With today’s technological advancements, many airlines have evolved their revenue management strategies to consider various real-time measures to deliver ‘personalised’ pricing. This is referred to as dynamic pricing.
This dynamic pricing technique means that airline fares which you see online can change in real-time based on data such as customer booking patterns, competitor pricing, demand and even upcoming weather conditions.
While airlines argue that this kind of pricing allows them to be more competitive, many customers report feeling uncomfortable knowing that different customers are seeing different pricing for the same ticket. They claim that it makes them suspicious when they see fluctuations in pricing when planning/researching for a trip.
If this also makes you uncomfortable, there are a few tricks that can help you avoid dynamic pricing:
- Clear your cookies before booking or browsing airline fares.
- Use a different computer/device when placing your booking.
- Use a different browser (SAFARI may suggest you are a more affluent Apple user).
- Use Incognito mode or a VPN and vary the countries each time.
- Do not enter your airline membership details until after the ticket is purchased.