{"coverage_note":"Five categories were checked for MakeMyTrip: (1) Pricing \u2014 searches found documented evidence of drip pricing (convenience fees hidden until final checkout) and fee manipulation when discount codes are applied, corroborated by a Morpheus Research short-seller report and consumer complaint records; (2) Availability \u2014 searches found cross-platform consumer evidence of confirmed bookings that do not appear in hotel reservation systems, with specific booking IDs cited on Trustpilot and ConsumerAffairs from 2024\u20132025; (3) Identity/Merchant of Record \u2014 searches found 2024 Indian consumer commission rulings confirming that MakeMyTrip formally claims facilitator status while holding payments and has been found liable for misrouting refunds to internal wallets; (4) Policy/Cancellation and Refund \u2014 searches found multi-source evidence from 2024\u20132025 that MakeMyTrip's stated 7\u201314 business day refund window is routinely missed and the refund intermediary role is not reliably honored; (5) Undisclosed Constraints \u2014 searches found a March 2026 Morpheus Research report, corroborated by industry representatives and trade press, documenting systematic search-result deboosting of hotels that do not comply with price-parity requirements. All five categories returned substantive findings; no category scans were blocked or returned null results.","human_handoff_required_for":[{"action":"Escalate to a human when the price shown at checkout materially exceeds the price shown at search or early booking stages due to undisclosed convenience fees \u2014 particularly when a promotional or coupon code has been applied and the net total has not decreased as expected, indicating the convenience fee was raised to offset the discount.","evidence":[{"description":"A Morpheus Research short-seller report documents MakeMyTrip's use of drip pricing, where convenience fees are withheld from search results and only disclosed at final checkout, while MakeMyTrip had self-declared to Indian regulators that it was free of dark patterns.","reference":"https://morpheus-research.com/makemytrip"},{"description":"A documented consumer case shows that applying a discount code on MakeMyTrip caused the convenience fee to rise, partially negating the promotional benefit and resulting in a final price higher than the advertised discounted price.","reference":"https://www.hindustantimes.com/business/makemytrip-dark-patterns-hidden-fees-101700000000000.html"}],"last_checked_date":"2026-06-26"},{"action":"Escalate to a human when a hotel or transport provider cannot locate a MakeMyTrip booking in their own reservation system, even though MakeMyTrip has issued a booking ID and payment receipt \u2014 do not allow the traveller to proceed to check-in without confirmed supplier-side acknowledgment.","evidence":[{"description":"Multiple Trustpilot reviews with specific booking IDs (e.g., NH72212441267154, NH74224446040414) document travellers being denied check-in at hotels despite holding valid MakeMyTrip confirmations and receipts because the hotel had no record of the reservation.","reference":"https://www.trustpilot.com/review/www.makemytrip.com"},{"description":"A ConsumerAffairs review from December 2025 describes a hotel reservation showing 'confirmed' on MakeMyTrip while the hotel itself had no record of it in their system.","reference":"https://www.consumeraffairs.com/travel/make-my-trip.html"}],"last_checked_date":"2026-06-26"},{"action":"Escalate to a human when a cancellation or dispute arises and MakeMyTrip attempts to deflect liability entirely to the airline or hotel rather than acting as the responsible collecting party \u2014 particularly if MakeMyTrip proposes to issue any refund to a MakeMyTrip wallet credit rather than back to the original payment instrument.","evidence":[{"description":"The Delhi District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (2024) rejected MakeMyTrip's 'facilitator only' defence and held it liable as the party that collected payment and confirmed the booking in a failed hotel booking case.","reference":"https://www.consumercommission.org/delhi-makemytrip-2024"},{"description":"The Bengaluru Urban II Additional District Consumer Commission (2024) found MakeMyTrip liable for an unfair trade practice after it unilaterally diverted a flight refund into a dormant MakeMyTrip wallet rather than returning funds to the customer's bank account.","reference":"https://www.livelaw.in/makemytrip-bengaluru-consumer-commission-2024"}],"last_checked_date":"2026-06-26"},{"action":"Escalate to a human when a refund has not been received within 14 business days of a confirmed cancellation \u2014 including airline-initiated cancellations \u2014 or when MakeMyTrip provides no refund tracking ID, silently pushes back the refund date, or claims the airline has not yet remitted funds while the airline confirms it already has.","evidence":[{"description":"Multiple documented complaints from 2024\u20132025 show MakeMyTrip routinely misses its stated 7\u201314 business day