I think it's tolerated because each single customer, with exceptions like the OP who play the system at it's own game, feel they are alone and it's them in a period of stress trying to secure tickets to a destination on a given date. When the price goes up on re-looking due to the cookies on said website alerting the airline that you're interested, said customer presses the buy button because they feel that if not they will lose said flights on said day OR the price will continue to rise. A sort of localised panic ensues. It IS blatant manipulation by the airline's algorithm but as long as dynamic pricing models exist in the industry, it will happen. Perhaps a class-action lawsuit will bring about change, but I won't hold my breath.