Airlines Face Crack Down on Use of 'Exploitative' Algorithm That Splits Up Families on Flights

Algorithms used by airlines to split up those travelling together unless they pay more to sit next to each other have been called 'exploitative' by a government minister. From a report: Speaking to a parliamentary communications committee, Digital Minister Margot James described the software as 'a very cynical, exploitative means... to hoodwink the general public.' She added: 'Some airlines have set an algorithm to identify passengers of the same surname travelling together. They've had the temerity to split the passengers up, and when the family want to travel together they are charged more.' It's an issue that will be looked at by the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation, launched by the government this week to identify and address areas where clearer guidelines and regulation are needed in how data is used. Passengers first started noticing they were being split up from their party if they didn't pay more for allocated seating in June 2017, with Ryanair most commonly associated with the practice.

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