Click to play videoNew Delhi: When you are driving through heavy traffic, you can choose to stop and wait for traffic to pass, but not while you are flying. Perhaps that's what explains a nagging Rs 150 surcharge on the ticket.
The airlines call it congestion charge, an attempt to recover Rs 350 crore lost every year due to the choked airspace.
This could go by as much as three times if the Aviation Ministry's proposal to hike airport charges go through. The hike is aimed at reducing traffic during peak hours. But it has many miffed.
Delhi High Court has called the congestion charge passenger unfriendly, asking the Ministry for an explanation. The ministry itself sounds confused.
Aviation Minister Praful Patel talks of a nominal hike, Aviation Secretary Ashok Chawla says on record that charges will be doubled. Either way, it's bad news for fliers.
Says a frequent flier, Madur Nikam, "They should have better management to see the flights are on time."
The hike in charges is to ease peak hour pressure on airports but experts doubt if it will work in India.
Says CEO, Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation, Kapil Kaul, "They have capacity hence they can do it here. It is saturated."
Airlines are also unlikely to let go of their lucrative slots, so the hike is unlikely to ease congestion.
(With inputs from Abirr VP)
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