Regulate Air Fare, Fees & Unruly Staff: MPs Slam Aviation Ministry

Representational image of air planes. 

(Photo: Reuters) 

The parliamentary panel on travel, tourism and culture submitted its action taken report in the Rajya Sabha on Friday, 21 December, criticising the aviation ministry for failing to cap airfares and regulate baggage fees and cancellation charges, reported CNBC TV18.

The MPs also, reportedly, raised the issue of "discourteous and rude airline staff."

According to CNBC, on Thursday, the aviation ministry had told the panel that the airlines are free to fix reasonable tariff and reasonable cancellation charge under the Aircraft Rules 1937.

The panel, however, maintained that the ministry is not serious about limiting the fair surge in airlines.

“The upper cap in airfare in all sectors is the need of the hour and the needs of the people should be given due consideration while regulating airfare and luggage charges.”

The panel’s report.

The panel further claimed that the airlines did not reduce prices even after cut in excise duty, reported CNBC.

“We reiterate our recommendation that airlines must be restricted to charging not more than 50 percent of base fare as cancellation charge. The aviation ministry should prevail upon airline companies to pass on excise cut benefits on ATF (jet fuel) to customers.”

The panel’s report.

(With inputs from CNBC TV 18.)