Delta vows not to use AI for personalizing airfare prices

Post by : Monika

Photo: Reuters

Delta Air Lines has told lawmakers in the United States that it will not use new technology to charge people different ticket prices based on personal information. This comes after some U.S. senators sent a letter to Delta, asking if the company was planning to use advanced tools to decide how much people should pay for their flights.

Why Lawmakers Got Involved
Three U.S. senators—Ruben Gallego, Mark Warner, and Richard Blumenthal—were worried. They sent a letter to Delta’s CEO after hearing that some airlines might use personal data, like browsing history or income, to decide flight prices for each person.

They were concerned that airlines might charge people as much as they’re willing to pay, instead of keeping prices fair for everyone. This kind of pricing could especially hurt people who are already struggling with rising travel costs.

The senators feared that people could be charged more just because of who they are or how they use the internet, and that would be unfair.

Delta’s Response: No Personalized Prices
In reply, Delta clearly stated that it does not and will not use any system that sets different prices for different people based on their personal information. The company said:

• It has never used that kind of system.
• It is not testing anything like it.
• It has no plans to use such tools in the future.

Delta promised that all travelers see the same prices at the same time for the same flights. In other words, if two people look at the same flight at the same moment, they will see the same fare, no matter who they are.

Delta’s Long-Time Pricing Practice
Delta also explained that it uses something called “dynamic pricing.” This means that prices can change over time depending on how many seats are left, how close the flight is, and how much demand there is. Airlines have been doing this for many years. But it’s based on general patterns, not individual people.

For example, if a flight is filling up fast, the price might go up. If there’s low demand, the price might stay low. But these changes happen for everyone at the same time. They are not personalized.

New Tech Coming, But Not for Personal Prices
Delta did share that it is working with a tech company called Fetcherr. This company builds tools that help airlines understand market trends. With Fetcherr’s help, Delta will start using a new system for about 20% of its U.S. flight routes by the end of 2025.

• But Delta said this system won’t decide prices based on personal information. Instead, it will be used by Delta’s team to make faster and better decisions about prices. The tool looks at things like:
• Overall market demand
• Fuel costs
• Booking trends
• Route popularity

The system works like a “super helper” for the pricing team. It helps them go through large amounts of data quickly. But it doesn’t know anything about the people buying tickets, and it doesn’t treat anyone differently.

Delta also said it has a “zero tolerance” policy for any tool or method that could lead to unfair pricing based on who someone is.

What Caused All the Concern?
Some of the worry started in December last year when Delta’s president, Glen Hauenstein, made a comment. He said that future technology might help airlines figure out what each person is willing to pay. That raised eyebrows. People began to wonder if Delta would start charging travelers more if they thought someone could afford it.

Although the comment was only about what could be possible someday, many critics, including lawmakers, began to ask serious questions. They wanted clear answers to make sure that kind of pricing wouldn’t happen.

Other Airlines and Lawmakers Are Worried Too
Delta isn’t the only company facing questions about this. Other airline leaders have also shared their concerns. For example, American Airlines’ CEO, Robert Isom, said using personal data to set prices could damage the trust between airlines and customers. He said passengers should never feel like they are being taken advantage of.

In Washington, lawmakers are even working on a new law. Two members of Congress, Greg Casar and Rashida Tlaib, introduced a bill called the “Stop Price Gouging and Wage Fixing Act.” This bill would make it illegal for companies to use advanced tech to set prices or wages based on personal information.

They pointed to reports from the Federal Trade Commission, which said that some companies are already using things like browsing history and online habits to charge customers different prices. These lawmakers want to stop that from happening before it becomes common.

What Delta Is Really Doing with the New Tools
Delta has tried to calm everyone by saying that its new tools won’t change how prices are shown to people. Instead, the system helps Delta:

• Predict which flights will be popular
• Adjust prices depending on timing and demand
• Work more quickly and effectively when setting prices

Delta compared the tool to having an extra smart helper who can handle lots of information at once. This “helper” only looks at general flight information—not anything personal about customers.

The airline also confirmed that it does not share any personal information with Fetcherr or other outside companies helping with pricing tools.

What It Means for People Booking Flights

• For travelers, this means that:
• Everyone will see the same price for a flight at the same time.
• Delta will not change prices based on who you are.
• Your age, job, income, or browsing history won’t affect how much you pay.
• The new tools are meant to improve pricing fairness and speed, not to create secret deals.

As companies around the world begin using new technologies in different ways, there is a growing need to make sure they don’t misuse them. Many people are concerned that personal data might be used to charge people more, especially when they don’t know it’s happening.

Delta’s strong message to lawmakers is an important step. The airline is saying that it wants to use new tools to make things better and faster—but not at the cost of fairness. For now, travelers can feel more confident that the price they see online is the same one everyone else sees too.

This shows that as technology changes, companies must also be careful to protect customer rights. Lawmakers, businesses, and the public will need to keep talking and watching closely to make sure fairness stays a top priority.