The concept of convenience fee has been discussed, bashed and decried in numerous tweets, Facebook posts and blogs. However, we want to clear the air for those who are left out regarding the where’s and why’s of its existence.
Every time a user books a ticket through credit card, debit card or net banking, the payment gateway and the bank levies a processing surcharge on the OTA. The surge in Convenience Fee started when airlines withdrew the ‘Pass Through’ feature which allowed the airlines to bear the processing fee levied by banks and payment gateways. This charge is now passed onto the OTA and its users.
If there is any way we could do away with the fee, we would have. But for now, it’s an unavoidable annoyance that the OTA and the user have to share between them. The rates started off around Rs. 40 mark and rose to Rs. 125 in 2012. Currently, numerous OTA’s charge as high as Rs. 170 for a one way ticket.
As of today, our convenience fee of Rs. 100 for a one way ticket is the lowest in the OTA realm. This is a reiteration of our customer centric policies and our commitment to bringing the best possible price for our users.
