For a long time passengers have voiced concern over the high prices of airline tickets. This issue has exacerbated by the manipulations of certain level agencies, often in collusion with a section of airline officials. Without the support of the airline companies, these travel agencies would not have been able to exploit passengers for excessive profit. Such agencies would pre-book a large number of tickets in advance, creating an artificial shortage and putting ordinary travellers in distress.
Against this backdrop, the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism has issued ten directives to curb the abnormal surge in airfares- an appropriate and timely intervention. These directives include making it mandatory to attach the passenger’s name, passport number and a photocopy of the passport for any ticket reservation, including group bookings. If a ticket is not issued in the name of the specific passenger within three days of booking, it will be automatically cancelled after 72 hours.
The directive further states that airline tickets blocked through group bookings by airlines or travel agencies up to the date of the circular’s issuance must be sold within the next seven days, ensuring that the passenger’s name, passport number and a copy of the passport are provided. Otherwise, the respective airline will automatically cancel the tickets within the following three days. For group bookings, the actual ticket price must be reported to the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism immediately upon sale and published on the website. The circular also specifies that no airline or travel agency may sell tickets at a price exceeding the fare approved by the Civil Aviation Authority.
According to the relevant sources, a powerful syndicate has emerged between Middle East airline operators and certain domestic agencies. This syndicate pre-books group seats on various airline routes via email, even when no specific agency demand exists and without requiring passengers to provide passports, visas or travel documents. By blocking airline tickets in advance and keeping them under their control, they later increase prices at their discretion. As a result, outbound passengers have been forced to pay up to three times the standard fare. Due to this syndicate, tickets originally priced between Tk 60,000 and Tk 70,000 have been sold for Tk 150,000 or even more. It is hoped that restricting group ticket bookings will prevent unnecessary passenger harassment and excessive costs.
However, we believe that the civil aviation ministry must not simply issue directives and remain passive. It is essential to monitor whether these directives are being properly implemented. Additionally, legal action should be taken against the travel agencies that have long been engaging in unethical business practices in collaboration with various airlines. The collusion within the ticketing system must be dismantled to ensure fair practices in airline ticket sales. In this regard, the Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh (ATAB) can also play a positive role. They must ensure that none of their members engage in unlawful group ticket bookings to create artificial shortages. Strict vigilance is required to prevent such malpractice. Any law or directive is only effective when violators are held accountable and penalised accordingly.