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Airlines don't want a user development fee (UDF) levied on domestic passengers and have even appealed to the prime minister against it.
Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), looking at ways to increase its revenue, is hoping to extract a UDF from domestic passengers after the ministry of civil aviation directed Hyderabad airport to levy the fee. It was supposed to start collecting the fee from mid-November.
BIAL is collecting a UDF of Rs1,070 from passengers travelling on international flights. And it would like to collect Rs675 from domestic flyers but the ministry, if it approves the fee, will probably approve an amount of Rs 375, as that is how much it allowed at Hyderabad airport.
However, with the Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA) moving the Centre with an appeal to exempt domestic passengers from UDF, BIAL's plans are going to hit another roadblock.
FIA, whose members include major airlines like Jet Airways and Kingfisher, met prime minister Manmohan Singh last week and asked for a bailout package for the ailing airlines industry. While requesting a financial assistance of Rs 3,000 crore, the airlines want revenue enhancement exercises to be dropped or at least postponed.
These include keeping the UDF out and not hiking the landing fee for airlines.
"As such, the airlines are suffering huge losses. Moves like the UDF will make air travel more expensive and will drive passengers away," said Kingfisher Airlines sources.
However, BIAL has not lost hope. A BIAL spokesperson said, "The ministry of civil aviation is looking into the issue and we are waiting for its nod."
She said levying UDF was according to the concessionaire agreement signed by the government and BIAL and it was meant to generate revenue that was required to sustain the airport. A source in the ministry of civil aviation said the ministry had responded to some of the requests made by the airlines and there was a possibility of asking BIAL to postpone levying of UDF on domestic passengers.
Old cabbies, new avatar
Taxi drivers from HAL will be seen in action at BIA from tomorrow, with a new look.
Instead of the old Indicas and Omnis, you will see Mahindra Logans and Indigos.
The call centre will be inaugurated today by freedom fighter Doreswamy, while the cab service will be inaugurated by chief minister B S Yeddyurappa tomorrow.
The KSTDC Drivers' Association will begin their taxi services from BIA with a transformation. "The BIA had initially not given us any counter at the airport. The BIA then gave us specifications on how the cabs should be. They said they should be brand new, three-boxed type, with AC. They approved only Mahindra Logan and Tata Indigos," said association president H Venkatesh Reddy.
KSTDC has got permission for 200 vehicles. "In the first phase, we have 100 vehicles of which 75 are Logans and 25 Indigos," he said.
The new cabs will have a vehicle tracking system and a meter which will give a printout of the bill.
Not all drivers lucky
The drivers who will get to ply from BIA had to buy new cars. "The 100 drivers in the first phase were chosen on seniority basis. Some said they couldn't afford a new car. We have 362 drivers in our association. We have got permission for only 200, and we are beginning with 100," he said.
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