Rs 6.32/hr to park chopper!

Ahmedabad: Parking a chopper at the Ahmedabad airport is far cheaper than parking a car! This parking bonanza is all due to the benevolence of the Airport Authority of India (AAI) which, sources say, is aimed at facilitating high-flying politicians and industrialists.
Sources at Ahmedabad airport said, parking was free for light aircraft and rates depended on the weight. Parking for the first two hours is free. Thereafter, every hour of parking a chopper would cost just Rs 1.58 for every 1000 kg. A helicopter weighs up to 6000 kg.
A private airline operator, whose chopper was used extensively during elections, said: "All choppers are in the weight range of 4,000-6,000 kg. Going by the present charges, parking rate is between Rs 6.32-9.48 per hour."
This is far lower than parking a car at the airport parking slot. An airport official said: "Parking charges are calculated from the moment a car enters the parking slot and is Rs 60 for four hours. This charge remains the same whether you park the car for 15 minutes or four hours."
Officials say these rates were revised last year probably to favour 'frequent flying' politicians who are largely dependent on private choppers. Choppers being small aircraft, they did not have to pay landing costs.
23/12/07 Himanshu Kaushik & Shoeb Khan/Times of India

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Categories: Airports Dec 2007, General Aviation Dec 2007