High airport fees must be justified by better services: IATA

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) on Sunday said that the high user charges, which were making major Indian airports "very expensive", should be justified by better services to the airlines and passengers.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) on Sunday said that the high user charges, which were making major Indian airports "very expensive", should be justified by better services to the airlines and passengers.

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Though the landing, parking and navigation charges or airport development fees were "not at the top level of the (global) scale", IATA Director General and CEO Giovanni Bisignani said if these were compared to the purchasing power of Indian people, it would make the airports "very expensive".

The government had earlier this year allowed a ten per cent hike in landing and parking charges, which came under severe criticism from this global umbrella body of airlines.

In an interview to PTI in New Delhi, Bisignani stressed that the charges should match delivery of services.

"There should be no long queues at the counters for check-in, immigration or baggage claim... A passenger should not wait beyond 15 minutes, a standard set by Singapore (Changi) airport. If these (conditions) are not met, then the airport companies must feel the pain. They have to suffer."

He, however, said that the huge investments made by airport companies definitely needed returns, but better services must be delivered.

Welcoming the formation of the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority, he said AERA should have "clear service -level agreements and set targets" for the airport operators to deliver.