| Despite Guv's concern, Airlines continue to loot passengers | | | Ishtiyaq Ahmad
Early Times Report
Srinagar, Mar 9: The airline companies continue to fleece Kashmiris and non-locals who want to travel to the valley despite Governor Satya Pal Malik showing concern.
During Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit, Satya Pal appealed him to direct airlines companies to decrease airfare during winters when Srinagar-Jammu National Highway gets closed.
"During winters the airlines charge Rs 18,000 to each passenger. They exploit Kashmiris when Srinagar-Jammu National Highway remains closed. I appeal you to take measures so that the air companies don't exploit people by increasing airfare," the Governor has said.
There is abrupt increase in airfare when Srinagar-Jammu National Highway remains closed.
However, it seems there are no takers of Governor's words. "I wanted to travel from Delhi to Srinagar on March 12 and the ticket fare is between Rs 12000 to Rs 16000. So I cancelled coming to Kashmir this date," said Kaisar Ahmad, a college student studying in New Delhi. "I decided to come after March 20 and the airfare is still Rs 8000," he said.
Similar complaints are pouring-in from other passengers who said there is no control on airline companies. "Ticket fare from Srinagar to Delhi is Rs 7000 on next Thursday," said Javaid Ahmad, a resident of Habba Kadal.
And in a development that will further dampen the spirits of passengers and local tour operators, the central civil aviation ministry has told Parliament that there is no "provision to control fares".
In a question whether the government will help reduce or waive off its various taxes on air travel during crises, which could eventually lessen airfare, Union minister of aviation Jayant Sinha has said, "There is no such provision.
With the repeal of the Air Corporation Act in March 1994, the provision of airfare approval was dispensed with by the Government. Under the provision of Sub Rule (1) of Rule 135 of the Aircraft Rules, 1937, every air transport undertaking engaged in scheduled air services are required to establish tariff having regard to all relevant factors, including the cost of operation, characteristic of services, reasonable profit and the generally prevailing tariff."
"The fares established by airlines under the provision of Sub Rule (1) of Rule 135 of the Aircraft Rules, 1937 are required to be displayed by the airlines on their websites in compliance of Sub Rule 02 of Rule 135, of the Aircraft Rule, 1937," reads the reply. |
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