The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is set to file a criminal case for economic sabotage against AirAsia MOVE, an online travel booking platform, for allegedly selling overpriced plane tickets.
In a press conference, Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon confirmed that the government will pursue charges against AirAsia MOVE after reports surfaced of one-way ticket prices reaching P40,000, significantly exceeding government fare regulations.
In a press conference, Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon confirmed the move, stating that ticket prices sold through AirAsia MOVE reportedly soared as high as P40,000 for a one-way trip, far exceeding government-regulated fare ceilings.
The decision stemmed from a complaint from Leyte 4th District Representative Richard Gomez, who discovered the inflated fare while attempting to book a Philippine Airlines (PAL) flight from Manila to Tacloban through the platform. He noted that the same flight cost just over P12,000 when booked directly via PAL’s official website.
“This platform only pay PAL what is the price of PAL, so ‘yung 12,000 na ‘yan. So, yung patong kay AirAsia MOVE lahat iyon,” he said.
Dizon further said that the DOTr has also issued a cease and desist order against the platform, which is reportedly based in Malaysia.
He stressed that the airline, AirAsia Philippines, has no involvement in the activity and is not a party to the alleged overpricing.
However, he has ordered a wider investigation into similar incidents involving other online booking platforms.
Despite the cease and desist order issued by the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), AirAsia MOVE has claimed that it is not under Philippine jurisdiction because it is a foreign-based travel platform and not an airline operator.
In addition, Dizon has ordered the Philippine National Police - Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) to take down the AirAsia MOVE website in the Philippines, citing that the platform continues to operate despite previous warnings.
The controversy comes amid transportation disruptions in Leyte and Samar, where the San Juanico Bridge has been partially closed to heavy vehicles since May 15 due to structural repairs.
In an interview with DZRH News, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan confirmed that there is no definite completion date yet for the ongoing rehabilitation works on the bridge. The limited transport capacity has significantly affected mobility in the region, increasing the public’s reliance on air travel.
Dizon pointed out that some online travel agencies are exploiting this transport gap to inflate prices.
“Pinagsasamantalahan po nitong mga online na platforms na ito ang current situation sa Tacloban,” Dizon claimed.
