Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Mar 17: The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCC&I) today expressed its concerns over the exorbitant airfares, which it said were affecting the tourism sector in J&K while seeking the implementation of the recommendations made by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the matter.
“Uncertain exorbitant airfares have been adversely affecting the tourist business of J&K and the travel movement of sick, aged, students and businessmen,” KCC&I said.
It said that the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture, having taken the stock of the situation emerging out of an irrational mechanism adopted by some operators in league with some airlines manipulating the airfare, has made the appropriate recommendations which have not been implemented for the betterment of the sector.
KCC&I, while quoting the recommendations of the committee said: “The Committee recommends that there should be a mechanism with the Ministry such as capping of upper and lower prices to stop the practice of ‘predatory pricing’ or the sudden surge in prices even though price buckets are being created as per international aviation norms, a close watch has to be maintained by the DGCA & the Ministry and a mechanism should be devised to monitor the websites of various airlines to prevent them from misguiding passengers.”
The panel, as per the KCC&I also said that in case private airlines do not publish the correct information regarding fares, they should be penalized for it.
Further, the KCC&I said that panel also stated that the Ministry of Civil Aviation has a responsibility to the travelling public and the nation at large to ensure that predatory pricing mechanisms are not adopted by the airlines under the cloak of the free market economy. “The committee recommends the ministry should formulate a pricing mechanism for airfares to ensure that passengers are not charged exorbitant prices.”
The trade body has urged the Minister of Home Affairs, the Union Minister for Civil Aviation Government of India and also the Director General, Civil Aviation to ensure implementation of the recommendation made by the Committee in letter and spirit without fail and any further delay.
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