Even after spending many years in the travel and aviation industry, I my self sometimes struggle to understand airline fare structures especially when it comes to date changes.
For example, on a route such as Kochi–Mle a passenger may be charged more than USD 250 to change a travel date, while at the same time the airline is selling a brand-new ticket on the same flight for only USD 120–180. From a customer’s perspective, that simply does not make sense.
Too often, fare structures appear to be driven by complex pricing systems and rigid rules rather than market realities, customer behavior, and competitor pricing. While revenue management is important, airlines must also apply common sense and maintain a balance between profitability and customer satisfaction.
If someone with years of experience in the industry finds these pricing decisions difficult to understand, imagine how confusing they are for the average passenger. The industry should work towards making fare rules simpler, more transparent, and easier for customers to understand.