Airlines using ‘evil’ algorithms to split up families on flights and force them to pay more are unfair, Business Secretary blasts
Greg Clark lashed out at computer programmes which businesses use to try and squeeze more money out of hard-pressed families travelling together
AIRLINES are using "evil" algorithms to split up families and force them to cough up more money, the Business Secretary has blasted.
Greg Clark lashed out at unfair practices which mean that firms can use computer programmes to find out more information about customers.
And he hinted strongly that ministers would slap more regulation on industries which deliberately rip off customers.
Speaking at a fringe event at the Tory party's conference in Birmingham today, he warned: "It’s not for some individual evil genius, for an algorithm, for a computer programme to know so much about your individual behavior and propensity to withstand the price rises."
And he said authorities were looking into whether it was "fair" to "essentially nudge people to pay more to sit together" on flights.
The Civil Aviation Authority launched an investigation into the "confusing" policies earlier this year - to make sure they are "fair and transparent".
It revealed that more than a third of families are being seated separately, costing passengers up to £400 million a year.
Analysis showed that families travelling with Ryanair had just a one in 17,000 chance of getting seated together on a flight.
The low-cost airline - like many others - charges at least £4 for customers to swap their seats.
Mr Clark today said Britain must continue to be a "beacon" across the world to show other countries what good consumer laws looked like.
And while there were new challenges with new technologies, he wanted Britain to continue to be world-leading in its approach.
Earlier this year ministers passed into law a new energy price cap, which will cut bills for 11million Brits on high-cost standard tariffs when it comes in later this year.
But the Business Secretary warned that might not be the end of the Government stepping in to help hard-pressed Brits.
He refused to rule out taking action to cap bills on internet contracts or mobile phone bills.
On the energy cap, which stopped £1.4billion of overcharging every year, he added :"We had a duty to act and we did. [Businesses] should have believed it."
And he also gave a huge hint that business rates could be reformed to be fairer to struggling high street stores.
He told the audience: "A high street... quite apart from the turnover that it has, I think makes a big contribution to the community, and to villages, towns and cities - and I think some recognition of that is required.
"Business rates will be one way of doing that."
Ministers have been told emergency action is needed in order to save stores as they battle against sky-high business rates and the massive growth of online giants.
Firms have also demanded the hated business rates be slashed to pay for the No Deal Brexit preparations.
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