After a media frenzy over online hospitality agencies overcharging customers, the judiciary has stepped in to block access to 180 online platforms nationwide which offer travel services or sell airplane tickets.
Deputy Attorney General Abdolsamad Khoramabadi took to his channel on the local messenger app Soroush to explain why the services have been blocked.
He said the websites got the ax after the judiciary received requests from the Roads Ministry and the Civil Aviation Organization of Iran (CAO) calling for the online travel agencies websites to be blocked.
According to Khoramabadi, CAO has enumerated two reasons for the request, saying the online services have been manipulating the market charging customers exorbitant sums for airplane tickets, adding that some of the online firms have not acquired the legal permits for offering travel services.
The official, however, fails to notice that Internet-based businesses were never involved in the airplane ticket business or had partners which were in possession of the necessary licenses.
Khoramabadi added, "The CAO handed in a list of online travel agencies to the judiciary, asking for a [temper ray] ban to prevent further losses for travelers."
He also noted that by law travel agencies are required to obtain a permit from the Roads Ministry before they can offer services to travelers. "The banned websites will resume their operations as soon as the Civil Aviation Organization confirms they have received the necessary permits."
As the end of summer is approaching and families are taking advantage of the final days of the holiday season, barring access to travel agency websites has deprived many of a convenient way of arranging trips.
>Other Narrative
Iran's Information Technology Organization board chairman Amir Nazemi says the CAO has had nothing to do with barring access to online travel agencies.
In a chain of tweets, Nazemi put forth an alternative narrative saying that "some seeking personal gains have pushed the legal entities to implement the measures," which as he implies has nothing to do with the public's interests or an infringement.
Nazemi said, "Many of these websites did have the necessary documents for their work, and have been mistakenly banned."
He added that the attorney general has requested a list of online travel agency websites from the CAO.
According to him, the ICT minister has already held talks with judiciary officials over the matter and hopefully, the services will be back online soon.
In the chain of tweets, he also noted that some have claimed that the move against the online platforms has been orchestrated by Iran Air's Director Farzaneh Sharafbafi and Head of Iran's Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization Ali-Asqar Mounesan. Nazemi noted that these claims are false, adding that Sharafbafi and Mounesan have always been among staunch supporters of online businesses and startups active in the sector.
Nazemi further criticized the judiciary for the rash measure likening blocking an online firm's website to "a death blow to the business."
The chain of tweets was re-posted by ICT Minister Mohammad Javad Azari-Jahromi.
The ban came on the heels of an article on Tasnim News Agency criticizing online travel agencies for skyrocketing airplane ticket prices, suggesting that for controlling the prices "maybe the best way forward would be blocking such services."
