Govt moves to rein in airfare hike, fraudulent practices: Adviser

The government has taken a set of firm measures to contain the abnormal rise in airfares and stamp out fraudulent practices in the ticketing sector, Civil Aviation and Tourism Adviser Sheikh Bashir Uddin said today (25 August).

"Whoever is involved in the airfare syndicate will face strict action," he said at a press briefing at the commerce ministry's conference room.

The adviser acknowledged that ticket prices normally fluctuate depending on demand and season. However, he alleged that some unscrupulous businesses had been creating artificial shortages to extract higher fares from passengers. 

"We have already taken action to address such malpractice," he said.

Bashir advised passengers to purchase tickets only from licensed agencies, where the selling price is clearly printed, and urged journalists to play a responsible role in raising public awareness and supporting the government's initiatives.

Responding to a question, the adviser confirmed that legal action had been taken against Flight Expert, an Online Travel Agency (OTA), for its involvement in fraudulent activities.

Civil Aviation and Tourism Secretary Nasrin Jahan, who also spoke at the briefing, said immediate steps, legal amendments, and stronger monitoring mechanisms have already been put in place to ensure transparency in ticket sales. 

"We are beginning to see positive changes following the measures," she noted.

According to the ministry, the measures include the issuance of four directives including mandatory mention of travel agency's name, mobile number and the selling price on every ticket, the formation of a task force, instructions to deputy commissioners to act against unlicensed agencies, refunds of taxes on non-refundable tickets, amendments to relevant laws, and the development of an Online Travel Agency Management System (OTAMS).

Adviser Bashir last evening visited Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) to review the effectiveness of the measures taken to check airfare anomalies and irregularities.

During the visit, he interacted with passengers and listened to their grievances, the ministry said in a press release. He later held a meeting with senior officials of relevant agencies where he emphasized improving the quality of passenger services.

The meeting stressed the need to enhance mobile court operations by deploying additional magistrates, incorporating mobile courts into Civil Aviation Rules, expediting services at the Expatriate Welfare Desk, and addressing manpower shortages at the Airport Armed Police Battalion (APBn).