NEW DELHI: In a marginal relief to airlines as oil prices shoot up, the aviation ministry has decided to discontinue levy of airport operator charge or fuel throughput charge at all airports, airstrips and heliports across India with immediate effect. It said Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) “should take into account the amount in this revenue stream and duly compensate the airport operator / Airports Authority of India by suitably recalibrating other tariffs during their determinations of airport tariffs.”
The decision has been taken to “uphold affordability and sustainability of air passenger and air cargo transportation.”
The ministry order says: “Fuel-related charges are charged variously either in three parts as (a) Airport Operator Charges, (b) Fuel Infrastructure Charges (FIC), and (c) Into Plane (ITP) Charges or as a composite of the three, generally called Fuel Throughput Charge (FTC), at the airports, airstrips and helipads across the country. At some airports, fuel supply is provided on open access basis.”
