Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon has ordered the filing of an economic sabotage case against Malaysian-based online booking platform AirAsia Move for alleged criminal overpricing of airline tickets to Tacloban City, amid the ongoing transport situation following the partial closure of the San Juanico Bridge.
The move comes after Leyte 4th District Representative Richard Gomez raised concerns to Secretary Dizon about being charged an exorbitant amount of PHP 77,704 for two one-way Tacloban-Manila tickets through AirAsia Move — more than triple the regular fare of approximately PHP 12,000.
“Clearly, this is just absurd. This is actually criminal. Criminal na ‘tong ginagawa nitong AirAsia Move na ito,” Secretary Dizon said in a press briefing on Monday.
Secretary Dizon emphasized that the pricing scheme blatantly violates President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to ensure affordable and accessible travel for all Filipinos.
“Paulit-ulit nang sinasabi ng Pangulo—hindi natin papayagan ang pang-aabuso sa ating mga kababayan. Hindi pwedeng abusuhin ang ating mga pasahero, lalo na sa oras ng krisis,” Dizon declared.
In response to the incident, the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) has issued a cease and desist order against AirAsia Move. Furthermore, the Department of Transportation (DOTr), together with CAB and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), will initiate a full investigation into the pricing practices of the platform and other similar online booking services.
Secretary Dizon also revealed that he has instructed the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group to take immediate action to shut down the AirAsia Move app in the Philippines.
“I’ve asked the PNP Anti-Cybercrime to take it down today. Apart from that, the DOTr and CAB will file criminal economic sabotage charges,” Dizon confirmed. “We will also scrutinize other digital platforms selling domestic flight tickets to ensure this abuse does not continue elsewhere.”
To protect consumers and improve transparency, the CAB has been directed to publish a standardized price guide for domestic airfares. Secretary Dizon further urged travelers to book directly with airlines rather than through third-party apps.
“We will not allow this, especially at a time when Tacloban is facing a transport crisis. Taking advantage of the situation is unacceptable and un-Filipino,” Secretary Dizon said.
The DOTr reaffirmed its commitment to uphold consumer protection, fair pricing, and reliable transportation services, especially in times of emergency.
