MRTPC, DGCA flooded with air passengers complaints

New Delhi, Jan 14 (UNI) With increasing number of domestic air carriers taking off, the number of complaints received by the Monopoly and Restrictive Trade Practices Commission (MRTPC) and Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) from passengers have also risen.

According to the Civil Aviation Ministry, a large number of complaints are received time to time from passengers regarding denial of services or facilities which they expect the airlines to provide.

Their grouse include delays or cancellation of flights, no provision for free wheelchair facilities, in-flight amenities and meals/snacks for passengers of delayed flights and failure to refund the booking amount of the tickets on cancellation.

The Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has directed various airlines that comprehensive information on the facilities provided to the passengers free of cost and facilities which are available at a price be included in their website in a conspicuous manner. The government's refrain from asking for prompt response to complaints has been regularly emphasised by DGCA in meetings with domestic airline operators, according to Ministry of Company Affairs sources.

The MRTPC and Director General (Investigation and Registration) have also received complaints against the private airlines.

Being a quasi-judicial body, enquiries before the MRTPC are sub-judice.

Since the cases referred to above are pending before the Commission at various stages of enquiry, findings of irregularities or action ordered therein can be known only on the conclusion of the proceedings.

The complaints filed include those questioning the merger of Jet Airways and Air Sahara filed by Consumer Education and Research Society, Ahmedabad, which was disposed off by the Commission in November 2006 as the proposed merger of the two airlines was nowhere in sight. It similarly disposed off a representation forwarded by the Ministry of Company Affairs by Mr Uday Singh, MP, to the Prime Minister in this matter.

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