The Supreme Court (SC) of India has directed the Centre and Airports Authority of India Ltd (AAI) to file affidavits stating details about agencies responsible for levy, collection and expenditure of the Airport Development Fees (ADF) collected from passengers. Two days ago, a bench of Justice DK Jain and Justice Madan B Lokur asked the government to file the reply within 10 days.
The bench was hearing a petition filed by an NGO, Consumer Online Foundation, challenging the levying of ADF of Rs 200 and Rs 1,300 per embarking domestic and international passengers at the New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport for 18 months from December 1, 2011 to May 2013. The NGO had appealed against the order of the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority Appellate Tribunal which had refused its plea against the levy and collection of ADF by Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) at the IGI which was fixed by Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA). In the last hearing on July 20, 2012 the bench had observed that ADF collected from passengers was a "little unreasonable" and suggested that VIPs be charged like in abroad for use of special lounges instead of burdening common travellers. "You are a little unreasonable to passengers. In many airports (abroad) such a huge amount of fee is charged for VIP rooms. In London, they charge 400 pounds per passenger for a small room in VIP lounge, why can't you reciprocate here," the court had said.
Click here to see the original article>The bench was hearing a petition filed by an NGO, Consumer Online Foundation, challenging the levying of ADF of Rs 200 and Rs 1,300 per embarking domestic and international passengers at the New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport for 18 months from December 1, 2011 to May 2013. The NGO had appealed against the order of the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority Appellate Tribunal which had refused its plea against the levy and collection of ADF by Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) at the IGI which was fixed by Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA). In the last hearing on July 20, 2012 the bench had observed that ADF collected from passengers was a "little unreasonable" and suggested that VIPs be charged like in abroad for use of special lounges instead of burdening common travellers. "You are a little unreasonable to passengers. In many airports (abroad) such a huge amount of fee is charged for VIP rooms. In London, they charge 400 pounds per passenger for a small room in VIP lounge, why can't you reciprocate here," the court had said.