He said he had been made aware of complaints by customers who flew between east and west Malaysia on the increase in airfares.

“I chaired a meeting yesterday to discuss this issue and I have asked Mavcom and the airlines to conduct an immediate and detailed investigation regarding the price hike for flights to east Malaysia this Raya season,” he said in a statement today.

Wee said that Mavcom, the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) and Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) were ready to consider and approve the applications of airlines to increase flight frequencies, service operations, air traffic control and airport operating hours this festive season.

“CAAM has already approved the extension of operating hours of air traffic control to assist airlines in planning increased capacity,” he said.

Wee noted that the increase in prices was due to operational costs, maintenance and repairs before planes could be approved for flying.

“Many airlines have had to ground their planes due to the Covid-19 pandemic, so they will need time to do repairs and maintain their planes to ensure the safety of passengers,” he said.

He also noted that ticket prices for domestic flights depended on the frequency and the sector in which the airline was operating.

“This is in line with the practices of most countries which do not control airfare prices for international or domestic routes,” he said.

Even ceiling prices could be lowered during peak seasons, he said, but it would lead to an increase in airfares during regular seasons.