This has been going on for decades, remember the European one-way fares of hundreds of pounds compared to the Saturday night returns of perhaps 60 pounds, many of us lived on the Saturday night returns, it wasn't our fault if the airlines pricing was up the creek.
The old cross-channel ferries in the days of duty-free, one-way for a car perhaps £60 and then per person on top of that or a day return for a car and 5 passengers for just £5.
Surely, if something is available for purchase online then we are free to purchase it and should we not travel then the airline save money on fuel, in-flight catering and any already paid taxes.