The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed a penalty of Rs 1 lakh on SpiceJet for using deceptive "dark patterns" on its flight booking platform, saying the practices undermined consumer choice and informed consent.
In its order issued on Friday, the CCPA identified three dark patterns on the airline's platform: automatic enrolment of users into the SpiceClub Loyalty Programme through a pre-ticked checkbox, presenting the company's preferred option as the default choice, and using a confusing, negatively worded consent request to obtain user approval.
The authority said consumers were automatically enrolled in the loyalty programme through a pre-selected checkbox and were also treated as having consented to receive promotional messages because the default option had already been selected.
It added that even after receiving a notice from the CCPA, SpiceJet replaced the earlier system with another pre-ticked checkbox for promotional messages sent through SMS, WhatsApp and email, continuing the same practice in a different form.
The airline attributed the issue to a technical error, according to the order.
The CCPA said such practices impair consumer autonomy, undermine informed decision-making, and are inconsistent with the principles of fair and transparent consumer engagement.
It said the airline's conduct violated provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, relating to unfair trade practices, unfair contracts and misleading representations.
The authority directed SpiceJet to permanently discontinue default consent practices and reiterated that consumer consent must be explicit, informed, and freely given.
Union Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said the action reinforces that consumer choice must be informed and not manipulated.
Last month, SpiceJet received Rs 150 crore from Indian Bank under the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme as the first tranche of a proposed Rs 500 crore funding package being processed under the government-backed scheme.