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AJ Handley-Rowe - 10th November 2021

Trainline and Virgin Atlantic among companies being investigated for ‘misleading’ pricing

Emily Sergeant

A number of companies are currently under investigation for ‘misleading’ pricing practices.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched three new consumer protection investigations into Trainline, Virgin Atlantic, and RED Driving School over concerns that customers were not shown the total price upfront when buying things like train and coach tickets, holidays, or even driving lessons.

The investigations are part of a wider CMA clampdown on misleading pricing practices – in this instance, where mandatory charges are separated from the headline price, or added later in the buying process, which is known as drip pricing.

These practices leave consumers facing ‘unexpected’ costs or having to calculate the so-called true cost themselves.

Such practices can also impact competition between businesses, as a firm using drip pricing may falsely appear to be cheaper than a competitor pricing correctly, and therefore attract more customers.

Train tickets — Trainline and Virgin Atlantic are among the companies being investigated for ‘misleading’ pricing / Credit: Northern | Aric Cheng (via Unsplash)

Trainline and Virgin Atlantic are among the companies being investigated for ‘misleading’ pricing / Credit: Northern | Aric Cheng (via Unsplash)

Trainline is being investigated over whether all mandatory fees have been included in the upfront prices displayed to consumers buying tickets in advance on its app and website, while Virgin Atlantic’s investigation will focus on whether mandatory resort fees and local taxes have been included in the upfront prices shown to customers buying package holidays.

RED Driving School is being investigated over how a mandatory booking fee and ‘digital’ fee have been displayed to people booking driving lessons – specifically whether these fees have been included in the total upfront price.

“At a time when many households are watching every pound they spend, it is important that people are not surprised by extra fees,” commented Emma Cochrane, who is the Executive Director for Consumer Protection at the CMA.

“Clear pricing helps people compare offers confidently and choose the option that works best for them.

“Unexpected mandatory charges make this much harder, which is why the CMA initially put these firms on notice over concerns about their pricing practices and is now opening formal investigations.”

The CMA says it’s at the beginning of its investigations and has reached no conclusions about whether these firms have broken the law.

If it finds there has been an infringement of the law, the CMA can order businesses to pay compensation to affected customers or be charged up to 10% of global turnover.

Featured Image – PNW Productions (via Pexels)

The ENTIRE Manchester Village Pride lineup cost £20k less to book than ONE headliner last year

Daisy Jackson

Manchester Village Pride bosses have shared a stat about the cost of the 2026 lineup

Bosses behind Manchester Village Pride have revealed that the entire lineup has cost significantly less than the amount spent on just one headliner last year.

In a statement promising transparency, organisers said that the entire weekend of artists has cost less than one single headliner from 2025.

And by some margin – £20,000.

The announcement comes less than a year after the previous Manchester Pride organisation entered voluntary liquidation amid rising costs, declining ticket sales and an ‘ambitious refresh’ of the festival format.

That refresh included moving the main music portion of the annual LGBTQ+ celebration away from the Gay Village itself, and over to Depot Mayfield.

The collapse of Manchester Pride followed reports that performers from the 2025 event were still waiting to be paid, with entertainment union Equity later saying its members were more than £70,000 out of pocket.

Manchester Village Pride was subsequently established as a not-for-profit Community Interest Company, with organisers promising a more community-focused approach and greater transparency around finances.

The 2026 event is being delivered with unpaid directors, while organisers have also signed an Equity agreement guaranteeing fair pay and professional standards for performers – the first UK union agreement of its kind for a Pride event.

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A post shared by Manchester Village Pride (@manchestervillagepride)

Performing at Manchester Village Pride this year are major artists like Nadine Coyle, Danny Beard, Gareth Gates, Kate Nash, Cascada, and Rowetta.

They’re joined by a lineup of fantastic home-grown talent, including artists, DJs, and drag queens, taking our city’s Pride celebrations back to their roots, and keeping things firmly in the Gay Village.

In their statement, Manchester Village Pride said: “Transparency time! Booking this entire weekend of fabulous artists cost us £20k UNDER what was spent on a single headliner last year. This is what community Pride looks like!”

Manchester Village Pride will once again take place over the August bank holiday weekend, with the party running for four days from Friday to Monday.

The celebrations will culminate in the moving candlelit vigil in Sackville Gardens.

Ticket prices this year, even with just over a week to go, are only £40 for the full three-day festival, or £25 for one day. Monday will be free to attend.

Featured image: The Manc Group