay enough attention to promptly take measures such as delisting and blocking products sold in violation of laws and regulations, and report to relevant departments to jointly combat this behavior.
Chen Yinjiang, deputy secretary-general of the Consumer Rights Protection Law Research Association of the China Law Society: Regulatory authorities must also intensify efforts to crack down on this kind of behavior, investigate and deal with him accordingly in accordance with the law, and put him on the credit blacklist to make him He will no longer be able to enter this industry to carry out corresponding business in the future, and he will be required to bear corresponding legal responsibilities in accordance with the law.
(CCTV News Client)