Airlines to decide paying commission to agents: Patel

NEW DELHI: The government on Thursday said it cannot force airlines to pay commission to ticketing agents and it is up to the airlines to take a call on this.

"It is entirely up to the airlines to take a decision in this regard in consultation with agents taking into account various commercial factors such as the market conditions," Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel told the Lok Sabha.

The minister also said 16 international airlines have stopped paying commissions to travel agents.

He said the airlines regulator, Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), had passed an order saying that it could not lay down the quantum of commission payable by airlines to agents.

Nearly 2,000 International Air Transport Association (IATA)-accredited agents sell 85 percent of airline tickets in the country.