No end to airport development fee?

Private airport developer Delhi International Airport Ltd. (DIAL) has sought permission from the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) to extend the period till which it can impose Airport Development Fee from airline passengers reports Sidhartha Roy.

Private airport developer Delhi International Airport Ltd. (DIAL) has sought permission from the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) to extend the period till which it can impose Airport Development Fee from airline passengers.

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DIAL was allowed to levy the charge for three years starting March 2009. But the airport authority now wants to charge the ADF for a longer duration.

Passengers taking an international flight from Delhi pay an airport development fee of Rs 1,300.

Domestic passengers shell out Rs 200.

AERA, a watchdog body, was set up last year to decide on economic matters regarding airports such as landing and parking fees for airlines and tariff for various ground operations at airports.

DIAL requested AERA in April to extend the time period for which it can charge the ADF from passengers.

AERA is deliberating on the request and is yet to accept or reject the proposal.

“The decision is yet to be taken... it will depend on firming up of the total project cost and a technical audit,” AERA Chairman Yashwant Bhave told Hindustan Times.

Despite repeated attempts to contact the DIAL spokesman throughout the day for comments over the phone or through email, he refused to respond.