Since the platform is open, Ctrip Travel Network is again accused of ticket refund costs too high

Absrtact: Since the platform is open, Ctrip travel net is again accused of ticket refund costs too high. July 13, CCTV exposure of Ctrip, the passenger on June 27 to buy Beijing to Qingdao travel package full price ticket, in a later application for a refund found that the total fare is 1057 yuan, was charged

Since the platform is open, Ctrip Travel Network is again accused of ticket refund costs too high.

July 13, CCTV exposure of Ctrip, the passenger on June 27 to buy Beijing fly to Qingdao travel package full price tickets, in a later application for refund found that the total ticket for 1057 Yuan, was charged up to 473 yuan refund fee, only a refund of 584 yuan, refund costs up to the total of 40% more.

And in accordance with the airline full price refund provisions for the Take-off before the refund charge 5%, after Take-off 10% of the fare.

An OTA (online travel website) Industry insiders told reporters that the high refund fee is the industry's unspoken rules, not only Ctrip a home. "' Fare increase + high refund fee ' is now small scale agents on the OTA platform to survive." ”

The trouble with the open platform

Travel package into a product, rather than a single ticket, since it is a product, you do not have to follow the ticket back to sign the rules

This provoked trouble is a travel package of Ctrip.

According to Ctrip's instructions, the travel package includes two kinds: one is "the value 100,000 integral travel coupon one + ticket", the travel coupon may use in the traveling product of Ctrip, according to the payment amount carries on the remission; The second travel package is "Ticket + Travel Coupon (value ￥60), Aviation accident insurance (up to ￥ 1 million), gift Card (￥30) (optional) ", coupons can be used to offset Ctrip prepaid scenic tickets products, but the use of restrictions, can not be at the same time and other concessions to enjoy, etc. Group purchase products and travel holiday products.

However, although the travel package, but in fact the exposure of the ticket is not preferential, or even higher than the official website price. The above occurrence of the ticket refund costs, if the purchase from the airline need 970 yuan, including 860 yuan par price and 110 yuan airport construction fee and fuel surcharge, if the need to refund will be less than 10% of the par price, that is, can return 884 yuan, and this travel package can only get back 584 yuan.

An industry personage said to the reporter, Ctrip's practice has two questions, one is the ticket increases, actually the ticket is 860 yuan, Ctrip is 947 yuan, the second is the high refund expense, the normal airline ticket stipulation Ctrip does not follow.

But the people said, although it looks like two problems, but if the travel coupons are packaged in, the travel package becomes a product, rather than a single ticket, since it is the product, its return to sign and some other provisions are to follow the design of the product line, rather than the return of the ticket to sign the provisions.

At the Ctrip station, random search July 17 Chengdu to Beijing air tickets, search results show that only 2 of the 34 flight information is not a travel package, most of the notes "package refund fees and change fees are based on the travel package price charged 90%; There are no support for change and unsubscribe package instructions. "There is no separate ticket for the return of the signed provisions."

In accordance with Ctrip's response to CCTV, the travel package is stipulated that the plane before Take-off 2 hours before the refund charge for travel package price 30% refund fee, aircraft take-off within 2 hours (including 2 hours) and Take-off after the refund received 40%.

But for the high rate of refund fees, Ctrip response is said to be the ticket agent provisions, and it has nothing to do, Ctrip is not involved in the split.

It is noteworthy that Ctrip's travel package after the product will be labeled "Agent" word, which means that such products are provided by agents, whether it is low fares or high fares Ctrip just participate in the coupons, and not divided.

"Ctrip is also a reliable statement." "An insider said to the reporter," Ctrip on the air ticket complaints are from the open platform to small agents only after. ”

At the end of 2013, Ctrip quietly open the platform, the sale of some travel agency products or air tickets products. Whether the search for tourism products or air tickets products will have "agent" label, consumers can be compared. Ctrip has also said that the future in this flat Taiwanese partners will reach thousands of. and Ctrip and entered the platform to take the cooperation model is "commission model", the collection of products Consignment Commission.

"In fact, Ctrip to take the agency to the airline ticket rebate, the Commission model is so." "So the high refund fee is not for Ctrip," said the person. ”

And to join the platform of small agents let Ctrip management costs increased, prior to April, there have been netizens said that the 1512 Yuan ticket was switched to 840 Yuan ticket, after the verification for the third party ticket generation irregularities caused by, Ctrip also punished.

"No way, Ctrip does not open the platform, always let consumers feel that it is more expensive ticket and travel than where to go, but the open will face such risks." said the person.

Industry unspoken rules

"In fact, this low-cost trap originated from the price platform, where the network and so can not be immune"

However, the Ctrip event is not "lonely", or, in the whole OTA industry, this is the unspoken rules, not ctrip case.

Ctrip is in the travel package to refund the cost increases, and where to go to the network and other OTA platform, it is through the "Machine + Wine" package to achieve. From Beijing to Kunming July 25, July 27 Return of the "Machine Wine free line" products, including the East Airlines round-trip air tickets show, return flight refund provisions for the departure time 7 days before the cancellation of 7 days, 40% refund fee; 7 days to departure 2 hours before Take-off 80% booking fee 2 hours and after Take-off not allowed to refund, and the change is two hours before Take-off 30%, two hours and after the actual nominal price of 50%.

"In fact, this low price trap originated in the comparison platform," said one industry insider. Many air ticket agents on the platform for sales, in order to increase sales and get Airlines Commission rebate, but in many sales agents want to stand out, low price is undoubtedly a good way to attract customers, but low prices behind may be a trap, The cost of a refund is one of the highest. ”

Moreover, the airline's commission gradually reduced, at the beginning of July, the airlines also cut down the commission, for small agents, the day is even more sad. "In the downward trend of commission, do not want to make other remedies difficult to survive, and the use of information asymmetry in the sale of some small means, but also because platform supervision can not be found anywhere, so there are loopholes can be drilled." said the person. "Plus the platform of the click Cost and the other time price war, the agent almost no profit, can only rely on refund fees to make money." Agents even rely on refund rate to make money. ”

According to industry statistics, ticket refund rate is generally below 5%, low prices attract passengers, and then limited to change the sign or refused to return to change the sign to earn a refund fee has become one of the means. Before also exposure to increase sales, bundled sales, and so on ticket irregularities, but with the time and incident heat decline, eventually fell through.

"Now the network is so developed, airlines and agents of the ticket price is so transparent, there is a very low price ticket is unlikely, so at the same time buy a low price ticket must see its provisions limit." One agent said.