DGCA clipping our wings, say airlines

New Delhi: Low-cost air carriers (LCCs) such as IndiGo, SpiceJet and GoAir say the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is being mindless on basic competitive concerns regarding passenger fares.
The LCCs were summoned by DGCA yesterday to be told to not only provide details of route-wise fares but to also detail by Wednesday those for each bucket of seats. Seats are grouped into different categories, each at a distinct price; the categories are referred to as buckets.
Top LCC sources — none would come on record — say making public such detail would destroy their competitive edge. And, that no country in the world asks for such figures to be disclosed.
They contend they’ve not been transgressing Rule 135 of the Aircraft Act, on which basis DGCA has asked them to give out the details. “The rule merely says we must publish our tariffs (rates), which we all already do, on the net. It does not tell us to give away competitive information — what our bucket-seat prices are,” said a top executive.
Aviation ministry sources say the DGCA would be meeting the full service carriers (FCCs)— Jet, Kingfisher, Air India — tomorrow for a similar discussion and direction.
06/12/10 Business Standard

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Categories: Indian Aviation- In General Dec 2010