During the summer, many parents travel with their children. In accordance with the regulations of the chinese civil aviation authority, children between 2 and 12 years of age are entitled to air tickets, half the cost of fuel and an exemption from airport construction. In practice, however, parents find that children's airline tickets are purchased at higher prices than adult ones (according to the news report of 27 august)。
How can it be more expensive in practice than an adult one, because it is a child-specific preferential ticket? A little insight suggests that behind this phenomenon was a serious disconnect between pricing rules and market development. At present, the rules governing the pricing of airline tickets for children by a number of airlines are in line with the provisions of the chinese civil aviation code for the domestic transport of passengers and luggages, which was introduced in 1996, “for children, 50 per cent of the total adult fares”。
Almost three decades later, with increased competition in the civil aviation market, airlines often introduce 40%, 3% and even lower discounts for adult airline tickets when tickets are purchased late or early. However, subject to the provisions of the above-mentioned rules on children's air tickets, children's air tickets do not enjoy the benefits of adult airline tickets。
On the one hand is the fixed rule that children's airline tickets are set at 50 per cent of the total adult fare, and on the other hand the market reality that the adult fare is less than 50 per cent, and the “backward” phenomenon of the child's airline fare is not only inconsistent with the general perception of consumers, but is far from what the rules were originally designed. Our law on the protection of minors specifies that urban public transport, as well as roads, railways, waterways and passenger air transport, shall be subject to free or preferential fares for minors in accordance with the relevant provisions. The emphasis of the law on “preferentials” is certainly to focus on the benefits of cost reductions rather than on paper preferences and form discounts. Today, however, the delayed pricing rules have made the preference taste different and children have to pay more to “enjoy” the so-called advantages, which are clearly not the effects of the legal protection of the rights of minors。
The rules should not be static, but should evolve over time. When a system is clearly out of step with reality and cannot achieve the goals set, adaptation and optimization are imperative. Indeed, there have been successful precedents in the relevant area — the pricing of child tickets in rail transport, which has changed from a single-based height in the past to a combination of age and height, which is more scientific, rational and equitable。
In the area of aviation, although the system of fares is complex, it is not impossible to solve the problem of “back-to-back” prices. For example, the “full adult fare binding” pricing rules could be broken, linking children's tickets to real-time discounts for adults; or the introduction of exclusive preferential accommodation for children, with “one-size-fits-all” management, allowing parents to benefit directly and explicitly from the benefits. In addition, there is a need to clearly communicate preferential information on the ticketing platform, indicating preferential options for children, and to avoid parents being misinformed. These initiatives are aimed at keeping the rules out of the delayed framework and returning to the original preference。
A child's ticket, which touches on the travel experience of millions of families, is a test of society's temperature and policy sincerity. The preferential policy for children in public transport should never be a paper-based benefit, but rather a national priority for the rights and interests of minors and a commitment to the care of children. The rule of delay must not be allowed to become a “roadblock” for the implementation of the preferential policy for child airline tickets, let alone “screw” the goodwill of the law in reality. It was to be hoped that the relevant departments and airlines would work together to develop a more rational pricing model that would make it possible for the child's airline ticket preferences to reach the original purpose of the rule and better reflect the care and protection of the child。
