Mumbai travel agents celebrate Australian high court ruling

Mumbai: The dismissal of Qantas airline’s appeal against the payment of commission on surcharges to travel agents by the Australian high court has come as ray of hope to many Indian travel agents.
The directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA) had in 2004 introduced fuel surcharges on basic fares. Agents allege that most airlines either don’t refund this surcharge or don’t give the agents a commission on it.
The Australian HC on September 3 asked Qantas to pay commission to agents on the fuel surcharges it had introduced since May 2004. “This decision proves how airlines the world over have been fleecing passengers and travel agents,” says Rajesh Rateria, chairman, travel agents association of India (TAAI).
The DGCA had set an August 12 deadline to implement the May 2008 air transport civil aviation requirement circular. Under the circular, in case of ticket cancellation by the passenger, airlines have to refund the basic fare including surcharges except if the surcharges are a part of the basic fare.
05/09/10 Naveeta Singh/Daily News & Analysis

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Categories: Foreign Sep 2010, Indian Aviation- In General Sep 2010