The Supreme Court has ordered that the air tickets to and from Delhi will be getting cheaper. Air tickets between Chandigarh and Delhi would also get cheaper by summers’17. As per The Supreme Court, Delhi International Airport Pvt Ltd has been imposing 96% higher charges on airlines than prescribed by a government agency.
Lack Of Implementation
The Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) had slashed the Delhi Airport charges by 96% in December 2015 for April 1, 2014, to March 31, 2019, period (second control period). This should have dropped the airline charges but V DIAL is still charging higher tariff that was approved by The Airport Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) for April 1, 2009, to March 31, 2014 (first control period). A legal recourse was taken by The Delhi Airport operator for not implementing the lower tariff order. