How can a return air ticket earn 70,000 "black tickets"?
■ Observer
These "black ticket agents" are not so much the laws of the market as they are for making money through epidemics.
Due to the spread of overseas epidemics, the Civil Aviation Administration of China has recently issued a notice of "one division, one country, one flight per week", and international flights have been significantly reduced. According to Caixin.com, after implementing the new regulations, international flights have been cut by almost 90%. It is difficult to get a ticket for the return route, and the fare naturally rises. Recently, high-priced tickets of tens of thousands or even 100,000 yuan have been repeatedly screened, which has increased the anxiety of foreign students.
According to the Beijing News, ticket prices have risen. In addition to the cost factors of airline companies, there are also some "black ticket agents" looting. They either raise prices illegally on the basis of full-price tickets; or make false reservations by taking advantage of bookings, and then resell seats to foreign students at high prices; Air China's newly adjusted CA988 flight from Los Angeles to Beijing, the full-price ticket for the economy class is 33,600 yuan, and some agents hang out the price of 105,000 yuan.
Ticket agents were originally third-party service agencies for airlines and passengers. In recent months, the aviation industry has suffered huge losses, and the life of ticket agents has indeed been difficult. However, the cold winter in the industry does not mean that it can "break through the bottom line." Some black ticket agents have turned "services" into "scalpers" and disregarded laws and regulations. It was both risky and "self-degrading."
In terms of industry norms, the full price of a ticket is the highest price and the ceiling price. Increasing the price above the full price has never been allowed.
Some people also believe that the current imbalance between the supply and demand of air tickets, relying on market means, the higher the price is understandable. What's more, no matter how high the fare is, it is understandable that one is willing to hit the other.
In fact, air tickets are not "tide shoes", have strong public attributes, and have mature and strict industry regulations. Under the epidemic situation, if individual "black ticket agents" are allowed to drive up ticket prices and engage in competitive sales, it will seriously disrupt the normal market order and social order.
First of all, some "black ticket agents" will deliberately render the situation of foreign epidemics driven by their interests and lead international students from their homes to the airport, which actually increases the risk of infection.
Secondly, in the context of tight air tickets, the reason why these "black ticket substitutes" are able to book tickets is not through service blessings, but through fixed channels. While earning agency commissions from airlines, they also arbitrarily increased fares to passengers. This is not so much to follow the laws of the market as it is to make money through epidemics. For airlines and consumers, it will cause a "lose-lose" situation.
Because of this, combating "black ticket generation" requires the cooperation of airlines and passengers. On the one hand, a reporting mechanism is established, and consumers can report complaints to the airline company once they find violations of fare increases. After verification, the airline company can punish or disqualify the agency according to the contract.
On the other hand, in the next few months, the situation of insufficient supply of air tickets will continue, and airlines may wish to actively expand direct sales channels and reduce unnecessary "intermediaries".
In addition, for international students and parents of foreign students, the feeling of "want to go home at all costs" is not difficult to understand, but still need to weigh various risks rationally, have more confidence in the government of the country where the student is studying, and more determination to isolate themselves at home Use wisdom to improve your ability to live independently. After all, "calmness, rationality, ability to carry things" is also part of growth.
□ Si Ning (media person)