(Yicai) March 15 -- China’s three largest state-owned airlines -- Air China, China Eastern Airlines, and China Southern Airlines -- introduced new consumer protection rules allowing passengers to request a free refund if they find a lower fare for the same ticket within 24 hours of purchase.

The new policy, launched yesterday, allows passengers who buy tickets through the airlines’ official channels to apply for a free refund of their original ticket after purchasing a lower-priced ticket for the same itinerary within 24 hours.

The move is mainly aimed at addressing problems associated with ticket purchases through online travel agency platforms. OTA platforms currently account for more than 70 percent of airline ticket sales, but issues persist, such as agents marking up tickets obtained through points redemptions, using low prices to attract customers, and then profiting by raising change and cancellation fees.

Although regulators explicitly prohibited agents from charging passengers fees beyond the ticket price as early as 2016, such practices have persisted and have not been effectively resolved.

Industry insiders noted that OTA platforms generally rely on spot checks rather than comprehensive supervision of suppliers, which leaves room for violations. Some airlines have asked OTAs to introduce a whitelist system, limit the number of suppliers, or even eliminate the supplier model, but these proposals have not received meaningful responses.

In recent years, the three airlines have also stepped up efforts to strengthen their direct sales channels by expanding exclusive discounts for members, enabling inter-airline ticket sales, and improving the ticket purchasing experience on their apps through enhanced refund policies.

Several airline sales management executives acknowledged that, compared with OTA platforms, the airlines’ official websites and apps still lag in information technology and passenger services. At times, this has even affected basic transaction experiences, highlighting significant room for improvement.

Editor: Emmi Laine