AAI Plans To Levy Additonal Charges For Slots During Peak Hours
India’s increasing air traffic has resulted in many airports facing severe congestion due to the unavailability of slots for take-offs and landings, especially at major airports such as Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai. In order to remedy this, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) is now mulling over asking airlines to fork out additional charges for using slots during peak hours, reports The Free Press Journal.
The proposal could see major rescheduling of flights and also higher airfares during peak hours. AAI chairman Guruprasad Mohapatra has said that the proposal is still being discussed and the government hadn’t taken a decision on the matter yet.
It is being considered and global precedents are being collected… There are variable slot charges (at airports) in different parts of the world. It is not something new but in India we don’t have (such) a policy.AAI chairman Guruprasad Mohapatra
Right now airlines pay a fixed airport charge with no additional fee being levied for slots.
The proposal will require approval from the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) that regulates tariff and other charges for aviation services across airports in India.