THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala Association of Travel Agents has criticised the alleged fleecing of travellers in the Gulf sector by Air India and other foreign airlines during the festive season by charging exorbitant fares to the extent of 400 per cent of the normal tariff.They sought the immediate intervention of Civil Aviation and Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi and Chief Minister Oommen Chandy in the issue. Association president K V Muraleedharan told reporters here on Friday that against Rs 5,000-9,000 charged earlier in the Air India Express flights, the current tariff is up to Rs 22,000 per ticket. In the case of foreign flights, the tariff shoots up further to Rs 28,000.The fleecing of Gulf Malayalees has reached its crescendo, coinciding with the end of summer vacation and the eve of Onam. In the first week of September, not even a single ticket is available for flights operating from Kerala, he alleged. He urged Vayalar Ravi and other leaders to interfere to start operating additional flights from Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode at moderate tariff rates.If Air India has shortage of aircraft, the Civil Aviation Ministry should unveil an `open sky policy’ and rope in the services of foreign airlines to meet the situation, he said. He criticised the Air India move to charge Rs 2,005 per ticket for the proposed Thiruvananthapuram-Kozhikode service starting from Onam.Only Rs 900 was charged earlier in the sector and even for the Chennai and Bangalore service of Air India from Thiruvananthapuram, the ticket charge is only Rs 1400, he said.The new service should be extended up to Goa or Bangalore and big flights should be used for the purpose to make it a viable route, he said.
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