Airlines charging congestion fee to face heat from government

New Delhi: The government is all set to take action against airlines for imposing a congestion fee of Rs 150.
The move comes at a time when airlines have hiked fares, citing increasing cost of aviation turbine fuel (ATF). The government claims that congestion charge is unjustified as there is very little congestion at major airports, with Mumbai being the exception.
The government had asked airlines to withdraw the congestion charge last year, but only public sector carrier Air-India complied.
“Airlines are free to charge an airfare of their choice but they cannot do it in the name of congestion. It is a very unfair practice airlines have resorted to. Now congestion at all the airports have eased except Mumbai. If airlines continue to mislead passengers, we would take action,” a senior official in the ministry of civil aviation said.
Passengers are currently paying a fuel surcharge of about Rs 2,150, passenger fe 150 on every sector.
02/05/08 Nirbhay Kumar/Economic Times

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Categories: Airports May 2008, Indian Aviation- In General May 2008