After a two-hour flight sitting a few feet away from four boisterous children who made enough noise to put a marching band to shame, emerging at Hyderabad’s swanky new airport for my first visit to the city proved very soothing for my frayed nerves.
The spacious terminal building, high glass walls, and the view, as you step outside, of palm trees and people leisurely posing for photographs in front of water fountains made me recall chaotic scenes back at Delhi’s airport, as I allowed myself a wry grin.
My admiration for what the aviation minister has described as India’s first truly “world-class” airport vaporized when on my return trip, a smiling attendant approached me at the terminal and directed me to a counter that collected 375 rupees from every passenger flying out of the city — courtesy a recently introduced toll called UDF or User Development Fee (International travellers were asked to shell out a thousand rupees).
A UDF is a toll collected by private airport developers to finance in part their project costs, provisions for which were introduced by the government recently with the advent of private players’ participation in development of the country’s airports, although there is no clear policy on how much a developer can charge passengers.
The argumentative Indian that I was, I protested that it seemed absurd to charge passengers so much every time they fly out of the airport, where the most they do is stand in queue to get their boarding passes, maybe use the toilet once and perhaps have a bite at a food joint, which by the way pays money to the airport authorities for operating on the premises.
Besides, I argued, we already paid for our air tickets, which are supposed to include all taxes and service charges. In any case, fees in other areas like road toll or parking charges on vehicles usually amount to double digit numbers, not in the hundreds.
Imagine my dismay when on my return to Delhi, I found out that DIAL, which is developing the capital’s airport, was asking the government’s permission to introduce a similar fee. On further research, I discovered that Bangalore airport already charges UDF and Mumbai airport authorities have also proposed charging the same.
And with plans to develop 35 more airports in the country through the public-private partnership model, all major airports in the country could soon be putting up requests for charging UDF on passengers to let them have a “world-class” experience at their terminals.
Not to argue about the larger economics of the costs and strains of building airports, but is directly charging a few hundred rupees from passengers every time they come to the airport fair or even commercially sound in the long term?
For thousands of citizens like me who can claim to see the inside of an airplane only due to the entry of budget airliners, paying so much just to catch our plane doesn’t make much sense (trains are starting to look inviting again).
Yes, we want big and beautiful airports like everyone else, but not by being forced into directly contributing not once but every time we visit the place.
Also, in these times of economic turmoil when consumers are increasingly getting thrifty, levying such a fee could lead to decreasing air passenger traffic with the lower middle class preferring to go, especially for short distances, by road or rail route.
This would directly affect airliners who would be forced to reduce flights, in turn decreasing the income of the airport operator because of decreased landing and parking fees of planes and service charges.
But as I said before, forget about the larger economics or the high-class jet-setters who would keep on flying anyway, is levying a UDF fair on budget travellers like you and I?
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And not to mention the $4 they charge at the Sydney Airport for using the trolley to carry your luggage.
- Posted by NiranjanRs.140/- ($4)for using a trolley???!!!!!
Probably what irks an average Indian traveller might be the way the new Airport Tax is collected, rather than the amount. Most think that Government or the Corporate Parties always tries to grab much from middle-class anyway.It is partially true in developed countries as well. But what lacks for Indians is the trust on Government or private parties that they charge this UDF for genuine cause. Probably it might take sometime to build such trust.
- Posted by DharmaI have travelled to Bangalore couple of times this year and new Bangaloru International airport is excellent and facilities maintained are brilliant. It made lot of people proud right from airport till way out including roads leading to city. Well there are charges applied for the domestic tickets and international which we pay. But this is applied most of airports internationally ,though these charges are hidden in ticket prices by a different word. We can see very well that traffic in air-passengers increased many folds compared to traffic five-six years back. So when people can afford flying why we people grumble for prices to be paid for good services. If you see Delhi domestic airport one will realize how good are services and maintainence in new airports like Bangalore. No lunches are free my dear friends…..
- Posted by Arshad DesaiIf you want a good facility you got to pay for it. Many airports in the world charge similar fees. For example the newly established Suvannabhum airport in Bangkok charges above 1300 Rs. from each passenger each time they use the airport. If you go to Bangkok, will you make a fuss about it? If not why?
- Posted by TangkhulSo, you want world class stuff without contributing anything!
- Posted by GirishThis is called official bribe. You bribe everyone for everything that you want and need. If you don’t want to pay, you can take the proverbial walk.
- Posted by Doc JayI’ll say it’s best if this UDF or whatever is included in Air fare itself.Or at least the air tickets must say that we need to pay something at airport.That way the traveller or prospective traveller knows everything and is not in for a surprise.
- Posted by SantoshAlso, the amount is totally UNACCOUNTABLE, hence taxless. No credit cards, debit cards can be used to pay the amount. “Only Cash” as they say.
Only recently I came to know that private companies are provided with thousands of acres of land to develop. I guess, when deals are set between government and private sector on AIrport development, it never mentions any fee to be charged from flying passengers!!!!
Media, please dig into the issue, if politics permits.
- Posted by SagarWell these are just side-effects of privatization!!!
- Posted by R SI agree to what Suresh has writen above. It’s time to stand on your own to feet and work hard to get what you want in life.
- Posted by tomWhere I came from (not giving name of the country I am in) we pay higher taxes on everything food, petrol, gas electrics, and so on….. about 60% of our income go to tax and we have higher fuel and airport tax to pay before we can fly out of the country.
