Ab Aziz Kaprawi says the Malaysian Aviation Commission will take appropriate action if necessary to protect consumers who purchase airline tickets.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom) has been told to take appropriate action against AirAsia if claims that its charges are not really affordable, due to factors like hidden costs, turn out to be true, Deputy Transport Minister Ab Aziz Kaprawi said today.

He said the ministry and Mavcom had discussed certain allegations on the matter raised by Kinabatangan MP Bung Moktar Radin in Parliament this afternoon.

“I have spoken with Mavcom to take suitable measures to ensure there is no profiteering.

“Any profiteering would have a negative impact on society,” he said in his speech during the debate on the Supply Bill 2018 allocation for the transport ministry in the Dewan Rakyat here this evening.

In his speech earlier, Bung, an Umno legislator, called on AirAsia not to focus too much on charging “hidden costs” but to consider the interests of its low-income customers.

He also alleged that the airline company rejected passengers even if they were just 10 minutes late, and asked them to buy new tickets.

“This happened in front of my eyes,” he said.

“Many village people were crying because they did not have the money to buy new tickets.”

Aziz however questioned Bung’s allegation that a one-way ticket from Sandakan to Kuala Lumpur had cost more than RM2,000.

“Was it really RM2,000, Yang Berhormat?” he asked.

“I will convey these concerns to Mavcom for suitable action to be taken so that consumers are not made to suffer, such as in being made to buy a new ticket for being 10 minutes late,” he said.

Aziz also said Mavcom was working on amendments to the Malaysian Aviation Commission Act 2015 to protect the interests of consumers, especially to ensure that they are not excessively charged.

http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2017/11/21/deputy-minister-mavcom-to-look-into-claims-on-airasia-charges/