UDF for domestic air travel soon

UDF for domestic air travel soon
Anshul Dhamija | TNN

Bangalore: If you thought the Chennai-Bangalore ticket price was already unaffordable — a one-way ticket ranges between Rs 3,000 and Rs 5,000 — be prepared to shell out another Rs 675. Come August 24, the Bengaluru International Airport (BIA) would complete three months of operations. With that, comes an increase in air fares for domestic passengers, as the much-debated user development fee (UDF) will come into force.
When BIA opened on May 24, the airport promoters BIAL, had toed the line of the government and spared domestic passengers of paying UDF of Rs 675 (plus taxes) for the first three months. As the date draws near, BIAL officials have confirmed to TOI that they have done a UDF price revision for domestic passengers, which they have communicated to the civil aviation ministry.
“We have made a revision on the UDF,” said a BIAL official spokesperson but refused to divulge any further details, citing it’s confidential.
When TOI contacted civil aviation ministry officials, they said that no decision had been taken. Sources in the ministry though said that there might be a delay in the imposition of UDF by 2-3 months as people were currently reeling under the constant air fare hikes.
But officials of GMR who operate the new airport at Hyderabad said that they are expecting the ministry’s approval on UDF in a week’s time. The new Hyderabad airport had opened a month earlier than BIA, and had also exempted domestic passengers from paying UDF for the first three months.
“We have communicated to the ministry that we would be charging an inter-state UDF of Rs 600 and an intra-state UDF of Rs 300 for domestic passengers travelling out of Hyderabad,” said a senior official of GMR.
FEE-VER PITCH
Come August 24, BIA completes three months
UDF on passengers to come into affect
BIAL officials confirm a UDF price revision for domestic passengers, from the thought of price of Rs 675 (plus taxes)
Airline officials confirm UDF to come into effect on September 1 as per e-mail from BIAL ‘High UDF is due to crisis in aviation’
Bangalore: The imposition of user development fee of Rs 675 on air travellers using the Bengaluru International Airport is being attributed to turbulence in the aviation sector.
A few months ago, the civil aviation ministry asked BIAL to charge Rs 100 for domestic short-haul flights and Rs 200 for domestic long-haul flights three months after the airport opening.
But with the turbulence in the aviation sector forcing airlines to cut flights, airports have been hit as landing and take-off charges have shrunk. More so as the new private greenfield airports are charging more for parking than other airports, many airlines have stationed their aircraft at Chennai, Mumbai and New Delhi.
“After we submit the final audited cost of the project to the civil aviation ministry, a UDF price will be decided upon. But I can tell you that in order for the airport to break even in the next five years, we need to charge a UDF of Rs 675 (plus taxes) for domestic passengers,” BIAL CEO Albert Brunner had told TOI in July. Currently a UDF of Rs 1,070 is being charged to international passengers departing from Bangalore.
Airline officials confirmed to TOI an internal mail sent by BIAL said a UDF of Rs 675 (plus taxes) would commence on September 1. Airlines said they would add the UDF to the tax quotient of the ticket price as and when they update their systems for September bookings.