CERC exposes malpractices adopted by flight carriers

Passengers burdened with wacky charges

Ahmedabad, 25^th May, 2013

Flying high is going to cost more now, with all the leading airlines reducing their luggage capacity and adopting policy of charging extra for preferable seats. Consumer Education Research Centre(CERC), a member of Consumer International, is an active organization incessantly working for the cause of the consumers and addressing their grievances have approached Civil Aviation Minister about the severe malpractices adopted by airlines companies for burdening the passengers with their wacky charges without the approval of regulatory bodies.

Recently CERC with its various research modules has noticed that  general  public  is  being  exploited  by  various   Airlines  who  increase  airfare  as  per  their  whims  &  fancies  without  taking  approval  from  AERA.  Recently  Jet  Airways  and  other  Airlines  have  reduced  Luggage  capacity  from  20  kg  to  15  kg  without  taking  any  approval  from  Regulatory  Body  and  without  any  public  hearing. These  Airlines  have  also decided  to  impose an additional charge  Rs. 250  per  Kg  for  any extra weight thus escalating the saddle on the fliers. Some  other  Private  Airlines  have  introduced  charges  for  preferential  seats,  thereby negating all procedure  for  filing  petition  before AERA (Airports Economic Regulatory Authority) prior to imposing such charges. Airlines are also charging Rs. 100 per seat by the choice of the passengers. In other words Passengers are being exploited by various Airlines and the Regulatory Body should execute some stern action against these malpractices adopted by airlines. Passengers are shelling bulk amount for air travel and the airlines are now additionally imposing payment burden even in matter of seats and luggage.

The congestion charges collected from passengers is also illegal and Airlines are violating regulations by exploiting civilians to increase their profits by tumbling charges for various basic facilities provided to the passengers. With so much of air traffic clogging due to – non availability of  landing  track, the  aircraft unnecessarily keep  flying which consumes expensive fuel thus further adding to the financial burden of passengers. In its letter to the Civil aviation minister,  CERC opposes such decision of airlines of excising extra charges from passengers and has also requested concerned authorities to take appropriate action against them.                          

For further information please contact:
K.K. BajajCGM (Hon) – CERS – AHMEDABAD
Email : kabajaj2003@yahoo.com