BIAL starts collecting UDF

BIAL starts collecting UDF

Special Correspondent

Those who booked tickets earlier too need to pay it

18 counters opened for collecting UDF

The final UDF rate yet to be fixed

CHICKBALLAPUR: Bengaluru International Airport Ltd. (BIAL) started collecting user development fees (UDF) of Rs. 260 from domestic outbound passengers starting Friday.

Many outbound domestic passengers, who had booked or purchased tickets in advance, went through some anxious moments at the Bengaluru International Airport as they had to pay the UDF at the counters and get a receipt before checking in.

Only those passengers who had paid the UDF were allowed inside the terminal building by security personnel. The Ministry of Civil Aviation had announced that even those who had purchased or booked tickets in advance had to pay UDF starting January 16.

Sources in BIAL told The Hindu that 8,500 to 9,000 domestic passengers were expected to depart from the BIA on Friday.

BIAL, the airport operator, had set up 18 counters at the airport to enable passengers to pay UDF. While 16 counters were located on the kerbside near the terminal building, one was at the departure lounge and the other at the arrival lounge for transit passengers.

BIAL officials said that to attend to passenger queries and manage queues efficiently, the company had deployed adequate personnel.Asked about the estimated increase in BIAL’s revenue in view of it collecting UDF from domestic passengers, the sources said it was too early for them to provide the figures as the UDF now was an ad-hoc one.

The final UDF would be decided by the regulatory body that would be appointed by the Centre in the next few weeks, they said.
To be part of the fare

Meanwhile, BIAL on Friday informed the Karnataka High Court that the UDF would not be collected separately from passengers and that it would be included in the ticket fare.

BIAL made this submission when a Division Bench comprising Justice Deepak Verma and Justice K. Ramanna was hearing a memo by G.R. Mohan, advocate from Bangalore, challenging the levy of UDF for domestic passengers from Friday.