Fees for plane ticket refunds still too high

SOME AIR TICKET agents and airlines charge high fees, up to 80 percent of the ticket price, if a consumer seeks a refund for a ticket they want to cancel. Some will even not accept claims for discounted tickets. Beijing Youth Daily comments:

The agents and airlines argue that when consumers buy a ticket, they are informed of the refund clause in advance, and in doing so agree to the terms. If the ticket holder refuses to pay the refund fee, they are in breach of the agreement.

However, in cases where people have taken their claims to court, the exorbitant refund fees are judged to lack legal support and infringe upon consumers' interests, and the agents and airlines are urged to lower their refund fees to a reasonable level.

The court rulings indicate these controversial refund policies are unfair and must be revised according to the law and relevant rules.

The regulations covering refund fees stipulate that the ceiling for the fee should be 20 percent of the original ticket price, and if the transportation enterprises can resell the tickets they should not ask for a refund fee.

The question is why since these regulations were introduced over a decade ago, the unfair refund policies have continued to be executed without grabbing attention of the authorities?

The pricing, business and aviation administrative departments, which should have heeded the consumers' complaints a long time ago, still sit idle as if the disputes are none of their business. Their dereliction of duties must be addressed by the discipline authorities and the law.