Ranchi: The state civil aviation department on Saturday slashed 16% sales tax on aviation turbine fuel (ATF) prompting the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to announce that it would make night parking of aircraft free at Birsa Munda Airport here. The double bonanza for the fliers and the airlines, coming within a week of inauguration of the new terminal, is likely to increase number of passengers and flights in the city.
Ranchi probably becomes the first airport in the country where free night halt facility has been made.
The huge tax the state will now charge 4% tax on ATF has taken a toll on the number of flights at the Ranchi airport. Towards the end of 2011, a total of 16 flights operated from the city for various destinations. The lack of free night parking facility and highly taxed ATF took a toll on the number of flights here. Currently, eight flights operate from Ranchi connecting Delhi, Kolkata, Patna and Mumbai. Surprisingly, there is no flight to Delhi in the morning. Air India's flight is the first flight for the national capital at 1.30pm.
31/03/13 Alok K N Mishra/Times of India
