The Department of Civil Aviation, under the junta’s Ministry of Transport and Communications, has warned that it will take action against anyone selling airline tickets for flights to and from Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin State, at prices above the official rates.
Following reports of airline tickets being sold at exorbitant prices—up to twice the official rate—the authorities plan to take effective legal action against those selling tickets above the regulated price, according to the junta-controlled newspaper The New Light of Myanmar.
Passengers who purchased tickets at prices higher than the official rate can file complaints with the relevant airlines by submitting supporting evidence, including the flight number, date of purchase, and payment receipts, according to the newspaper.
Following the announcement aimed at cracking down on the sale of overpriced airline tickets, current fares for Myitkyina–Yangon flights range between 800,000 and 900,000 MMK, while Myitkyina–Mandalay tickets are priced between 600,000 and 700,000 MMK, a ticket seller told MNJ.
Due to difficult terrain and challenging road conditions in Kachin State, most travelers rely on air transport. Residents said some sellers have taken advantage of this situation by diverting tickets to the black market and reselling them at significantly higher prices.
A woman from Myitkyina told MNJ that, although airfares have declined following the announcement, it is still difficult to obtain a ticket.
“Although prices have come down, it’s still hard to get a ticket. There are many passengers but only one flight, so it doesn’t really match demand,” she said.
Currently, despite high demand from travelers, it remains difficult to purchase tickets as there is only one flight per day from Myitkyina Airport.
Although official fares for Myitkyina–Yangon and Myitkyina–Mandalay flights are around 900,000 to 1 million MMK, residents said they have had to pay between 1.4 and 2 million MMK to obtain tickets on the black market and through some ticket agents.
On February 20, a Myanmar National Airlines (MNA) plane preparing to depart from Myitkyina to Mandalay was struck in a drone attack, prompting the junta to suspend flights at Myitkyina Airport for nearly three months.
Furthermore, some domestic flights were also temporarily suspended due to global fuel shortages triggered by the Iran–Israel war. Flights to Myitkyina Airport resumed on April 5.
