Airlines asked to clarify on tax component on tickets

New Delhi, Dec 6 (UNI) In view of the ambiguity in airfares, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has asked all airlines to clarify whether passenger service fee and fuel surcharge are included in the basic fare or charged as taxes.

The airlines have also been asked to confirm that the taxes shown by them in their tickets and websites are deposited with the Government.

They have also been told to submit at the earliest the record of these taxes, a Civil Aviation Ministry press release said today.

In a December 4 letter, the DGCA said perusal of the fare shown on the airlines website revealed that the airfares had two components-- basic fare and taxes.

''It is not clarified whether components such as passenger service fee and fuel surcharge are included in the basic fare or have been clubbed under the heading of taxes,''. the letter said.

It pointed out that a 'Tax' is defined as a fee levied by the Government on a product, income or activity, and such amounts are to be deposited with the Government and a record is required to be maintained.

UNI