Govt issues directives to protect air passengers from overcharging

The Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism (MoCAT) has issued a circular mandating airlines and travel agencies to ensure transparency in airfare, aiming to protect passengers from overcharging and facilitate fair ticket sales.

The directives issued on Tuesday night outlined several measures to ensure that travelers reach their destinations at the actual fare.

According to the circular, all ticket bookings, including group ticket bookings, must include the passenger's name, passport number, and a photocopy of the passport.

If a ticket is not issued within three days of booking, airlines will automatically cancel it.

It also instructed that tickets blocked under group bookings before February 11 must be confirmed within seven days with the completion of passenger details. Failure to do so will result in automatic cancellation within the following three days.

The circular also mandates airlines and travel agencies to sell all tickets online with the fare clearly displayed on both the website and the ticket itself.

All group ticket sales must be reported to the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism, which will publish the pricing information on its website for public awareness.

Airlines and travel agencies are strictly prohibited from selling tickets at prices higher than those submitted to the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB). They must comply with the "tariff filing" requirements under Rule 289 of the Civil Aviation Rules, 1984, and the approved tariff must be published on the CAAB website.

Additionally, the circular instructs travel agencies to provide passengers with tickets showing the official price from the airlines and to issue a receipt for the sale.

In an effort to curb price manipulation, the ministry warned that agencies found stockpiling tickets or selling them through unauthorised channels would face penalties.

Under Rule 15 of the Bangladesh Travel Agency (Registration and Control) Rules, 2022, the registration of such agencies could be suspended or canceled.

Airlines operating flights in Bangladesh and travel agencies will arrange special airfare for workers or employees going abroad on work visas.

All airlines, including Biman Bangladesh Airlines and the Board of Airlines Representatives (BAR), must take steps within seven days to reduce airfare for Bangladeshi workers in Malaysia and Middle Eastern countries.

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