Opposing the criticism of high charges at private airports, the Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) has informed the Ministry of Civil Aviation that the charges at the Delhi airport are among the lowest in the world. DIAL has cited a study conducted by a UK-based consultant M/s Leign Fisher for the claim. The sample size taken for the cited study includes 50 airports from across the world.
“Based on a study conducted on aeronautical charges in 2018, across global 50 airports by M/s Leign Fisher, a UK based consultant, DIAL’s charges are the lowest among the 50 airports examined. Airport charges form a relatively small percentage (5-7%) of total costs of private Indian airlines, as evident from their published reports,” the Chief Executive Officer DIAL Videh Kumar stated in a letter to the Secretary of Aviation.
According to the letter, the aeronautical charges for DIAL has also dropped from July 2017 after the control period. A control period is five years during which the Airport Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) decides the charges for the airport.
“Parking and housing charges have dropped by 71%; landing charges reduced by 58% and 38% in international and domestic category, respectively; Fuel throughput charges dropped by 27%,” stated in the letter.
The move of involving a study to claim low charges can be seen as an attempt to receive more public-private partnership involvements in airport’s projects. However, as Delhi airport invest more money in the development of the new terminal and also the fourth runway at Delhi airport, the charges may peak. It is worth noting that a few years back, Delhi airport has been awarded as the best international airport. The airport boasts of substantial air traffic of India.
In the study, London LHR tops the list by levying the highest airport charges. Mumbai airport comes at the 47th position in the list and is followed by Frankfurt (48th), Moscow (49th), and last comes Delhi at 50th.
