Reform in a dynamic democracy has to be the only constant amongst various uncertainties. Public delivery systems, to remain relevant and effective, have to continuously improve and evolve to higher standards.
Only some months back, I remember having read a column by Chetan Bhagat that derided the need of carrying a paper ticket by passengers to the airport. He deplored that it was waste of paper and time and opined that it was antithesis of the very idea of net-based reservation system. Happily, that complaint is no longer valid as we can now travel with e-mails on mobile/tablet/laptop. Whether the action was taken on Chetan’s prodding or otherwise, is not known. But travelling by air on booking confirmation received through e-mail is now allowed at the airports. This facility is also extended to Railway travellers booking their tickets through IRCTC who send both mail and SMS to the customers.
In fact, IRCTC’s SMS better equips the passenger as e-mail is not required to be checked by the TC. So far so good! But there are other issues crying for attention in the travel sector. To begin with, the mobile message on our cell phone from the agency or particular airline is still not accepted by security men (CISF) as proof of ticket for air travel because it does not have the person’s name but only an e-mail in your name. This is unnecessary as after entering the airport, the air passenger would go for procuring boarding pass where his ID can be re-checked before issuing the same.
Air travel is increasingly becoming costlier and beyond the reach of most Indians. As they say, good days do not last for long. The age of so-called cheap air tickets is over, with some exception if they are bought three-four months in advance. This one facility of early planning for convenient travel by people of limited means is being defeated by archaic rules governing refund on cancellation and modification of travel plan. The tickets are non-transferable. Now, a person taking a cheap ticket six months in advance may be prevented by some unavoidable reasons to undertake that journey and he has to pay heavy penalty for seeking any such change.
This is grossly unfair to force him or her to buy another ticket at a highly inflated price besides losing some more money by way of penalty. Some relaxations in this vexatious rule will help in raising the customer’s delight.Firstly, a grace of maximum three days may be given for a change of date on a ticket bought like this by charging nominal fees of Rs 200 for accommodating an unavoidable circumstance. Secondly and more importantly, transfer of the ticket may be permitted to an immediate adult member of the family (husband, wife, son, daughter, mother or father) by charging the same nominal fees, provided the online change of booking is done by the same person through the same identity document and credit or debit card, and further provided that this change will be allowed only once, i.e., the transferee cannot seek another transfer of date or person in any circumstance except by applicable of general rules as they exist now — factum of this will be automatically recorded on the ticket through system-generation.
The idea of cheap ticket launched some years ago by airlines was to provide assured business to the companies so that they have some certainty of commercial returns on their investment. It also had an incentive for travellers to plan well in advance; it did give boost to domestic air travel also as more Indians started travelling by air and more players joined the aviation sector finding it attractive. Before the airlines started making losses, as some have done already, a more pragmatic approach will help both the sellers and the buyers. If a relaxation is given as proposed above, it would no way cut into the profit of the airlines; it only intends to limit their double-profit optimisation at the cost of hapless customers.
The reform therefore, will be in public interest without causing any loss to the airliner. The only important concern should be the security aspect that may be ensured through appropriate methods and verifications so that the system is not misused or exploited by irresponsible people. For example, only the original (primary) customer must be allowed to seek the change and only by using the same set of documents. Additionally, the traveller (secondary) must show the document to the boarding executive establishing his/her relation with the original customer — many Government documents are available that show such relationships.
Hope to have better air times!