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Passages

(1,430 posts) Sun Oct 20, 2024, 09:23 AM Oct 20

'Turbocharging fraud': The FTC Chair warns US airlines could eventually 'charge you more' if they know you're attending

‘Turbocharging fraud’: The FTC Chair warns US airlines could eventually ‘charge you more’ if they know you’re attending a funeral — here’s how

Lou Carlozo
Updated Oct 18, 2024

If you're still worried about AI taking your job, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chair has news for you: it could also be used as a tool to take your money from you.

If this sounds like some rejected subplot from a dystopian sci-fi novel, think again. FTC Chair Lina Khan has warned the public about the perils of customer data being leveraged for possible “surveillance pricing.”

During the 2024 Fast Company Innovation Festival in September, Khan used the example of a passenger being charged more money for an airline ticket “because the company knows that they just had a death in the family and need to fly across the country.”

As of now, no airline carrier has either implemented or been investigated for this practice. However, could Khan’s prediction become a reality?
https://moneywise.com/news/news/ftc-chair-warns-airlines-could-eventually-charge-you-more-if-they-know-youre-attending-a-funeral

9 replies

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Highlight:

'Turbocharging fraud': The FTC Chair warns US airlines could eventually 'charge you more' if they know you're attending (Original Post) Passages Oct 20 OP

And if trump gets in, we'll be talking about the Law of Large Numbers when it comes to funerals. Turbineguy Oct 20 #1

I'm sure weddings will also be targeted, like how anything wedding has a 3x multiplier. TheBlackAdder Oct 20 #2

And to think that several decades ago PoindexterOglethorpe Oct 20 #3

In 2010 I had had to fly because of death in the family. Igel Oct 21 #8

I am so sorry about your father, PoindexterOglethorpe Oct 21 #9

Bereavement Fares: 5 Airlines That Still Offer Discounts (USNews) eppur_se_muova Oct 20 #4

Thank you! Passages Oct 20 #6

Truism bigmonk Oct 20 #5

Absolutely. dalton99a Oct 20 #7

Turbineguy

(38,505 posts)

1. And if trump gets in, we'll be talking about the Law of Large Numbers when it comes to funerals.

Reply to Passages (Original post)

Sun Oct 20, 2024, 09:25 AM

Oct 20

TheBlackAdder

(29,021 posts)

2. I'm sure weddings will also be targeted, like how anything wedding has a 3x multiplier.

Reply to Passages (Original post)

Sun Oct 20, 2024, 09:42 AM

Oct 20

PoindexterOglethorpe

(26,845 posts)

3. And to think that several decades ago

Reply to Passages (Original post)

Sun Oct 20, 2024, 09:48 AM

Oct 20

airlines would actually give you a discount if you provided the name of the funeral home involved.

That did abruptly change between 2003 and 2005. At least in 2003 we got a discount to attend a funeral, none two years later.

Igel

(36,230 posts)

8. In 2010 I had had to fly because of death in the family.

Reply to PoindexterOglethorpe (Reply #3)

Mon Oct 21, 2024, 06:47 PM

Oct 21

I got a discount on the round trip.

Booked the flight Saturday night at 8 or 9 pm for 9 am the next day.

My father committed suicide, I knew I was executor of the will and that my mother had moderate to severe front-temporal dementia. Didn't need to include any of that information. "Sudden and unexpected death" was enough.

Had no problem extending my return flight--with no additional fees--because it took longer to deal with will, trust, and custodianship/guardianship issues than expected.

But I did have to provide some proof and the discount was retrospective.

PoindexterOglethorpe

(26,845 posts)

9. I am so sorry about your father,

Reply to Igel (Reply #8)

Mon Oct 21, 2024, 06:56 PM

Oct 21

but immensely glad to hear you got a funeral discount.

eppur_se_muova

(37,665 posts)

4. Bereavement Fares: 5 Airlines That Still Offer Discounts (USNews)

Reply to Passages (Original post)

Sun Oct 20, 2024, 09:49 AM

Oct 20

By Erin Vasta
Feb. 1, 2024, at 4:00 p.m.

https://travel.usnews.com/features/bereavement-flights

(When I posted this earlier, most of the text was deleted ! Very discouraging.)