Chaired by MP Derek O'Brien, the committee submitted a report on how to improve consumer satisfaction on airlines.
Airlines must stop charging passengers arbitrarily and the government must fix the upper limit for air tickets for every sector, a parliamentary panel recommended to the Ministry of Civil Aviation on Thursday. The panel further stated that airlines must be restricted to charging not more than 50 percent of the base fare as cancellation charges.
Chaired by MP Derek O'Brien, the committee submitted a report on how to improve consumer satisfaction on airlines. It stated the government should wake up and perform their duties to make air travel an enjoyable experience.
The panel found that that around festivals and for bookings made closer to the date of travel, some airlines charge more than 10 times of the advance booking fare. "This is arbitrary," it observed. "The Ministry of Civil Aviation, though aware of the rampant exploitation, is not showing any proactive role in regulating airfares," the report stated.
The panel recommended the ministry to fix an upper limit for every sector.
Further, the panel found that cancellation charges are arbitrarily set. "Airlines must be restricted to charging not more than 50 per cent of the base fare as cancellation charges," it observed, adding, "The tax and fuel surcharge should be refunded to passengers upon cancellation."
The Committee also recommended that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation conduct periodic checks to ensure that cancellation charges are not a burden on consumers.
The panel also noted that recently, there have been many incidents of manhandling, discourteous and rude behaviour by airline staff — both ground staff and cabin crew. It emphasized that this arrogant behaviour must stop ans suggested the ministry impart soft-skills training and functionality training for all employees; and also formulate guidelines for such training programmes.
Also the committee expressed dismay that the government has adopted open sky policy without laying down necessary guidelines, rules and regulations to control the activities of the airlines. It said this put passengers at the mercy of private airlines for services.
Coming to low cost airlines, the panel stated that passengers face great difficulty in getting water and food, so these airlines should ensure that food is available on demand, especially to those with medical conditions.
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