AAI gets nod to raise its aeronautical fees by ten per cent at all 84 airports across the country

After private airport developers at Delhi and Mumbai, Government of India (GoI) has allowed Airports Authority of India (AAI) to raise its aeronautical charges by ten per cent at all 84 airports across the country. This charge includes the landing, parking and navigation fees that airlines pay for using airports. According to a report in Times of India (ToI) by Saurabh Sinha, this will mean higher charges for airlines at Delhi and Mumbai airports (together account for nearly 60 per cent of the entire' country's air traffic) as air traffic services at all airports is provided by AAI.

GoI is also likely to clear AAI's proposal this week for charging development fee from departing passengers at places like Trichy, Trivandrum, Goa, Amritsar and Ahmedabad. Certain sources said that the fee is almost certain to be cleared first for airports that have high international traffic. AAI's proposal also envisages a lower fee for domestic and higher fee for international passengers. While the higher aero charges will mean airline's airport bills for landing, parking, navigation and other services will go up and airlines are unlikely to pass it on to passengers.