Thaindian News

New Delhi, Dec 6 (IANS) The airline industry Monday agreed to publish data-wise fares in all categories by Dec 8 on their websites following a directive from the aviation regulator.

The directive from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) followed widespread criticism of the shooting air fares.

“All scheduled domestic airlines have been directed to upload the route-wise tariff across (their) network in various fare categories commensurate with the date of purchase,” the ministry of civil aviation said.

The directive came in a meeting which the aviation watchdog held here with all the major carriers on the issue of ticket pricing.

“All the airlines have been asked to comply with the direction latest by (5 p.m.) of Dec 8 and this has been agreed by them,” the statement said.

Earlier, a similar discussion was held between the regulator and low cost carriers Saturday. The was then told to be reasonable and transparent on the pricing issue.

Monday’s meeting came after Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel Friday rejected a proposal by domestic airlines for a massive hike in air fares.

Patel had said the industry should justify the exorbitant increase in prices and passengers should come to know of the prices on a day-to-day basis.

According to an official, the latest step would allow people to assess the prices in a more transparent and just way rather than the existing system of predatory prices being fixed by the airline.

He said air fares on most routes were expected to come down.

The regulator has received complaints that airlines were charging high rates for last minute bookings, sometimes as high as 200 percent of the normal fares.

However, Kingfisher Airline’s chairman Vijay Mallya insisted that the issue of pricing was based on demand and supply and that there was no case to cap the air fares.

He also asked the government to reduce taxation on aviation turbine fuel.