Starting 1 June, There Will No Longer Be Hidden Charges When You Buy Flight Tickets

Travellers, take note of this good news! 

If you travel frequently, you’ll know that the prices you see on your air tickets are usually before all the other charges are added in, but very soon, you won’t have to deal with this problem because starting 1st June, all airlines must display the final price of the flight tickets in advertising and promotion materials as well as at points of sale. Nice! 

According to The Star, this final price that is shown will include government-imposed tax and fees, fees prescribed by the law fuel surcharge, as well as charges for optional services like baggage, meals and seats. This is because the Malaysian Aviation Commission (MAVCOM) has amended and updated the Malaysian Aviation Consumer Protection Code 2016 (MACPC), which requires airline companies to display the final price sans any hidden charges like admin fees and card payment fees.

On top of that, the new and updated rules also state that passengers can get a refund for a flight that they cannot catch in time, provided that they make a request for this within 30 days. This includes flight tickets booked via a travel agent.

The refund that you will get is not just the ticket amount but inclusive of passenger service charges as well as other taxes and fees too. Cool! 

In a case where the ticket is not refundable, don’t worry, because passengers can still get a refund on the airport tax. However, airline companies are allowed to charge a processing fee, with the maximum rate being 5%. Make sure they don’t charge more than this! 

Meanwhile, it is mandatory for airlines to display the MACPC for reference and to ensure that all passengers are aware of their rights by informing them about it in every medium possible. FYI, the full amendments of the code can be found on MAVCOM’s website here.

Besides this initiative, MAVCOM also launched FlySmart, a platform to assist passengers in understanding their rights better. Travellers can file complaints and track the complaint status through the website or its mobile application. Moreover, it will feature success stories of passengers who were able to exercise their rights, which will then help empower consumers.

Well, it looks like our hearts (and wallets) won’t be cheated by air fares anymore from 1st June onwards since we’ll be seeing the nett price! Don’t forget to share this awesome news with your #travelsquad 😉

 

Also read: Pangkor Airport Set To Be Reopened on Oct 1st & Flights Will Fly From Subang Airport