Illustrations: Peter C. Espina/GT

 

A male air passenger said that he felt "robbed" after he was charged 360 yuan ($59) by airport staff who packed a bottle of baijiu or Chinese liquor for him at Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport in Southwest China's municipality of Chongqing. The packaging consisted of taping a protective layer of foam outside a paper box that the bottle was placed in, hardly a service worthy of such a high price, he said. The complaint has triggered widespread media investigations into service charges at airports across the country, with many reports highlighting airports' costly packaging, parking and food services, priced well above their market value. Facing fierce competition with high-speed trains, air fares have been reduced to win over passengers, but airport services have not fallen under the same pressure. Analysts say that the extraordinary high prices are due to the monopolistic nature of the services offered at airports, which has left the public wondering why the relevant inspection authorities have failed to take any action on regulating the sector.