Economic advisory council says it will not give up on its fight for lower, transparent airfares
Economic advisory council says it will not give up on its fight for lower, transparent airfares
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FLYERS can rest assured, for the cause of ensuring transparency in airfares is in good hands.
The economic advisory council, set up at the height of the airfare fracas to ensure that consumers don't have to pay through their noses for flights, says its suggestions are not being taken seriously by airlines but it is determined to see its mission through to the end.
The council, comprising representatives of airlines, the Civil Aviation Ministry and consumer bodies, was setup in November when the issue of exorbitant airfares became the focal point and the DGCA and the Ministry decided to intervene.
Since then, the council has been playing a crucial role by way of providing inputs and advice to airlines to ensure transparency in airfares is achieved.
Sudhakar Reddy, Air Passengers Association of India president and a member of the advisory council, said, "None of our suggestions have been taken seriously by the airlines to date. We can advise, but we cannot decide the fares.
The airlines continue to increase fares at the last minute despite our objections." "We will not give up until the fares become more consumer friendly," he added.
MiD DAY impact
Mid Day was the first to report on airfares reaching an all-time high on November 13. We revisited the fares on November 23 and found that they were the same. After the MiD DAY report, the airline regulatory body, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued a circular to all airlines to ensure transparency in the fares. The circular asked the airlines to furnish a copy of the route-wise tariff across its network in various fare categories, in the manner it is offered in the market, to DGCA on the first day of every calendar month. Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel also said that airlines who did not reduce fares will face punitive action.
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