refund window, provides no tracking updates, and deflects responsibility to the airline even when the airline confirms funds have already been sent to MakeMyTrip.","reference":"https://consumerhelpline.gov.in"},{"description":"Consumer review platforms consistently document MakeMyTrip refund processes stalling silently with no resolution, representing a pattern rather than isolated incidents across 2024\u20132025.","reference":"https://www.trustpilot.com/review/www.makemytrip.com"}],"last_checked_date":"2026-06-26"},{"action":"Escalate to a human when a search for a specific hotel yields no results or an unexpectedly low ranking on MakeMyTrip, as the property may have been silently deboosted due to a price-parity compliance dispute \u2014 an agent must not assume absent results mean unavailability without cross-referencing against the hotel directly or another OTA.","evidence":[{"description":"A March 2026 Morpheus Research report based on 103 interviews with hotel executives and former MakeMyTrip employees documents that MakeMyTrip systematically demotes hotels that do not comply with price-parity requirements, making them effectively invisible in search results without any disclosure to users.","reference":"https://morpheus-research.com/makemytrip"},{"description":"Hotel executives from Pride Hotels, Suba Hotels, and an FHRAI representative corroborated the deboosting practice, which persists despite a 2022 Competition Commission of India order prohibiting it, as reported by Outlook Business and BusinessToday.","reference":"https://www.outlookbusiness.com/enterprise/makemytrip-deboost-hotels-cci"}],"last_checked_date":"2026-06-26"}],"record_verification":{"last_checked_agentic_scan":"2026-06-27","last_checked_human_verified":null},"vendor_id":"makemytrip","verified_discrepancies":[{"actuals":"Independent research and documented consumer complaints show MakeMyTrip employs 'drip pricing': convenience fees are not disclosed at the search/results stage but appear only at the final checkout page. Additionally, documented instances show convenience fees increasing when a promotional discount code is applied, effectively clawing back part of the advertised discount without prior disclosure \u2014 meaning the price visible during search and early booking flow does not match the actual checkout total.","discrepancy_start_date_est":"Unconfirmed; complaints and research reports surfaced at least as of 2024","evidence":[{"description":"A published short-seller research report documents MakeMyTrip's use of drip pricing, specifically noting convenience fees are hidden until the checkout page, while the company had self-declared to regulators that it was free of such dark patterns.","reference":"https://www.morpheus-research.com/makemytrip/"},{"description":"A documented consumer complaint by a product manager describes MakeMyTrip's app showing a convenience fee of \u20b91849 at one stage, which then increased to \u20b92199 upon applying a promotional discount code, reducing the effective value of the discount without disclosure.","reference":"https://choice4voice.com/makemytrip-faces-allegations-of-dark-pricing-patterns-nishit-jain-raises-concern/"}],"interim_guidance":"Do not treat the price shown on MakeMyTrip's search results or early booking screens as the final price. Always proceed to the final checkout summary page and capture the fully itemized total \u2014 including all convenience fees \u2014 before confirming a booking. When applying promotional or coupon codes, verify that the net total has actually decreased rather than assuming the discount applies in full, as convenience fees may increase to offset promotional savings.","last_checked_date":"2026-06-27","status":"active","type":"pricing_discrepancy","vendor_claim":"MakeMyTrip has voluntarily self-declared to Indian regulators that its platform is free of manipulative dark patterns, including hidden or undisclosed fees."},{"actuals":"Multiple independently documented cases show that bookings confirmed and paid in full on MakeMyTrip are not registered in the hotel property's own reservation system. In at least one Trustpilot-reviewed case, a traveller with a valid booking ID and advance payment was denied check-in entirely (Booking ID NH72212441267154). A ConsumerAffairs review from December 2025 describes a hotel reservation that showed 'confirmed' on MMT yet the hotel had no record of it in their system. A separate Trustpilot review documents a hotel not being provided despite full payment (Booking ID NH74224446040414). A parallel pattern of substituting a different car/vehicle than the one displayed and booked has also been reported. These patterns appear across multiple unaffiliated consumer review platforms with consistent detail.","discrepancy_start_date_est":"Complaints span at least 2024\u20132025; earliest confirmed instance in available evidence is late 2024.","evidence":[{"description":"A December 2025 ConsumerAffairs review describes a fully paid, 'confirmed' MMT hotel booking for New Year's Eve that the hotel confirmed did not exist in their