Thiruvananthapuram: Thiruvananthapuram MP and senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has written to Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, the union aviation minister to take serious note of the increase in User Development Fee (UDF) by the Airport Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) by 50 percentage and thereby take immediately reverse the decision so as to help the passengers from stop dishing more from their pockets.
“It would be grateful if you could convene an urgent meeting with the AERA, the airport operator, Adani Private Limited and principal stakeholders including myself to have this decision reviewed and ideally reversed. The ministry should also mandate the re-establishment of the Airport Advisory Committee without further delay”, Shashi Tharoor wrote in his letter.
The recent decision by the AERA to uphold the decision by the airport operator to increase the UDF by 50 percent for both domestic and international passengers has called for widespread criticisms from various quarters.
Even as the Thiruvananthapuram airport operated by Adani Group are into discussions with multiple airlines to begin new international destinations, the passengers – both domestic and International will have to dish out more from their pockets as the AERA has approved the hike in User Development Fee by the authorities.
The decision has paved for T’puram airport increasing the UDF for domestic passengers from Rs 770 to Rs 1,540 for domestic passengers and from Rs 506 to Rs 1,069 for international passengers.
The fee is further set to increase up to Rs 910 and Rs 1820 in the FY27. The fee is also being introduced for arriving traffic – Rs 330 for domestic passengers and Rs 660 for international passengers.
Manoj Kumar, a Thiruvananthapuram-based tour operator said that the airfares from and to Trivandrum is already higher and with the increase in UDF, passengers will prefer the Kochi international Airport.
“The UDF fee hike will surely reflect in the ticket fares from the capital city and this will benefit the Kochi airport which already has a better connectivity and lower UDF. Also, people staying in Kollam, Kottayam, Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha will prefer Kochi as the fares will be comparatively lower than Trivandrum airport”, he said.
Round-up of rates in Kerala airports
Airport – (for domestic) ( International)
Kannur – Rs 750 Rs 1,680
Kozhikode Rs 430 Rs 720
Kochi Rs 270 Rs 570
T’puram Rs 770 Rs 1,540
Roy Mathew, an entrepreneur to Chennai every week from the capital city by air said the recent decision is regressive and will force many passengers including him to opt for Kochi airport as the ticket fares are expected to increase substantially.
Among the four airports in the state, Kochi charges the lowest user which is Rs 570 and Rs 270 for international and domestic sectors respectively.
“It was only six months ago, the UDF was increased at Kochi airport. Earlier it was Rs 400 for international and Rs 180 for domestic passengers,” Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL) spokesman said.
Thiruvananthapuram MP and senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has written to Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, the union aviation minister to take serious note of the increase in User Development Fee (UDF) by the Airport Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) by 50 percentage and thereby take immediately reverse the decision so as to help the passengers from stop dishing more from their pockets. Kerala States News India: Top News India, States News, States News Headlines, Online State News India, State Politics news
