Govt to amend laws to curb air ticket syndicates: Millat

The government has adopted a ‘zero-tolerance’ policy against air ticket racketeering, artificial crises and syndicates and is taking steps to amend the Bangladesh Travel Agency (Registration and Control) (Amendment) Ordinance and the amended Civil Aviation Ordinance to keep airfares affordable for expatriate workers.

As part of the measures, travel agencies will be required to clearly state their name, licence number and actual selling price on all air tickets.

Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat disclosed the information today (30 August) in a written response to a question during a question-answer session in parliament, chaired by Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad.

The minister said a 10-point circular had already been issued to protect passengers’ interests and ensure transparency in ticket sales. Under the directives, travel agencies must explicitly print their business name, licence number and final selling price on every ticket.

Regarding airfare determination, Millat said fares worldwide are set through a “dynamic pricing” system managed by airlines’ revenue management systems.

Ticket prices are determined based on factors including route, destination, distance, booking time, travel date, seat availability, airline type, international aviation fuel prices, airport charges, government taxes and other fees.

As a result, airfares on the same route can vary significantly depending on timing, demand and seat availability, the minister said. Comparing fares across different periods based on only one or a few indicators, therefore, is not logical, he added.

The minister also highlighted special initiatives for migrant workers included in the current government’s election manifesto.

Efforts are underway to provide special ticket incentives on Biman Bangladesh Airlines for expatriate cardholders, along with special privileges at the Balaka Executive Lounge, dedicated immigration channels and priority check-in facilities.

The civil aviation minister said the primary objective of these initiatives, including the proposed legal amendments, is to protect passengers’ interests and ensure transparency in the air ticketing market.