Story perspectives

CMA opens drip-pricing probes into Trainline, Virgin Atlantic

8/20/2026

Summary

Story summary

The Competition and Markets Authority opened investigations into Trainline, Virgin Atlantic and RED Driving School for drip-pricing.
The probe alleges Trainline omitted £0.59-£2.79 fees and a £1.50 coach charge, while Virgin Atlantic concealed resort fees and taxes.
If violations are proven, the CMA can order consumer compensation and fines up to 10% of global turnover.

History

Historical Context

After the FTC forced American, United and Delta to refund 12 million customers and pay a $150 million penalty for $2.5 billion hidden fees in 1995, regulators worldwide kept targeting opaque surcharges. Britain’s Office of Fair Trading fined British Airways £121.5 million for fuel-surcharge collusion in 2007, and Australia’s ACCC imposed similar cargo-surcharge penalties in the 2000s, establishing a pattern of strict enforcement against deceptive pricing.

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Story summary

The Competition and Markets Authority opened investigations into Trainline, Virgin Atlantic and RED Driving School for drip-pricing.
The probe alleges Trainline omitted £0.59-£2.79 fees and a £1.50 coach charge, while Virgin Atlantic concealed resort fees and taxes.
If violations are proven, the CMA can order consumer compensation and fines up to 10% of global turnover.

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