I love India, I have come over good few time’s but not i can’t afford to, due to fuel and airport tax we have to pay here.
So think about what other people in the world have to do if they have to travel by air……
we pay tax when we are born, and we pay tax when we dead……..
Indian economics dictates that for standard service you must pay - for luxury forget it. We in India have to shell out money for the basic amenities which the western counterparts take for granted - I have never paid in UK to use standard facilities like busports, airports and railway platform tickets. I thought the preamble stated that the country strives to be a socialist but unfortunately in reality it strives to be a die-hard capitalist. What a contradiction.
- Posted by kdesarkerI do agree with many others here about paying the UDF at airports. However the fee prescribed has to be in the context of the place where the airport is. Because of the purchasing power discrepancy we can’t equate the airport taxes in india to that of the same else where in developed world. Also most cases these new Indian airports don’t prescribe such charges in advance and passengers are forced to pay the taxes at the last minute. A single window policy for paying all your travel related fees is yet to exist for Indian airports.
- Posted by Debasis NandaWhen will this “I want everything free” mentality change? This is childish. People crib when the airport dirty or small or lacks any facility. But they dont want to pay anything for upkeeping of it. Do you want your airport look like a slum? If you want a airport with facilities then you should be able to pay for it. Government cannot do everything in a country where people dont want to pay TAX, service charge or for that matter anything. They want everything free. People are getting richer but their mindset remains so so cheap.
- Posted by PalaniHi Mr David Lalmalsawma,
I haven’t read all the comments only a few, and those of us who have been living abroad for many years understand that nothing is for FREE, we need to pay if we want some benefit or use of anything. I’m not aware of the average wage in India, but have heard that guys make heaps now as compared to when I was there about 40-yrs ago. Some in the comments above have expressed their views fairly well for those who are still living in India. To give you an example we have to pay about $50/= each way which I think is approx. Rs2,500/= to drive across a bridge a few kilometers long to get to Copenhagen or vice-versa.
- Posted by Maurice RobinsonIf the average Indian is earning pretty well as I’m given to udnerstand, then paying Rs1000/= shouldn’t be considered too high a price. Finally, in all seriousness for me just to get a visa to visit India I was told that I need to pay Rs4000/= so what’s Rs1000/= it appears to be quite reasonable.
Dear fellow Indians, I write this comment to all Indians, Pay your taxes, vote for honest individuals for governance and stop being a charity case for all your lives. Why do Indians all ways extend their hands out and expect things to happen magically.
It is the fault of all Indians that private companies are free to do whatever they want. Where does the government get additional money from to build new infrastructure. I agree a lot of money goes to waste via the corruption route, however, it is us Indians that are responsible for this.
A billion people, and we seem to elect criminals, a billion people who do not want to speak out against corruption. Stop complaining, this is the dawn of a new era, where corporations will run countries, forget your democratic political votes, and buy some shares in these private companies, so that you still have a vote in the new real governments.
- Posted by SureshThe New Middle Class knows only to demand facilities ,but not to pay for them.This is their hang over from the Lower Income days. where subsidy from Kerosene to Public Transport is the order of the day. If they are at least given a Document on which the value of all the subsidies availed on day to day basis is recorded, they would realise the meaning of the welfare State.We should know to grow up and bear the responsiblity of running this country through our contributions. Istead of allowing blanket exemption for all and sundry up to a ceratain Income level, there should be at least a marginal tax levied on all Income levels above Poverty line.It can be even a Token 1%.This tax can be cllected as stamp fee on the receipt.,thus avoiding cumbersome I.T.Returns etc. That would make every earner a Tax Payer and then, we will be finding they will be taking more interest in what the Government is doing on a day to day basis.When such a thing is in vogue, may be people will appreciate the need for Airport Charges.Railway Satations are charging Platform charges even from visitors and the fares are calculated based on a loaded factor for Infrastructue. Nothing is free there.Why grudge the Airports?
- Posted by C.S.RadhakrishnanThere are two points of contention here - one the charge itself and secondly the way it is charged.
If this cost was rolled into the airline ticket - like most other costs, it would not be so bad - we make the decision to fly based on the final cost and the need. However after reaching an airport, if we have to pay 1000 rupees per passenger or 5000 rupees for a family of 5, that seems to be ridiculously high.
The airport should charge for premium amenities - baggage strollers, lounges, higher cost for food and drink (already being charged), rest rooms, entertainment within airports (pool tables, movies etc), parking and maybe even priority access.
Paying for the building, land and infrastructure should be billed to the airlines, government and the developers who are in business because of it.
- Posted by PhilipLook at it this way, have a world class airport but pay for it! Our tax is not as high as European or even American Tax, our mentality is that we want free stuff, and even if we want to pay we want it cheap. How do you afford to build or even sustain a multi-billion project from the government? Especially when the economy is failing? If you want expensive and savvy stuff, pay for it!
- Posted by RahulA pain to pay with every travel and every terminal is understandably logistic nightmare. However the argument not to charge is with wrong cause. In my view world class service will not come free in dreams. Ideally it has to be a concerted effort of progress from government in its role of family running. Still one has to realise its own responsibility to contribute as well fairly! To blame than for effort of few who would like to serve in a humanly respectable manner rather than an animal style should not be underscored. One should as well try to introspect deep routed cultural issues in such progress as well!
- Posted by Rajesh Singhvi