Airlines charging high fares; regulate them: MPs to Government

New Delhi: A demand to regulate fares charged by airlines was made in Rajya Sabha, with even the Chair joining members to say that the air carriers were selling air tickets at exorbitant rates. Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Rajeev Shukla (Cong) said private airlines were fixing fares "arbitrarily" and their tickets were priced exorbitantly.

An airfare regulatory authority should be set up to regulate the fares charged by private airlines, he said, Accusing the airlines of not passing on the benefit of the slump in jet fuel (ATF) prices to passengers, Shukla said that reduction in prices of ATF, which made up for 33 per cent of the operating cost of an airline, should have translated into lower air ticket prices for the passengers, but has not.

Government, he said, should frame parameters for determining air fares. As several members associated with Shukla on the issue, Deputy Chairman P J Kurien also said it was a "very important issue" which the government should take note of and take some action. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the concerns of the House would be conveyed to the Civil Aviation Minister.