University of Toronto Scarborough will host The Plumptre Lecture on Nov. 4, featuring Associate Professor Ambarish Chandra and his talk on the economics of skiplagging and airline pricing. The in-person event is open to U of T faculty, staff, students, alumni and community members.
Key facts
- The lecture is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026, from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
- It will take place in Room 308 of the Instructional Centre at 1095 Military Trail on the University of Toronto Scarborough campus.
- Associate Professor Ambarish Chandra is the featured speaker and the recipient of the 2025/26 Wynne and Beryl Plumptre Research Award.
- The talk is titled “The Economics of Skiplagging: Why There Are Obvious Anomalies in Airline Pricing, and What We Should Do About Them.”
- The event is open to U of T faculty, staff, students, alumni and community members.
Who can attend the Plumptre Lecture, and what should they know before going?
The lecture is open in person to University of Toronto faculty, staff, students, alumni and members of the wider community. It runs for one hour on Nov. 4, 2026, at University of Toronto Scarborough, so attendees will need to be on campus during the noon hour to take part.
The program is part of the Streams of Excellence: Decision-Making in Organizations & Markets series. Attendees can use the lecture to hear Chandra discuss why airline fares can produce counterintuitive results, how airlines respond to skiplagging and what those patterns may mean for consumer protection and market regulation.
- When: Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026, 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
- Where: Instructional Centre, Room 308, 1095 Military Trail, University of Toronto Scarborough
- Who: Open to U of T faculty, staff, students, alumni and community members
- Topic: Airline pricing anomalies, skiplagging, airline responses and regulation
What is skiplagging, and why is it part of the lecture?
Skiplagging is central to the lecture because it highlights a pricing pattern in which a return ticket can cost less than a one-way fare, or a multi-leg ticket can be cheaper than the leg a traveller actually wants to fly. Chandra’s talk is set to examine why those anomalies occur and why airlines punish passengers who take advantage of them, even when an empty seat may still reduce the airline’s costs.
How does the lecture fit into the broader research series?
The event is part of the Streams of Excellence: Decision-Making in Organizations & Markets series, linking Chandra’s talk to wider questions about how organizations set prices and respond to consumer behavior. The lecture also sits within the Plumptre Faculty Research Fellowship and showcases research supported by the 2025/26 Wynne and Beryl Plumptre Research Award.
Frequently asked questions
When is The Plumptre Lecture?
The lecture takes place on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026, from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Where is the event being held?
It will be held in Room 308 of the Instructional Centre at 1095 Military Trail on the University of Toronto Scarborough campus.
Who can attend?
The event is open to U of T faculty, staff, students, alumni and community members.
