Indonesia’s chief economics minister has ordered transport authorities to cut airline ticket prices ahead of the country’s biggest festival that concludes the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, a government website said. High airfares have provoked public outcry from early this year and have stayed high, inspite of the government’s February calls for airlines to cut prices. The high prices have weakened the appetite for air travel and fed inflation. Chief Economics Minister Darmin Nasution has ordered the transport ministry to adjust the range of rates before the Eid al-Fitr festival, an article on the website of the cabinet secretary’s office said. “High ticket prices have troubled the people, especially facing the homecoming season (ahead of Eid)”, the article said, attributing the sentiment to Nasution. “For something that concerns the benefit of a wider community, rules cannot be solely based on business and market matters,” the article added. It did not mention the size of the cuts, however. “I can set up a new ceiling for retail price, but it will depend on fuel prices,” Sumadi said. Rini Soemarno, the minister for state-owned enterprises, said she would order national energy firm Pertamina to review jet fuel costs to help cut airline costs.<br/>
sky
Italy's government has pushed back to the middle of June the deadline to conclude the privatisation of Alitalia. After receiving a request from Alitalia's commissioners to move the deadline for presenting a "final and binding" offer, minister of economic development Luigi Di Maio has authorised an extension from 30 April to 15 June, states the ministry. It adds that it hopes that details of the "definitive composition of the acquiring consortium may be received as quickly as possible". Last month, Italian state rail operator Ferrovie dello Stato, which is seeking to put together a consortium to take over the carrier, disclosed that its board was meeting to discuss a request for a delay in the process, while it sought to conclude talks with potential partners. Ferrovie has previously revealed that it was in talks with both Delta Air Lines and EasyJet, although the UK budget carrier subsequently withdrew from the process.<br/>