NEW DELHI: Concerns over “skyrocketing” airfare and “little action” by govt agencies and regulator dominated Parliaments Public Accounts Committee (PAC) meeting Wednesday as several MPs sought accountability from private airport operators and airlines to provide relief to passengers.
PAC chairperson K C Venugopal described the meeting of the panel, which has witnessed fiery and at times acrimonious discussion along party lines in the past, as “one of the best” sittings.
Members, he said, expressed concerns the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) “is not acting properly as a regulator”. He said the regulatory body could not answer adequately the questions raised by members. The Congress MP said, “Concerns were raised by members that airfare is skyrocketing, and there is no action from DGCA or the Civil Aviation Department.”
Sources said some MPs called for an amendment in the AERA Act to make it more effective in regulating fare amid general unhappiness over issues like “arbitrary” rise in user development fees and price surge.
The civil aviation secretary and AERA chairperson were among those who appeared before the panel.
