The airline regulator has dived into the price war between Fastjet and Kenya Airways demanding that the former sets its prices inclusive of all taxes involved. PHOTO | FILE
The airline regulator has dived into the price war between Fastjet and Kenya Airways demanding that the former sets its prices inclusive of all taxes involved.
Budget carrier Fastjet
has prices exempting tax, luggage charges and other levies. The prices
appear low luring consumers as KQ struggles to keep up by cutting its
prices by 30 per cent. The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority has now
ordered Fastjet to include ‘taxes, fees and other charges’ on its
pricing, stating that the law requires that passengers are accurately
informed.
“It has come to the notice of the authority
that airlines continue to advertise in the local print media prices that
are exclusive of taxes, fees and other charges,” said the director
general KCAA Gilbert Kibe in a notice in the dailies.
Fastjet
and Kenya Airways are at the peak of prolonged price wars that have
forced the latter to lower its charges for the Dar-Nairobi route with
the hope of retaining customers along the way.
However,
the majority of fliers have fallen prey to Fastjet’s ‘low’ prices whose
offers are Sh5,500 for a one way trip and Sh8,000 for the
Kilimanjaro-Nairobi. KQ’s lowest prices on one way for the same route
are around Sh32,000 inclusive of taxes.
Fastjet East
Africa General Manager Jimmy Kibati says the airline targets first time
flyers. “The travelling public pays prohibitively high fares for
regional air travel.”
“The consumer protection Act
2012 is also clear on this matter. Any further advertising without
adhering to the above provisions shall be dealt with according to
existing legislation,” the KCAA states.
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