JSTA refutes claims of price-gouging Turkey to Amman airline tickets

AMMAN — The Jordan Society for Travel and Tourism Agents (JSTA) refutes the claims that local travel agents are taking advantage of Jordanians in need who are attempting to return home in the aftermath of the destructive earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria.

Jordanians in affected countries are fleeing to the Kingdom after Monday morning’s destructive 7.8-magnitude earthquake, and the following magnitude-7.5 earthquake and subsequent series of aftershocks, according to international media agencies. 

Videos of Faisal Al Bashabsheh, a Jordanian who was rescued from underneath the rubble in an earthquake-damaged area of Turkey, went viral on social media platforms, drawing positive reactions from social media users who praised the responsiveness of rescue teams in the country. 

Suhail Halaseh, president of JSTA, told The Jordan Times that local travel agents and local low-cost carriers have been “very cooperative” in bringing Jordanians back to the Kingdom from Turkey. 

“We refute the claims that travel agents are taking advantage of people in need and raising the price of tickets from Turkey to Amman,” Halaseh said. 

During an interview with Halaseh, The Jordan Times along with the JSTA reviewed last minute tickets from Istanbul to Amman, which ranged between JD120- 160 for a one-way ticket as of Sunday morning. 

Despite the recent catastrophe, this is the regular price for a one-way ticket from Istanbul to Amman, Halaseh said. 

Regarding the case circulated by local media agencies of a father who couldn’t get a ticket for his son to return to Jordan from Turkey, Halaseh noted that this is “an individual case that shouldn’t be generalised”.

“Seven flights with local, low-cost carriers take off from Turkey to Amman on a daily basis. Of course, the availability of seats on a plane is based on demand,” Halaseh said. 

Despite multiple attempts by The Jordan Times to contact the Civil Aviation Regulatory Commission, they were unavailable for comment.