Wizz Air intentionally misleading its passengers? Hungarian authority investigates
The Hungarian Competition Authority (Gazdasági Versenyhivatal, GVH) started an investigation against the Hungarian low-cost airline because it suspects that the airline misled its customers during the ticket-buying process. GVH believes that Wizz Air directs its customers to charge additional services, Hungarian media outlets said.
Wizz Air in trouble?
According to airportal.hu, GVH issued a statement today saying that Wizz Air probably engaged in misconduct during its ticket purchase process. The budget airline hides crucial information from the customers on its online platforms, GVH believes, to shepherd its customers to services that are charged with extra money.
GVH says that Wizz Air does not make it clear to its passengers that even if they choose the cheapest luggage option, they can add priority service and checked baggage. Furthermore, in the case of more expensive luggage options, the airline misleads its customers by stating that they might become more expensive if they book their seats only during check-in. That is only true in the case of cheaper luggage options.
Furthermore, Wizz Air capacitates its passengers to buy seats for a higher price during the online check-in by misleading terms and additional technical solutions.
Here is the announcement of the Hungarian authority:
Not the first time nor an unprecedented case in the industry
After a complex study conducted last autumn, GVH warned all airlines operating in Hungary to change their practices altering the customers’ intentions by concealed and hard-to-observe measures. They added that provided no change happened they might initiate examinations concerning fair competition rules.
Such practices are becoming more and more popular in Europe. For instance, the European Commission published a paper on the results of a similar examination spanning 25 countries. The aim was to discover the so-called “dark patterns” in online trade. Based on the results, most traders distort customers’ decisions with unfair methods. The language and appearance of their online platforms serve that purpose well, the EC paper added.
It is important to clarify that the investigation of the GVH concerning Wizz Air does not mean that the airlines committed a violation of the law. Instead, the purpose of it is to clear the facts and prove if there was any law-breaking. The GVH has three months to conduct the measure, but that can be prolonged two times by 2-2 months.
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Source: airportal.hu