Flight of woes: UDF kicks in from today

Those flying in or out of Indira Gandhi International Airport will have to shell out User Development Fee (UDF) from Tuesday. But if you have booked your tickets before May 3, you don't have to pay the fee. All about UDF

Those flying in or out of Indira Gandhi International Airport will have to shell out User Development Fee (UDF) from Tuesday. But if you have booked your tickets before May 3, you don't have to pay the fee.

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UDF will be collected directly from passengers during booking of tickets.

Though the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) had decided to raise airport charges on April 25, airlines operating from Delhi airport added UDF into their booking systems only by May 3.

The exemption from paying UDF, however, would only be in effect till June 29.

From June 30, passengers will have to shell out UDF even if they had booked their tickets before May 3, a Delhi International Airport Ltd (Dial) spokesman said.

Passengers would have to pay even more soon with airport charges being raised.

The hike in airport charges include those for landing, parking, navigation, fuel throughput and usage of Common User Terminals.

AERA has also allowed a raise in airport charges, which airlines pay to Dial by 346% for two years. As per the AERA order, UDF rates would go up further next year.