Airlines and travel portals may soon have to publish one fare that includes the basic fare and the fuel surcharge. At present, airlines and portals first give the basic fare and add the fuel surcharge and the airport and user development fees levied by the government when the ticket is purchased. The fuel surcharge levied by the airlines often exceeds the basic fare.
Union Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel has asked the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), which regulates the sector, to ensure that airlines and travel portals incorporate the fuel surcharge in the basic fare. The airport and user development fees will be kept out of it. “The minister has asked DGCA to ensure that the airlines and portals charge only one fare,” said a source in the ministry.
Patel has taken this step after he received complaints from fliers about the huge difference between the basic fare advertised by airlines and the actual cost of the ticket. In the past too, DGCA has asked the airlines to publish one fare. But it had no effect. With the minister getting into the act, it would seem that the practice could finally change. Airlines have said that they disaggregate the components for the convenience of the customers, and portals said they simply show whatever they receive from the airline.
"We started giving one fare but we got a lot of queries on the break up. So, we got back to the disaggregated structure. But DGCA is supreme, and if it asks us we will get back to the earlier plan," said Mohit Srivastava, head of online sales, makemytrip.com, an online travel portal.
"We are showing whatever we receive from the airlines. Also, the recommendation was that the fuel surcharge should be shown in a way so that the people know it is being charged by the airline and not the government, and that is what is happening," said Bhawna Agarwal, founding general manager (airlines business group), Yatra.com, another travel portal. Around 60 per cent of the air tickets sold in the country are booked online.
Source:
Patel wants airlines to club fare, surcharge
Rediff.com
Date-18 January 2010
Edition- National
http://business.rediff.com/report/2010/jan/18/air-patel-wants-airlines-to-club-fare-surcharge.htm
Monday, January 18, 2010
Patel wants airlines to club fare, surcharge
Airlines and travel portals may soon have to publish one fare that includes the basic fare and the fuel surcharge. At present, airlines and portals first give the basic fare and add the fuel surcharge and the airport and user development fees levied by the government when the ticket is purchased. The fuel surcharge levied by the airlines often exceeds the basic fare.
Union Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel has asked the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), which regulates the sector, to ensure that airlines and travel portals incorporate the fuel surcharge in the basic fare. The airport and user development fees will be kept out of it. “The minister has asked DGCA to ensure that the airlines and portals charge only one fare,” said a source in the ministry.
Patel has taken this step after he received complaints from fliers about the huge difference between the basic fare advertised by airlines and the actual cost of the ticket. In the past too, DGCA has asked the airlines to publish one fare. But it had no effect. With the minister getting into the act, it would seem that the practice could finally change. Airlines have said that they disaggregate the components for the convenience of the customers, and portals said they simply show whatever they receive from the airline.
"We started giving one fare but we got a lot of queries on the break up. So, we got back to the disaggregated structure. But DGCA is supreme, and if it asks us we will get back to the earlier plan," said Mohit Srivastava, head of online sales, makemytrip.com, an online travel portal.
"We are showing whatever we receive from the airlines. Also, the recommendation was that the fuel surcharge should be shown in a way so that the people know it is being charged by the airline and not the government, and that is what is happening," said Bhawna Agarwal, founding general manager (airlines business group), Yatra.com, another travel portal. Around 60 per cent of the air tickets sold in the country are booked online.
Source:
Patel wants airlines to club fare, surcharge
Business Standard
Date-17 January 2010
Edition- New Delhi
http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/patel-wants-airlines-to-club-fare-surcharge/382887
Union Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel has asked the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), which regulates the sector, to ensure that airlines and travel portals incorporate the fuel surcharge in the basic fare. The airport and user development fees will be kept out of it. “The minister has asked DGCA to ensure that the airlines and portals charge only one fare,” said a source in the ministry.
Patel has taken this step after he received complaints from fliers about the huge difference between the basic fare advertised by airlines and the actual cost of the ticket. In the past too, DGCA has asked the airlines to publish one fare. But it had no effect. With the minister getting into the act, it would seem that the practice could finally change. Airlines have said that they disaggregate the components for the convenience of the customers, and portals said they simply show whatever they receive from the airline.
"We started giving one fare but we got a lot of queries on the break up. So, we got back to the disaggregated structure. But DGCA is supreme, and if it asks us we will get back to the earlier plan," said Mohit Srivastava, head of online sales, makemytrip.com, an online travel portal.
"We are showing whatever we receive from the airlines. Also, the recommendation was that the fuel surcharge should be shown in a way so that the people know it is being charged by the airline and not the government, and that is what is happening," said Bhawna Agarwal, founding general manager (airlines business group), Yatra.com, another travel portal. Around 60 per cent of the air tickets sold in the country are booked online.
Source:
Patel wants airlines to club fare, surcharge
Business Standard
Date-17 January 2010
Edition- New Delhi
http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/patel-wants-airlines-to-club-fare-surcharge/382887
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Now, IRCTC to sell airline tickets
With over 800,000 railway tickets booked on its website every day, IRCTC, a Railways PSU, has now decided to expand its services and sell airline tickets too. The corporation is planning to introduce the new service on its website soon with the aim to help “travellers get all travel-related solutions at a single source”.
“A traveller planning to go to the hills up North needs to go to separate places to buy rail and airline tickets. He can make the bookings for both rail and airlines at our website,” said IRCTC Managing Director Rakesh Tandon.
On other goals of the corporation which at present is in the midst of sprucing up its catering services, Tandon said they plan to introduce service-linked incentive to contractors offering catering services on board trains.
“We will set scores for each train and then link them to the incentive scheme to improve quality of catering services,” Tandon said. IRCTC handles catering services in as many as 400 trains.
Asked about the poor condition of pantry cars in several trains, he said IRCTC is trying to improve the conditions of such pantry cars.
“We have identified that 18 per cent of the pantry cars are in bad shape and initiated steps to improve their conditions,” Tandon said, adding that the problem in most of the pantry cars was with water boilers and hot cases.
The corporation of late had come under lot of flak for the quality of catering services. It is already working on a catering policy that will be unveiled in the coming months. Tandon said Railways are also planning to have AC pantry cars to improve services and maintain a hygienic environment.
Source:
Now, IRCTC to sell airline tickets
Business Standard
Date-11 January 2010Edition- New Delhi
http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/now-irctc-to-sell-airline-tickets/382320/
“A traveller planning to go to the hills up North needs to go to separate places to buy rail and airline tickets. He can make the bookings for both rail and airlines at our website,” said IRCTC Managing Director Rakesh Tandon.
On other goals of the corporation which at present is in the midst of sprucing up its catering services, Tandon said they plan to introduce service-linked incentive to contractors offering catering services on board trains.
“We will set scores for each train and then link them to the incentive scheme to improve quality of catering services,” Tandon said. IRCTC handles catering services in as many as 400 trains.
Asked about the poor condition of pantry cars in several trains, he said IRCTC is trying to improve the conditions of such pantry cars.
“We have identified that 18 per cent of the pantry cars are in bad shape and initiated steps to improve their conditions,” Tandon said, adding that the problem in most of the pantry cars was with water boilers and hot cases.
The corporation of late had come under lot of flak for the quality of catering services. It is already working on a catering policy that will be unveiled in the coming months. Tandon said Railways are also planning to have AC pantry cars to improve services and maintain a hygienic environment.
Source:
Now, IRCTC to sell airline tickets
Business Standard
Date-11 January 2010Edition- New Delhi
http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/now-irctc-to-sell-airline-tickets/382320/
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