By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet

On the heels of reports regarding online booking platforms taking advantage of the transportation crisis induced by the weakened San Juanico Bridge in Eastern Visayas, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) held a press conference this Monday, June 2.

In particular, DOTr Secretary Vince Dizon cited Air Asia Move, an online travel agent app, for charging air fares that were more expensive in comparison to other air carriers.

“Noon pong weekend, tinawagan po ako ni Congressman Richard Gomez ng Leyte. Bumili po siya ng ticket kasama ni [Ormoc City] Mayor Lucy Torres-Gomez, one-way Tacloban to Manila,” Dizon said.

“P 77,704 ang kanilang binayaran na one-way for two people, so that is almost P 40,000 per ticket. This was procured from an online booking platform called Air Asia Move,” he added.

The Transport Chief cited such as ‘unacceptable’, ‘absurd’ and ‘criminal’, citing that other airline companies plying the same route are charging only a third of what the Malaysia-based air travel platform charges to its customers.

He also sought assistance from the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) to take down the website of Air Asia Move in a bid to prevent it from victimizing even more Filipinos.

“Apart from the cease and desist order issued by CAB last May 26, I also asked the CAB and the DOTr aviation group to immediately file a criminal economic sabotage case against Air Asia Move,” Secretary Dizon said.

A strong message against ‘unscrupulous’ online booking platforms

At the same press conference, Secretary Dizon cited President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s mandate of ensuring that travel is comfortable, safe, affordable, and accessible, vowing to not tolerate such forms of abuse that victimize Filipinos.

He also added that the DOTr, along with the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), and the PNP-ACG, will be coordinating with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) for further actions against Air Asia Move.

Meanwhile, CAB Executive Director Carmelo Arcilla shared insights into the agency’s policy regarding a set price ceiling on domestic air fares and the jurisdiction under which the case of the Malaysia-based air travel platform falls into.

“What we’re going to do is we are continuing with the hearing that we are undertaking, which is set on Thursday, June 5. The executives of the Malaysian mother unit, Air Asia Move, are coming over to participate in the investigation,” Arcilla said.

“We cannot allow it; all over the world, this kind of practice, price gouging, is frowned upon and abhorred. We will come down very hard on this,” he added.

Moreover, the Transportation czar clarified that Air Asia Philippines, the airline carrier, is an application that is not connected but affiliated with Air Asia Move.

He also ordered CAB to look into other online platforms that are also engaged in overcharging of air fares in other travel destinations.

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