The Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom) is currently reviewing airport passenger service charges (PSCs) and will announce its decision by year-end.

"We're studying them now and will make an announcement at an appropriate time," chief operating officer Azmir Zain said at a media briefing on the Malaysia Aviation Consumer Protection Code 2016 in Kuala Lumpur today.

Airlines collect the PSCs for Malaysia Airport Holdings Bhd. They are fixed at RM32 and RM6, respectively, for international and domestic passengers flying from KL International Airport 2 (KLIA2), while for international and domestic passengers from the KLIA's main terminal, the PSCs are RM65 and RM9, each.

Mavcom also said, following the enforcement of the aviation consumer protection code on July 1, 2016, it had received over 100 complaints with most related to refunds, flight cancellations and lost baggage.

Its consumer affairs director, Puspalatha Subramaniam, said 95 percent of the complaints were lodged after the consumers were unhappy with the resolutions offered by the airlines.

She said to-date, Mavcom had resolved 95 percent of the complaints.

Under the newly-gazetted code, airlines and airport operators are given 30 days to resolve consumer complaints, as well as provide compensation and care for passengers in cases of flight delays of two hours or more, flight cancellations, and lost or damaged luggage.

"Mavcom has seven days to review the complaints. If they involve airlines and airports we will send the complaints to them and they have 30 days to resolve the issues," she said.

Puspalatha said both airlines and airport operators would be fined if they were unable to resolve the complaints within the stipulated time, or found to be in breach of rules and regulations under the code.

Mavcom was set up on March 1, 2016 to regulate economic and commercial matters relating to civil aviation.

- Bernama