Bangladesh to investigate ‘irregularities’ in airfare

An official says travellers pay unusually high fares when flying to Middle Eastern countries

A government-appointed committee, led by Home Secretary Nasimul Gani, is investigating allegations of corruption and price manipulation in airfare.

The seven-member committee convened a meeting with executives from nearly 25 airlines at the home ministry on Wednesday.

“We have many problems in the aviation sector,” Gani said before the meeting.

“It’s not just that the problem is one-sided. There are multiple issues, including concerns raised by general sales agents. We are trying to investigate one of these issues.”

One of the committee’s key focuses is the unusually high fares paid by travellers departing from Bangladesh to Middle Eastern destinations.

While existing regulations govern the sale of airline tickets, Gani acknowledged that compliance is inconsistent.

“Some rules are being followed, while others are not. In certain cases, there is malfeasance. We are looking into it,” he said.

The meeting with airline executives was part of a broader effort to gather insights from industry stakeholders, according to Gani.

“We want to understand the challenges from all perspectives. By listening to their concerns, we hope to develop solutions that will bring ticket pricing in line with other countries.”

In response to mounting criticism over soaring airfares for expatriate workers, the government issued 10 directives on Feb 12 aimed at curbing “abnormal prices” of airline tickets.

The Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh, or ATAB, raised similar concerns at a press conference on Jan 26, accusing airlines of colluding with ticketing syndicates to drive up prices. The alleged manipulation, ATAB said, has placed a heavy financial burden on expatriate workers who rely on these routes.

ATAB has alleged that airlines are granting select travel agents the ability to book or block large numbers of tickets at once, preventing independent agents from accessing them.

These blocked tickets, the group claims, are later resold at significantly higher prices in the domestic market by members of the syndicate, further inflating costs for travellers.

In addition to calling for lower airfares, ATAB has demanded an end to the practice of bulk ticket sales without passenger details, including name, passport number, and visa.

In an effort to rein in soaring airfares, the government issued 10 directives aimed at curbing price manipulation.

Among them is a requirement that any ticket left unconfirmed within 72 hours of booking must be automatically cancelled.

Additionally, the government has imposed stricter rules on group bookings, which have been blamed for driving up prices.

If a large number of tickets are blocked under a group reservation, they must be sold within seven days with the passenger’s name and passport number.

Failure to do so will result in automatic cancellation within 72 hours.

Gani said, "We are not going to fix the air ticket fares, we are just investigating. This responsibility has been given by the office of the chief advisor."

The committee has been asked to submit a report within the next 15 working days.