AirAsia's digital platform ordered to halt airline ticket sales in Manila
Inquirer.Net reported that the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) issued a cease-and-desist order against the platform, with Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon announcing on Sunday that police had been instructed to take down its website.
The move came after reports surfaced of exorbitant ticket prices during recent transport disruptions in Tacloban City.
According to the Philippines' Transportation Department, a one-way ticket from Manila to Tacloban listed on AirAsia Move costs as much as 77,000 pesos (about RM6,300), nearly three times the price offered by Philippine Airlines for the same route.
"The government will not tolerate these abusive practices. We will use the full force of the law against unscrupulous online platforms exploiting the public," Dizon was quoted as saying in a press conference.
He said the authorities were preparing to file a case of criminal economic sabotage against the platform, which is owned by Capital A Berhad and affiliated with budget airline Philippines AirAsia.
The CAB, which regulates airfare pricing in the country, noted that the excessive fares appeared to take advantage of limited transport options in Tacloban after a key bridge closure disrupted trucking routes.
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