19 January,2011 07:08 AM IST | | Bipin Kumar Singh
To be appointed next month, he will be the final appellate authority in disputes related to arbitrary airfare, compensation and claims as well as baggage mishandling
AFTER a prolonged hue and cry from air travellers, consumer activists and passenger bodies, the government yesterday agreed to appoint an ombudsman to clip the wings of erring airlines, which continue to harass their passengers in various ways.
The ombudsman will be the final appellate authority to whom air travellers can take their problems related to arbitrary airfare, compensation and claims as well as baggage mishandling by airlines. He is expected to have quasi-judicial powers, which could be used to fine erring airlines.
The decision was taken at a high-level meeting of the Civil Aviation Economic Advisory Council (CAEAC, see box), which was headed by Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel.
Air Passengers' Association of India president Sudhakar Reddy raised the issue of an ombudsman, which was supported by other members like Kapil Kaul, CEO, Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation and R Desikan, trustee, Consumer Association of India. Patel welcomed the suggestion and gave his approval.
"It is our opinion that appointing an ombudsman would help solve consumer-related problems. The appointment will be done by February this year.
The candidate may not be a powerful person from the legal fraternity, but somebody from public life, who could also be a bureaucrat," said a CAEAC member.
In 2008, the Civil Aviation Ministry had advised airlines to appoint an ombudsman. They did not, however, take the initiative.
Despite repeated attempts, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel was not available for comment despite repeated calls and messages was not available for comment
What's Caeac?
The Civil Aviation Economic Advisory Council was set up following a surge in airfares for flights between different metros in mid-November. Civil Aviation Secretary S N A Zaidi heads the council, whose meetings are also attended by the civil aviation minister. The CEOs of all the airlines in the country and representatives of consumer associations and air passengers' associations make up the rest of the council.
MiD DAY impact
Mid Day was the first to report on airfares reaching an all-time high on November 13. We revisited the fares on November 23 and found that they were the same. After the MiD Day report, the airline regulatory body, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued a circular to all airlines to ensure transparency in the fares.
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The circular asked the airlines to furnish a copy of the route-wise tariff across its network in various fare categories, in the manner it is offered in the market, to DGCA on the first day of every calendar month. Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel also said that airlines who did not reduce fares will face punitive action.
Did you know?
An ombudsman is a person who acts as a trusted intermediary between an organisation and some internal or external constituency while representing not only but mostly the broad scope of constituent interests.
