Competition Commission warns airlines against 'price gouging'
Airlines have been warned against hiking prices as Kulula and British Airways remain grounded.
The Civil Aviation Authority's indefinite suspension of Comair's operations over safety issues has removed about 40 percent of seats from the domestic market.
Hundreds of stranded passengers have since the weekend been scrambling to book flights elsewhere, only to be met by eye-watering ticket prices.
The Competition Commission's Sipho Ngwema says they've received numerous complaints about the prices, particularly on popular routes.
READ: Numsa members demand resignation of Comair CEO
One quote for a flight from Johannesburg to Cape Town is said to have been as much as R5 000.
Those flying between Durban and Johannesburg should be prepared to part with between R1 500 and R3 200 one way.
Ngwema says they will investigate.
"If there is any evidence that any of the airlines are taking advantage of the suspension of airlines and therefore would have moved to make sure that they unnecessarily increase prices beyond what the consumers are able to pay, the commission will investigate price gauging and will take swift and decisive action against those airlines who are in breach of the Competition Act.”
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