Airfare shopping online? How the airlines influence what you see

Over the last 15 years, online travel agencies and fare aggregators have become increasingly popular destinations for travellers by promising the ability to compare airlines' prices in pursuit of the best fare. But what many customers don't know is that depending on the site and the airline, they might not see the cheapest options. It's a state of affairs the online travel industry pins on airlines, which restrict where and how their schedule and fare information is displayed. The Travel Technology Association has gone so far as to call the practice "unfair and anticompetitive" in a consolidated airline industry where 4 carriers control over 80% of domestic traffic. Airlines see the issue differently and argue that they, like any other type of business, have the right to choose whom they partner with when selling their products.<br/>