Flights from Delhi and Mumbai could soon become more expensive for passengers as both airports have proposed a major increase in the User Development Fee.
This fee is added to the price of every flight ticket, so a sharp rise in the price of the ticket can directly affect what travellers pay.
Reports thus suggest that the airports are looking at a big hike because they need to recover huge financial losses that have occurred in previous years.
The issue gained attention after a tribunal said that the airports are owed a large amount of money from the period between 2009 and 2014. To recover this amount from their side, the airports want to increase the charges that are being paid by passengers.
For domestic passengers, the proposed increase could raise the fee several times higher than the current rate.
For international travellers, the fee may also go up by a big margin.
If this plan is finally approved, ticket prices for both the routes, be it domestic or international routes may rise because airlines generally pass on these charges to customers.
Industry experts also tend to believe that flying from Delhi and Mumbai could become costlier, especially for those who are frequent travellers.
However, the increase in the fee is not yet final. The proposal still needs approval from the officials of the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority.
Airlines have also raised concerns regarding all the recent happenings, and legal discussions are still happening.
Some experts also say that even if the fee is increased, airlines may try to keep ticket prices competitive by absorbing a small part of the cost. But the final impact on passengers will depend mainly on the decision made by the authorities.
For now, travellers are advised to stay updated because ticket prices may change once the final approval is given.
If the user fee hike discussion takes a yes, flying from these two major airports will likely become more expensive.
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