Recently, Senator Humberto de la Calle reported on his networks the high costs of products sold at the airport El Dorado, in the west of Bogotá.
“17,900 for a non-carbonated aguita in El Dorado? Oh really?”, he wrote on his Twitter account. Normally, in a store outside the airport, a bottle of water can cost between 2,500 and 3,000 pesos. Also depending on the city and area.
(Read: The absurd prices that travelers can find in El Dorado).
Now, these increases in prices of more than 200% on some products are repeated in various airports in the country.
Who regulates these hikes?
Portafolio contacted the Superintendence of Industry and Commerce, SIC, in charge of protecting the consumer. From the entity they assured that neither in the shops of the airports nor in others outside these, the entity controls the prices they charge.
The foregoing, because in Colombia there is a system of free pricing and, therefore, people have the power to decide where to buy or not. In this sense, there are no regulated rates in this type of case.
Now heNeither do the leaders of the airports have a solution. SErgio Aparicio, commercial manager of the International Airport Operation (Opain), indicated that they cannot establish prices for businesses. He recalled that the prices of the products are the sole responsibility of each establishment.
“The first point to take into account is that the vast majority of airports in the world are regulated by the dollar. This means that if the price of the currency rises, the products will also; in the same way, they will go down if the price falls“, said.
The manager also explains that you have to take into account the area of the premises where the product is being purchased. “If the value of the product is out of the ordinary, you talk to the administrator of the place, you listen to the reasons for the price and determine the actions to take,” adds Aparicio.
(Also: Viva crisis: will passengers have to pay more for air tickets?).
What to do in the face of exaggerated prices?
Several complaints from users require the Superintendency to “as a public body they should protect the rights of consumers”. The entity clarified that in these types of cases there is no monitoring of how much is charged for certain products. Without regulation, then a complaint about an excess is not valid, said one of the officials.
However, there are other types of scenarios in which the Superintendency comes to regulate. For example, that before selling a product, the final price must be indicated to the consumer through a printed letter.
(Keep reading: ‘Competition is taking advantage of the situation to charge more’: Avianca).
In case the price varies or does not properly inform the cost of the product, the rules of protection toThe consumer is sheltered and can make the respective report to the entity.
MARIANA GUERRERO
Portfolio Journalist
