The Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry has introduced 10 directives aimed at preventing excessive air ticket price hikes and ensuring greater transparency in airline bookings.

A gazette notification detailing the measures was issued on Tuesday, targeting airlines and travel agencies operating in Bangladesh.

Under the new rules, passengers must provide their name, passport number, and a photocopy of their passport when booking tickets, including for group reservations. If a ticket is not issued in the passenger’s name within 72 hours, airlines must automatically cancel the booking.

Airlines and travel agencies must also finalize the sale of previously blocked group-booked tickets within seven days of the circular’s issuance on February 11. Failure to comply will result in automatic cancellation within three days.

The directives mandate that all air tickets be sold online with prices clearly displayed on both the tickets and the respective airline or agency’s website. Airlines and travel agencies must adhere to the tariff filing provisions in Rule 289 of the Civil Aviation Rules, 1984, and publish approved fares online. Selling tickets above the officially submitted fare is prohibited.

To protect passengers, travel agencies must issue receipts reflecting the original ticket price. Agencies found inflating prices through unauthorized resales may face suspension or cancellation of their registration.

The ministry has also directed airlines to introduce special airfares for migrant workers, with Biman Bangladesh Airlines already reducing fares for those traveling to Malaysia and Saudi Arabia.

Additionally, under the Bangladesh Travel Agency Act of 2013, the sale of tickets through unregistered travel agencies must stop immediately.