Pluralistic: Disloyalty (07 Oct 2026)

Blog · Watch/Read · (gathered 2026-10-14)

• Cory Doctorow argues that airlines are moving from “second-order” price discrimination (based on purchase circumstances) to “first-order” surveillance pricing, where AI uses personal data to determine the highest price an individual will pay, often penalizing loyal customers.
• This “cod-Marxist dystopia” is facilitated by airlines partnering with surveillance pricing companies and switching frequent flier programs to revenue-based rewards, which forces direct bookings and enables deeper data collection, potentially augmented by data brokers.
• Doctorow illustrates this with his own experience: Air Canada quoted him a 44.8% higher price ($1200 vs. $829) for the same flight when logged in with “Elite” status compared to an anonymous search.
• Practical Takeaway: To avoid being gouged for loyalty, Doctorow recommends booking airline tickets while logged out or in a different browser to secure the lower price, then adding your frequent flier number to the reservation afterward.