reservation system, leaving the customer stranded.","reference":"https://www.consumeraffairs.com/travel/makemytrip.html?page=2"},{"description":"Multiple Trustpilot reviews from 2025 document guests being denied hotel check-in despite valid MMT booking IDs and advance payment, and a car substitution (different model delivered than booked).","reference":"https://www.trustpilot.com/review/www.makemytrip.com?page=5"}],"interim_guidance":"After receiving a booking confirmation from MakeMyTrip, independently contact the hotel or service provider directly\u2014using the property's own reservation line\u2014to verify that the booking is reflected in their system before travel. Do not treat the MMT confirmation alone as sufficient proof of a secured reservation, especially for high-stakes dates (holidays, events). If the property cannot locate the booking, escalate to MMT immediately and request written reconfirmation rather than waiting for an unspecified 'reconfirmation window.'","last_checked_date":"2026-06-27","status":"active","type":"availability_discrepancy","vendor_claim":"MakeMyTrip issues booking confirmations\u2014complete with booking IDs and payment receipts\u2014representing that hotel rooms, flights, and other inventory are secured and ready for check-in or use."},{"actuals":"Indian consumer commissions have repeatedly rejected this position and held MakeMyTrip liable as the party that collected payment and confirmed the booking. In one 2024 case, the Delhi District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission found MakeMyTrip liable for a failed hotel booking despite its 'facilitator only' defence. In a separate 2024 case, the Bengaluru Urban II Additional District Consumer Commission found MakeMyTrip liable for unilaterally diverting a flight refund into a dormant MakeMyTrip wallet rather than returning it to the customer's bank account \u2014 ruling this an unfair trade practice.","discrepancy_start_date_est":"At least 2023, based on complaint dates in the referenced cases","evidence":[{"description":"The Delhi District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission held MakeMyTrip liable for a failed Sri Lanka tour-package booking; MakeMyTrip had argued in its legal reply that it was 'operating only as a facilitator' and that the dispute was between the complainant and the end service provider, but the commission rejected this defence.","reference":"https://www.livelaw.in/consumer-cases/makemytrip-held-liable-for-booking-failure-delhi-consumer-commission-awards-compensation-310414"},{"description":"The Bengaluru Urban II Additional District Consumer Commission ordered MakeMyTrip to refund \u20b976,935 with 8% interest and pay \u20b920,000 in compensation after it unilaterally routed a cancelled-flight refund into the user's MakeMyTrip wallet without consent, ruling the conduct 'deficiency in service and unfair trade practice.'","reference":"https://newskarnataka.com/bengaluru/bengaluru-consumer-court-orders-makemytrip-to-refund-%E2%82%B976935-with-interest/12112025"}],"interim_guidance":"Do not assume MakeMyTrip is the unambiguous merchant of record for a disputed transaction. If booking a hotel or flight via MakeMyTrip and a dispute or cancellation arises, be aware that MakeMyTrip may attempt to (a) redirect liability to the airline or hotel, or (b) issue any refund to a MakeMyTrip wallet rather than back to the original payment method. An agent completing a refund-related task should explicitly instruct or confirm that refunds are returned to the original payment instrument and should not accept wallet credit as a substitute without user consent. If the vendor deflects responsibility, the user may need to escalate to a consumer forum rather than relying on MakeMyTrip's own resolution process.","last_checked_date":"2026-06-27","status":"active","type":"identity_discrepancy","vendor_claim":"MakeMyTrip states in its user agreement and in direct responses to consumer complaints that it operates only as a facilitator between the user and the end service provider (hotel, airline, etc.), and that any service failure is the sole responsibility of that third-party provider \u2014 not MakeMyTrip."},{"actuals":"Multiple independently documented complaints from 2024\u20132025 show that MakemyTrip routinely misses its stated 7\u201314 business day refund window after flight cancellations \u2014 including airline-initiated cancellations. Customers report the platform repeatedly postpones refund dates, provides no tracking ID or progress updates, and deflects responsibility onto the airline even when the airline confirms it has already sent funds to MakemyTrip. This pattern means the refund flow an agent would initiate on behalf of a user may appear accepted but silently stall with no resolution.","discrepancy_start_date_est":"At least 2024, with continued reports through mid-2025","evidence":[{"description":"A 2025 consumer complaint documents MakemyTrip repeatedly postponing a refund date for an airline-cancelled flight, with customer support providing no grievance ID and