KOCHI: Onam and Bakrid are just around the corner. And so are the days when flight tickets cost a bomb. With Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's intervention to reduce surge pricing not eliciting any surety from either the airline companies or the Union Civil Aviation Ministry officials, this festival season is set to be a costly affair for the Malayali diaspora waiting to return home.
As major airlines refuse to come forward to conduct additional services during the peak season, airfares will be ruling high this time too, industry experts say.
Given the epicurean Malayali mindset in general once back in Kerala, awaiting them will be a spending spree - from purchasing luxury items to enjoying delectable food and drinks to buying textiles. That after having tried not to let a single penny go out of their pockets unnecessarily while sweating away in the deserts of West Asia.
This time, the Chief Minister had promised thousands of Malayalees toiling in West Asia they can reach home at an affordable price in the wake of a meeting called by the CM in Thiruvananthapuram. While he mooted reducing the surge pricing during the festival season, the Union Civil Aviation secretary then responded affirmatively.
However, Civil Aviation Ministry officials have confirmed no Indian carrier - except Air India Express - has requested for grant of additional traffic rights during the festival season to cater to the demand of Malayalees during peak season. Air India Express' request to mount additional flights during the peak season was approved. If there are no additional flights, the airfare will naturally skyrocket - as in the past - as the airlines follow the dynamic pricing system. In reply to a letter from Joy Abraham MP, the Civil Aviation Ministry officials made it clear airlines offer fares on various levels which are driven by demand and other market forces. The airfares increase with the rise in demand for seats, as the lower fare buckets get sold out first. This is a global practice followed in the aviation industry.
"It is almost impossible for the government to stop the surge pricing system during the festival season," said Biji Eapen, national president, IATA Agents Association of India. "Pressing a couple of flight services during the festival season will not bring down the airfare to its normal level, for which groundbreaking steps are required." Meanwhile, the budget carrier Air India Express announced they will operate 18 additional flights between Sharjah and Kerala during the season from August 22 to September 4. However, these services are not enough to stop the airfare hike during the peak season as thousands of Malayalees are bracing up to celebrate Onam and Bakrid with their family members in Kerala, said industry experts.
What is Rule 135
According to the provisions of the Sub Rule (1) of Rule 135, Aircraft Rules 1937, the Airlines are free to fix reasonable tariffs having regard to all relevant factors, including the cost of operation, characteristics of service, reasonable profit and the generally prevailing traffic.
The Chief Minister had promised thousands of Malayalees toiling in West Asia they can reach home at an affordable price in the wake of a meeting called by the CM in Thiruvananthapuram.