Many people value the efficiency and convenience of air travel for summer vacations. However, airfares are not static but are constantly adjusted due to various factors such as market supply and demand, travel time, routes, and airlines. Travelers often compare prices across different channels and platforms in hopes of finding the best value for money.

Recently, on social media platforms, some bloggers have "revealed" to netizens how to search for "employee internal prices" on air tickets. They claim that by simply entering a 5- or 6-digit numeric code into the apps or mini-programs of some online travel agencies (OTAs), one can find "bargain" air tickets. Some of these bloggers even appear in uniforms resembling airline or airport staff.

Within the reporter's search scope, each blogger provided a different "employee code" or so-called "discount code." The reporter entered these numbers one by one into the corresponding OTA platforms and found that the search box automatically displayed terms such as "limited-time flash sale of tickets under 100 yuan," "real-time radar of low-price tickets," "special offers on popular routes under 100-200 yuan," "bug tickets available while supplies last," and "exclusive employee benefits." Clicking on these terms led to special activity pages such as "100-yuan tickets" and "top-secret forms for bug tickets."

After registering as a new user, the reporter received domestic/international flight vouchers or fuel surcharges ranging from 20 to 40 yuan on the aforementioned interface, and also saw a so-called list of discounted airfares. However, when the reporter searched for tickets on the same date and flight through normal means, the prices were identical.

A customer service representative from an OTA platform mentioned by several bloggers responded that they had previously received similar feedback from some users, but the platform had not notified them of any "internal pricing".

Customer service representatives from another frequently mentioned OTA platform also reported that they could not guarantee the rights and interests associated with such activities.

Is the rumored practice of purchasing discounted air tickets with employee passwords reliable? Industry insider Lin Yiyuan (pseudonym) said that, in reality, the so-called "internal passwords" and "employee benefit tickets" are actually a channel-based marketing method used by OTA platforms to attract traffic.

Multiple industry insiders confirmed that the "internal tickets" and "employee tickets" mentioned by these bloggers are essentially just discounted tickets or discounted tickets that can be found through public channels; some OTA platforms want users to have "one-click access" and see small discounts such as coupons and real-time low-price flight information.

Lin Yiyuan: These coupons are genuine and usable, but they generally have usage restrictions, such as limiting travel time and flight routes. They can only be used to offset a portion of the amount and will not change the airline's original base fare.

In other words, even with coupons ranging from 20 to 40 yuan, you should carefully read the rules and restrictions before placing your order. Who determines the airfare prices users see on different channels and platforms? Is there really such a huge price difference as rumored online?

Lin Zhijie, a senior civil aviation professional and a specially appointed expert of the China Air Transport Association, stated that airfares are uniformly set by airlines, whether through their official websites, official apps, online travel agencies (OTAs), or offline agents. Theoretically, prices should be basically the same. While OTAs may sometimes offer small subsidies, discounts of tens or even hundreds of yuan are highly suspicious.

Lin Zhijie specifically reminded passengers that if they encounter abnormally low prices when purchasing tickets, they should be careful, as these may be illegal tickets, and holding such tickets may prevent them from boarding the plane.

Lin Zhijie: Some small OTAs, and even websites that trade goods, don't actually deal in airline tickets, which poses a significant risk. Airlines have also discovered in their daily operations that some agents are illegally selling tickets, actually selling non-compliant tickets to passengers. Passengers should be vigilant when buying tickets and always verify their authenticity by contacting the airline's customer service and calling to inquire whether the ticket is legitimate. (Source: China National Radio)