Airlines to explain congestion charge stand to HC

New Delhi: Private airlines will explain before the Delhi High Court the reasons for imposing a Rs 150 per head surcharge to meet additional fuel expenses while aircraft hover over major airports due to air traffic congestion.
This comes in the wake of the High Court asking the Civil Aviation Ministry to explain how the airlines have decided to impose the congestion surcharge. State-owned Indian is the only carrier that has not imposed it.
"Majority of the airlines have written to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) that they are unable to withdraw the surcharge.
As we have explained to the ministry, we will implead ourselves and explain to the court why the surcharge was imposed," Kingfisher Airlines chief Vijay Mallya told reporters on the sidelines of the Airport and Airline Expo here.
Following the High Court directive, the airlines had been asked by DGCA to give their point of view on the surcharge by March 24.
27/03/07 Press Trust of India/Business Standard

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Categories: Airports Mar 2007, General Aviation Mar 2007