CLOSURE ORDER. The house display screen of the AirAsia Transfer cell software. Division of Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon on Monday (June 2, 2025) ordered the shutdown and the submitting of felony instances in opposition to the Malaysian-based on-line reserving platform over extreme expenses for airplane tickets of native carriers. (Screencapture of AirAsia Transfer app)
MANILA, Philippines – Division of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Vince Dizon has ordered the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) to close down and file felony expenses in opposition to on-line reserving platform AirAsia Transfer for promoting airplane tickets of native carriers at extreme costs amid the transport disaster in Jap Visayas.
In a press convention on the DOTr workplace in San Juan Metropolis on Monday, DOTr Secretary Vince Dizon mentioned Leyte fourth district Rep. Richard Gomez and his spouse, Ormoc Mayor Lucy Torres-Gomez, purchased Philippine Airways (PAL) tickets from Tacloban to Manila by way of AirAsia Transfer that value them round P77,704 or nearly P40,000 every.
He mentioned Gomezes had been charged round thrice the worth in comparison with reserving instantly on PAL’s web site.
READ: AirAsia Transfer faces financial sabotage case for alleged overcharging
“Clearly, that is simply absurd, and really felony. I’ve requested [the Philippine National Police –Anti-Cybercrime Group] to take this web site down in the present day, so this AirAsia Transfer can now not rip-off others. I’m certain Gomez is just not the one sufferer right here,” Dizon mentioned.
He additionally ordered the CAB and the DOTr Aviation group to file a “felony financial sabotage case” in opposition to AirAsia Transfer as a result of violation taking place throughout the transport disaster attributable to the closure of the San Juanico Bridge to heavy autos.
“Clearly, there’s a disaster there as a result of the motion of products and folks was affected by the partial closure of the San Juanico Bridge to heavy autos, buses, and vans. They’re making the most of the state of affairs,” he mentioned.
As well as, Dizon instructed the CAB to research different on-line reserving platforms charging extreme fares, not solely in Tacloban but additionally in different locations.
“We are going to actually put the complete pressure of the regulation on these unscrupulous on-line platforms who’re making the most of our individuals,” he mentioned.
Dizon additionally thanked Workplace of Civil Protection head Ariel Nepomuceno for informing the DOTr of the state of affairs.
READ: SEC warns public vs operation of alleged rip-off hub in Cebu
In his letter to Dizon, Nepomuceno requested the DOTr, the CAB, and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) to research the alleged extreme will increase in passenger and cargo air fares in Jap Visayas, significantly these affecting routes to Tacloban, Catarman, and Ormoc Metropolis.
On Might 26, the CAB issued the CDO in opposition to AirAsia Transfer for promoting airline tickets for native carriers at costs exceeding the permitted fare constructions established by the CAB.
“You might be hereby ordered to stop and desist from providing, selling, or promoting tickets of different Philippine carriers at costs that exceed the permitted fare constructions established by the CAB,” the CDO learn.
In a response letter, AirAsia Transfer mentioned measures to make sure compliance with the CDO have been applied.
Nevertheless, it mentioned CAB’s jurisdiction below Republic Act. No. 776 applies to air carriers, not foreign-based journey companies, and that “any regulatory motion have to be predicated on categorical statutory authority.”
AirAsia Transfer is operated by Transfer Journey Sdn. Bhd., an internet journey company integrated in Malaysia.
Full cooperation
In an announcement, AirAsia MOVE, nonetheless, affirmed its full cooperation with the Philippine authorities to uphold clear and fare pricing and client safety.
“MOVE additionally clarifies that it doesn’t manually set or manipulate airfares in mild of the fare discrepancy points,” MOVE chief govt officer Nadia Omer mentioned in an announcement.
MOVE shows flight stock and pricing knowledge as supplied by its licensed upstream suppliers, together with third-party aggregators and international distribution techniques (GDS).
“The discrepancies in fare shows for sure routes, together with home flights operated by Philippine Airways, had been attributable to short-term knowledge synchronization points with flight pricing companions,” the assertion learn.
Omer mentioned the technical discrepancy attributable to the third-party supplier is just not remoted to MOVE because it additionally affected different reserving platforms, corresponding to Agoda, Kiwi.com, and Traveloka.
“MOVE welcomes the chance to proactively interact with related authorities to supply readability on the problem and asks for due course of to take its course for the good thing about all passengers booked by way of the platform,” she mentioned.
Omer mentioned MOVE has been working carefully with related authorities and is totally compliant with all regulatory necessities relevant to on-line journey companies working within the Philippines.
In the meantime, Dizon clarified that AirAsia Philippines, though affiliated with the AirAsia Group, doesn’t have something to do with the problem. (PNA)
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