By IANS,
New Delhi : The government Friday directed the Airports Authority of India (AAI) not to levy airport development fee (ADF) at the Chennai and Kolkata airports.
“Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh has directed AAI not to propose any such fee on the passengers,” the ministry said in a statement.
The development came after AAI submitted proposals to Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) for levy of Development Fee of Rs.300 per embarking domestic passenger and Rs.1,000 per embarking international passenger at Chennai and Kolkata airports.
“The directive on ADF is in line with the stated objective of the government to make air travel affordable and to ensure that the passengers are not subjected to any extra burden,” the statement added.
The ministry further said that AERA will determine only user development fee (UDF) and other tariffs like landing and parking charges.
No ADF will be charged from passengers flying from Kolkata and Chennai airports even after modernization of the airport is completed.
The modernization and expansion of Kolkata and Chennai airports is currently underway, on expenditure budgets of Rs.2,325 crore and Rs.2,015 crore respectively.
Currently, the ADF charges are Rs.200 per domestic passenger and Rs.1,300 per international passenger at Delhi airport, and Rs.100 per domestic passenger and Rs.600 per international passenger at Mumbai airport.