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Prior research by the authors determined that a number of airlines were using certain design features of websites in order to circumvent European Union legislation regarding optional extras. These airlines were using a new approach, referred to by the authors as a 'must-opt', to offer options to customers. The use of must-opts and other atypical design features not only slowed the transactional process down, but also resulted in stressed and agitated users. This paper seeks: to determine whether these, and other anomalous constructs, are used in industries other than the airline industry; to organise the constructs into a taxonomy; and then to consider some of the more salient issues surrounding the transactional process. Future research will seek to construct a framework, and conduct factor analysis, to determine the nature of the relationships between independent variables, such as industry category and decision constructs, and factors such as ease of use, level of persuasion, clarity, and trust.

a b s t r a c tThe low-cost airlines' adoption of Web technologies to facilitate direct sales has accelerated their market penetration. However, some low-cost carriers are increasingly using Websites to create distance between themselves and their consumers in specific areas of their operations, while simultaneously developing excellence in sales transaction completion via self-service. The 'opaque' practices many low-cost carriers employ appear to be intentional design features and are contrary to the ethos of designing a 'good system' to facilitate the full spectrum of customer service. As a result, the low-cost sector has come under increased scrutiny for engaging in unfair practices and violating consumer protection law.

Low cost carriers (LCCs) market their flights as low cost and so, aim to garner as much additional revenue as possible from ancillary services such as baggage and priority boarding. The airlines therefore encourage purchase of these services by their customers. As a result of this and other practices by airlines, the European Union has introduced legislation to deal with various areas of concern in order to protect the consumer. Airlines have responded to the legal requirement that all optional extras should only presented to the consumer on an 'opt-in' basis by using 'grey' Web design patterns such as the 'must-opt' presentation of optional extras, whereby the user must choose to accept or reject the item before continuing with the interaction. This study examines user perceptions of the level of compliance of two airlines with the relevant European legislation.