Shifting of security cost to government will lead to cheaper air tickets

There is a new thinking on airport security in the ministry of civil aviation (MoCA), which views it as a sovereign function and believe that air passengers should not be charged for it.

The Economic Times on Tuesday reported that the MoCA will approach Ministry of Finance with a proposal that the Government of India and not the passengers themselves should pay for the cost of security at airports and other aviation establishments in the country.

ET also said that the aviation ministry has the support of Home Ministry for this proposal.

The proposal if approved by all organs of the government and brought into practice , it will lead to reduction of passenger fees

Today, a large part of the Rs 147 per ticket a flyer pays as passenger service fee (PSF) consists of cost incurred by airports for the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) deployment. This is not the case for bus or train travels. In these mode of travels, the security cost is borne by the state.

According to senior ministry officials, in a third world country, the government views aviation as a " rich man's forte" and not something which effects the major part of the electorate. " Ideally it"s the same case, why would passengers pay for the security which is a national property and government's responsibility to take care of that, they don't do it in case of bus or railway station," the official said.

Around 22,000-23,000 CISF personnel are stationed at the 59 airports today and the total security cost, including payments made to the CISF, at all airports is over Rs 1,000 crore per year.