Indian parliament panel for cap on Gulf airfares

Staff Reporter MUSCAT: “Exorbitant” airfares charged by Indian airlines operating between India and the Gulf will be capped if the Indian government agrees to a proposal put forward by a parliamentary panel.

The panel notes that airfares from airports in Kerala to the Gulf sector are exorbitant, compared to foreign carriers offering the same flights for much less.

“Many of the travellers who are utilising the Gulf sectors are migrant labourers, and their helplessness should not be exploited by the airlines.” The panel recommends that the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) should intervene to control the artificially created exorbitant prices in the Gulf Sector,” the proposal says.

There are some three million Keralites working in Gulf coun- tries, and the majority of them fly home every year, especially during the festival season when schools close for summer vacation in the Gulf countries.

“There is a huge difference in airfare between an off peak and Salalah and Calicut, in the south Indian state of Kerala, will be connected with a daily direct flight by Oman Air from March 27, the airline has said. the peak season to Kerala from Oman and other Gulf countries. Citing demand-supply theory during peak seasons, the airlines will up the airfares by at least 100 per cent,” a travel agent in Muscat said.

According to the travel agent, if a Keralite plans to travel in March, he has to pay OMR125 for a return ticket. But if he travels in June, the peak season, he has to pay some OMR225 for the same trip, which is an increase of 80 per cent.

Suresh Kumar, an Indian who works in Muscat, said that airlines are fleecing passengers, citing the demand and supply theory.

“Even if we book the tickets in advance, the prices are up, especially when the schools here close for summer vacation. This time, I am not travelling. I am going to send my family only. My office has capped the airfare amount.”