- The CMA has launched investigations into Trainline and Virgin Atlantic over drip pricing.
- Trainline added booking fees of £0.59 to £2.79 at later checkout stages.
- Virgin Atlantic is being probed over hidden resort fees in package holidays.
- The CMA issued warning letters to the firms in November 2025.
- Consumers could secure compensation if companies are found to have broken the law.
England’s Competition and Markets Authority has launched formal consumer protection investigations into Trainline, Virgin Atlantic, and RED Driving School over concerns regarding drip pricing practices. The CMA is examining whether these companies failed to include all mandatory fees in their initial headline price, instead revealing them later in the checkout process. Under British law, companies must display the total cost upfront to consumers.
The investigation focuses on specific pricing issues for each firm, with the CMA observing Trainline adding booking fees from £0.59 to £2.79 to train tickets and a £1.50 fee to coach bookings at later stages of transaction. The inquiry into Virgin Atlantic concerns its package holiday business, examining whether upfront vacation prices hid hundreds of pounds in mandatory resort fees and local hotel taxes. RED Driving School is being probed for similarly failing to display total upfront costs for driving lessons.
The CMA previously issued warning letters to these firms in November 2025 and, following continued monitoring, upgraded to a formal investigation. If the companies are found to have broken the law, affected consumers could potentially secure compensation. Trainline and RED have stated they value transparency, while Virgin Atlantic stated they aim to help customers make fully informed decisions.
