Airport charges in India among lowest: study

Airport charges in India are among the lowest in the world and the charges constitute less than 4 per cent of an airline's total operating cost, a body of private airport operators claimed today.

Referring to a survey conducted by a global company specialising in airport and aviation consultancy, Association of Private Airport Operators (APAO) said Mumbai airport was ranked at 50th place in a sample of 50 representative airports worldwide.

"This clearly indicates that charges at Mumbai (Delhi airport has similar charges) were amongst the lowest. Toronto airport had the highest index, while Mumbai airport charges were 16 per cent lower than that of Toronto," APAO Secretary General K L Kanthan said in a statement refering to a study conducted by Jacob Consultancy in 2008.

 

Even airports in Bangkok, Singapore and Beijing had higher airport charges than Mumbai, he added.

Recently, private airlines have demanded reduction of sales tax on jet fuel, cut in airport charges and had even threatened to go on strike on the issue.

"The fact is that airport charges in India constitute only about 3.25 per cent to 3.5 per cent of total operating cost of airlines as compared to ATF which constitutes 40 per cent of the costs," he said.