DOTr eyes economic sabotage complaint vs AirAsia MOVE for ‘overcharging’

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Transport Secretary Vince Dizon also orders the Philippine National Police - Anti-Cybercrime Group to take down AirAsia MOVE’s website

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is preparing to file economic sabotage charges against online travel agent platform AirAsia MOVE for allegedly overcharging customers for plane tickets.

Transport Secretary Vince Dizon told reporters on Monday, June 2, that they are currently finalizing the complaint and aim to press charges within the week.

The case stems from complaints of Leyte 4th District Representative Richard Gomez and his wife Ormoc City Mayor Lucy Torres-Gomez that the platform was selling tickets from Tacloban to Manila at P77,000 for two guests.

Dizon also showed a screenshot from Philippine Airlines’ official booking platform, which priced the same flight tickets at around P12,000 per passenger. He also described AirAsia MOVE’s pricing as “absurd and actually criminal.”

The transport chief also said Office of Civil Defense Executive Director Ariel Nepomuceno detailed similar complaints. Dizon believes this could be attributed to the limited access to the San Juanico Bridge.

“We have discovered that there are some unscrupulous online booking platforms for airline tickets that are clearly taking advantage of the current situation in Tacloban,” Dizon said in a mix of English and Filipino.

Dizon said the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) issued a cease and desist order to the Malaysia-headquartered company on May 26 for violating the agency’s fare regulations.

Image from Department of Transportation

AirAsia MOVE’s parent firm told the CAB that they have since implemented measures to ensure compliance with its fare structures. However, it said that CAB’s jurisdiction only covers air carriers, not foreign-based online travel agencies.

Image from Department of Transportation

Dizon has also ordered the Philippine National Police – Anti-Cybercrime Group to take down AirAsia MOVE’s website.

“Pwede naman siyang mag-question. Pwede siyang mag-argue sa korte, pero hindi pwede yan [overcharging]. Hindi tayo papayag na may mga biktima pa diyan,” he said.

(They can question CAB’s jurisdiction. They can argue before the court, but overcharging is not allowed. We will not allow anyone else to fall victim for that.)

The DOTr has also instructed the CAB to probe other platforms suspected of overcharging customers. – Rappler.com