GMR and GVK approach CCI to get clearance for hike in aeronautical charges

In an unprecedented move, two of the country’s largest airport operators — GMR and GVK — have approached the Competition Commission of India to get clearance for a 10% hike in aeronautical charges like landing and parking tariffs.
They have urged the competition watchdog to overturn a decision by the Airport Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) rejecting the hike in aeronautical charges, civil aviation ministry sources said.
The Competition Commission has been named as the appellate authority for verdicts of the airport regulator.
If the AERA’s decision on landing and parking charges is turned down, airlines have to pay more at the Delhi and Mumbai airports.
The move comes at a time when the new airport terminal at Delhi, the largest and the most expensive, is all set for a high-profile inauguration by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chief Sonia Gandhi on Saturday. GMR declined to comment but GVK confirmed that an appeal has been filed, but did not offer any comments on the case since it was sub-judice. The GVK group runs Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL). MIAL also operates the new international airport at Bangalore. Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), which is upgrading the Delhi airport with huge investments ahead of the Commonwealth Games in October, is run by the GMR Group. The Banglore-headquartered group also operates the international airport at Hyderbad.
01/07/10 Faizan Khan & G Ganapathy Subramaniam/Economic Times

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Categories: Airports Jul 2010