Delhi airport to be world's most expensive

 

Just last week, New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport was named as the World's Most Improved Airport in 2012, at the World Airport Awards held at the Passenger Terminal EXPO in Vienna.

Operator GMR Infrastructure Ltd has been permitted to raise charges, which could hurt the airport's ambition to become an aviation hub, the airline industry body said.

"India's aviation industry is already sick. This increase in Delhi's charges will put it in intensive care from a cost perspective," Albert Tjoeng, assistant director of corporate communications at International Air Transport

Air ticket prices for international flights operating from the airport would rise by an average of Rs 580, while domestic fares would increase by an average 290 rupees, GMR said in a statement.

The revised charges would push up the landing and parking fee for aircraft, apart from raising the user development fee, GMR said, a move that may discourage foreign airlines to operate to and from the Indian capital.

 The prestigious awards were based on an 'Airport Customer survey ' that measured satisfaction across a range of 39 service and product Key Performance Indicators that track the customer experience at each airport, for departing, arriving and transit passengers.