No Facilitation Fee to Travel Agents for Air Travel for Babus
AS per a Government O.M dated 1st October 2013 authorised travel agents, Balmer Lawrie & Company Limited (BLCL), M/s Ashok Travels & Tours (ATI) and Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd. (IRCTC), were allowed to levy 'Facilitation Fee' of Rs. 100/- per ticket for domestic sector and Rs. 300/- per ticket for international sector for air travel, when Government of India bears the cost of air passage.
Government has decided to withdraw this O.M. with immediate effect. Consequently, no fee/service charges (by whatever nomenclature), which are not included in the 'tariff' charged by Air India/Airlines, are required to be paid to the authorised travel agents.
Government also reiterates that as far as possible, air tickets on Government account may be obtained directly from Air India/Airlines (booking counters/offices/website) and only if obtaining tickets directly from Air India/Airlines is not possible, should the services of authorised travel agents be availed of.