Asks airlines to refrain from exploitative fares, sets up control room to assist stranded passengers
After four days of flight disruptions due to the volcanic eruption in Iceland, and over 40,000 passengers being affected, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MCA) on Monday issued an advisory asking Indian passengers to defer air travel to Europe.
A statement by the ministry said, “The Ministry wishes to advise all passengers to postpone their travel plans particularly to destinations in Europe unless it is for emergent purposes and absolutely necessary.” The government has also requested airlines to not resort to ‘exploitative’ fares by overcharging stranded passengers or those who are transferred from one carrier to another.
It has set up a control room to liaison with the Ministry of External Affairs, Directorate General of Civil Aviation, and airline operators to assist 41,435 passengers affected since services to Europe and America came to a complete halt due to the volcanic pall last week.
Of the total number of passengers stuck at various airports, 15,000 were Air India passengers, 5,000 Jet Airways fliers and the rest were from other international carriers.
“No immediate relief is in sight,” M Madhavan Nambiar, joint secretary, civil aviation, told reporters on Monday.
Nambiar said Air India and Jet Airways had re-routed flights to the United States via Athens in Greece and Cairo in Egypt.
“The government is in talks with Greece to grant ‘third and fourth freedom’ rights to Indian passengers to disembark at Athens and take another flight or train to Europe,” he said. The government also asked airlines to compensate stranded passengers.
A Jet Airways spokeswoman said her airline was already refunding fares to those cancelling tickets.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}