Low-cost airlines to tell more about cheap tickets

Low-cost airlines to tell more about cheap tickets

The Transport Ministry wants low-cost airlines to always disclose the number of cheap tickets available for sale in their promotional campaigns to stop customers' frustration.

Authorities at the ministry met on Monday to review the service of low-cost airlines after they have been in business in the country for a decade, or since 2004.

Soithip Trisuddhi, permanent secretary for transport, said complaints had been continuously filed about their services, especially consumers' failures to buy their tickets at promotional prices.

She ordered the Department of Civil Aviation to tell low-cost airlines to inform customers clearly how many cheap tickets are prepared for their promotional campaigns and how many of them remain available at points of sale.

The Transport Ministry set the ceiling of ticket prices of low-cost airlines at 13 baht per kilometre but does not specify the minimal price so they can introduce promotional fares to attract passengers.

However, Mrs Soithip said that discounts must not push competitors out of business; otherwise, the remaining airlines could raise their fares later and travellers would be affected.

Ampawan Wannako, deputy director-general of the Department of Civil Aviation, said the cost of no-frills airlines stood at 2-5 baht per km.

An operator who can afford to dump prices must have a market share of 50-70% and no low-cost airline enjoys that kind of domination at the moment, she said.

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