COSTLY TRIP

Hyderabad, Oct. 31: The Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad has increased the user development fee for all outbound passengers.

According to airport operator GMR Hyderabad International Airport, the fee has been hiked 26 per cent to Rs 430 for a domestic traveller and 87 per cent to Rs 1,700 for a foreign passenger, from November.

Earlier, domestic and international passengers paid Rs 340 and Rs 907, respectively, as fees, excluding service tax.

The Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India approved the hike after a stakeholders’ meet last month.

The levy will mop up an additional Rs 650 crore for the airport operator over three years. GMR said the hike was needed to maintain “globally benchmarked performance standards”.

GMR had sought to increase the user fee to Rs 500 from Rs 340 for domestic passengers and Rs 2,825 from Rs 907 for international passengers.

Domestic airlines are opposed to the move as they feel a higher levy will hurt the aviation sector, which is still recovering from the slowdown. According to the airlines, other airports will also follow suit that will subsequently lead to a dip in passenger traffic.