KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Aviation Commission (MAVCOM) is eliminating hidden charges for air travel in the latest amendments to the Malaysian Aviation Consumer Protection Code 2016 (MACPC), effective June 1.
Airlines will now be required to publish the final price of airfare for flight tickets at the point of advertisement and when purchasing flight tickets.
The final price is a bundle of base fare and all other charges to be paid to the airline, government-imposed taxes, fees and charges prescribed under any written law as well as fuel surcharge.
MAVCOM executive chairman Dr Nungsari Ahmad Radhu said the new ruling eliminates hidden charges such as card payment charges and administrative fees.
"Charges for optional services purchased by a consumer on an opt-in basis should also be displayed and included in the final price at point of payment," he said at the launch of FlySmart mobile application, an initiative by MAVCOM.
Also present were Transport Deputy Minister Datuk Kamarudin Jaffar and MAVCOM chief operating officer Azmir Zain.
The newly amended MACPC is aimed at protecting consumers' travel rights further.
Nungsari said the amendments also include a refund to consumers on passenger service charges, taxes, fees and charges prescribed under any written law for both refundable and non-refundable tickets, should a passenger not travel.
He said airlines are only permitted to charge a maximum of five per cent processing fee if the ticket is non-refundable.
Refunds on flight tickets on the other hand should also be reimbursed to passengers within 30 days from the date the passenger requests for a refund, he added.
"Likewise, if the ticket is purchased through a travel agent, the airline should reimburse the travel agent within the same duration of time."
FlySmart mobile app was developed for consumers to obtain information of their travel rights through various platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and the FlySmart website.
They would have easy access to essential information and lodge their complaints from their mobile devices.
Consumers are also able to track the status of their complaints through the mobile application.
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