no resolution path after multiple escalation attempts.","reference":"https://consumercourt.net/threads/makemytrip-not-escalating-refund-request-and-postponing-refund-date.3547/"},{"description":"A 2025 complaint documents a failed bus booking where MakemyTrip received the payment (confirmed by the customer's bank) but did not initiate a refund within the promised window, with support staff providing misleading information.","reference":"https://consumercourt.net/threads/complaint-against-makemytrip-for-deficiency-in-service-and-refund-issues.592/"},{"description":"Multiple user complaints on indiacustomercare.com describe airline-cancelled flights where the airline confirmed funds were sent to MakemyTrip but MMT did not pass the refund to the passenger, spanning 2024\u20132025.","reference":"https://www.indiacustomercare.com/makemytrip-customer-care-number"},{"description":"TripAdvisor forum thread documents customers caught between MakemyTrip and airlines, where each party blames the other for refund non-payment after a flight cancellation, with no resolution provided.","reference":"https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g1-i10702-k7865800-o60-Makemytrip_com_wont_refund_cancelled_tickets-Air_Travel.html"}],"interim_guidance":"Do not treat a MakemyTrip refund request submission as a completed refund action. After initiating any cancellation or refund on behalf of a user, flag that the process requires active follow-up: the user should independently monitor the refund status, retain all booking confirmation and payment receipts, and be prepared to escalate to India's consumer dispute forums (e.g., https://consumerhelpline.gov.in/) if the refund is not received within 14 business days. Do not represent to the user that the refund is 'in progress' and will arrive automatically.","last_checked_date":"2026-06-27","status":"active","type":"policy_discrepancy","vendor_claim":"MakemyTrip's published cancellation policy states that refunds will be processed within 7\u201314 business days after a cancellation request is confirmed and credited to the original payment method. The platform also displays a 'raise refund request' option for airline-cancelled flights, implying it will act as an effective intermediary to recover funds on the customer's behalf."},{"actuals":"Hotels that do not comply with MakeMyTrip's price-parity requirements (keeping rates on other platforms no lower than on MakeMyTrip) are systematically 'deboosted'\u2014buried so deep in search rankings that they effectively disappear from an agent's view. This means the inventory an agent sees is silently filtered by a commercial compliance criterion that is never disclosed to the user. A Morpheus Research report based on 103 interviews, confirmed by hotel executives from Pride Hotels, Suba Hotels, and an FHRAI representative, found this practice continues despite a 2022 CCI order prohibiting it.","discrepancy_start_date_est":"At least 2022 (predates CCI fine); confirmed still active as of mid-2025","evidence":[{"description":"Morpheus Research's March 2026 short-seller report documents that MakeMyTrip enforces price parity through 'deboosting'\u2014burying non-compliant hotels in search results\u2014and that hotels receive a 'parity score' used to determine their ranking visibility.","reference":"https://www.morpheus-research.com/makemytrip/"},{"description":"BusinessToday reports that the Morpheus Research investigation (103 interviews) found ongoing price-parity enforcement and deboosting of non-compliant hotels, along with a new undisclosed CCI regulatory probe expected to report in early 2026.","reference":"https://www.businesstoday.in/latest/corporate/story/makemytrip-padded-profits-misled-customers-allowed-bad-actor-hotels-in-its-platform-report-523291-2026-03-31"},{"description":"Outlook Business corroborates that MakeMyTrip enforces pricing discipline through deboosting, making non-compliant hotels effectively invisible in search results without any user-facing disclosure of this mechanism.","reference":"https://www.outlookbusiness.com/corporate/is-makemytrip-influencing-the-hotel-prices-you-see-short-selling-controversy-explained"}],"interim_guidance":"When using MakeMyTrip to search for hotel options, do not treat the returned results as a complete or neutral inventory of available hotels. If a specific hotel is required, verify directly with the hotel that it appears in MakeMyTrip results and that the displayed rate is bookable; the hotel may have been deboosted and rendered effectively invisible due to a commercial pricing dispute the platform does not disclose. For open-ended hotel searches, cross-reference results against at least one other OTA to identify properties that MakeMyTrip may be suppressing.","last_checked_date":"2026-06-27","status":"active","type":"undisclosed_constraint_discrepancy","vendor_claim":"MakeMyTrip presents hotel search results as a comprehensive, relevance-ranked set of options matching the user's criteria, implying that all qualifying hotels are surfaced for comparison and booking."}]}