KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah United Chinese Chambers of Commerce (SUCCC) President Datuk Michael Lui has described a price difference of nearly RM1,000 between one-way air tickets from Kota Kinabalu to Kuala Lumpur for travel dates just days apart as unreasonable and called on the Federal Government and relevant stakeholders to review the situation.
Michael, who is also the President of Kota Kinabalu Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KKCCCI) said that the government should not simply attribute the increases to the peak tourism season, market demand or airlines’ dynamic pricing mechanisms.
“These factors may explain why airfares increase, but they do not answer the questions that matter most to the public: Are such prices reasonable? Why can fares fluctuate so dramatically within such a short period and what is the basis for these differences? If the prices are found to be unreasonable, what can the Government do to improve the situation?
“For example: why for the same one-way journey from Kota Kinabalu to Kuala Lumpur, does a ticket purchased today cost RM1,639 for August 13, RM1,069 for August 17 but only RM659 for August 20?” Michael said.
He said the issue of flight capacity also deserves serious attention, particularly as Sabah continues to attract more visitors.
“If tourist arrivals continue to increase but the number of flights and available seats does not increase accordingly, the resulting imbalance between supply and demand will naturally push airfares higher. Ultimately, this will not only affect consumers but could also discourage travellers from choosing Sabah as their tourism destination.”
He therefore urged the Federal Government, airlines and Sabah’s tourism-related authorities to openly review flight frequencies, seat capacity and airfare movements during July and August.
Michael also emphasised that his remarks were not directed at any particular airline. He hoped that highlighting the issue would encourage the relevant authorities to undertake a more comprehensive review of domestic airfare pricing mechanisms and flight capacity, with a view to ensuring a fairer and more reasonable air travel environment for consumers.
Michael said that the government should not simply attribute the increases to the peak tourism season, market demand or airlines’ dynamic pricing mechanisms.
