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Jean Mangaluz - Philstar.com
June 2, 2025 | 10:56am
A file photo of an airplane taking flight.
STAR / File
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Monday, June 2, said that it has ordered the takedown of a well-known online airline booking platform for allegedly charging unreasonably high ticket prices.
In a June 2 briefing, Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon said he was alerted by Rep. Richard Gomez (Leyte, 4th District) about unusually high airfare prices on the booking platform AirAsia Move. Dizon also presented screenshots from the app to support the claim.
A Philippine Airlines ticket from Tacloban to Manila for two passengers was listed on AirAsia Move for as much as P77,720, with economy class fares starting at P49,507. In contrast, booking directly through PAL on the same date showed the same ticket costing no more than P12,600.
Dizon explained that an ongoing transportation crisis in Leyte and Samar, triggered by the closure of the San Juanico Bridge, may have been exploited by the online platform through inflated fares.
As of 10 a.m. on June 2, AirAsia Move remained accessible online. Following Dizon’s announcement, ticket prices appeared to have dropped, with Tacloban-bound fares ranging from P7,000 to P8,000 for travel between June 2 and June 7. However, Philstar.com initially encountered issues accessing the site.
The DOTr initially issued a cease and desist order against AirAsia Move on May 26, alleging that the platform had been “engaged in the unauthorized sale of airline rockets for carriers in the Philippines at prices exceeding the approved fare structures established by the CAB (Civil Aeronautics Board).”
In response, AirAsia Move said it would comply with the cease and desist order but argued that, as a foreign-based online travel agent headquartered in Malaysia, it is not under the jurisdiction of the CAB.
“Within the boundaries of the Philippines, within Philippine IPs, I've asked the PNP (Philippine National Police) anti-cybercrime to take it down,” Dizon said.
Dizon said economic sabotage charges will also be filed against the platform. He clarified that the DOTr is not investigating the airlines themselves, but rather instances of passenger overcharging.
CAB Executive Director Carmelo Arcilla added that while the online platform is not directly under the board’s jurisdiction, the issue of ticket pricing falls within its mandate. The CAB is authorized to impose price ceilings on airline fares.
“For domestic services, we approve fares, because it is required by law. We set the ceiling, and when that ceiling is violated by an entity, even if they are not defined under our jurisdiction, they come within our enforcement proceedings,” Arcilla said.
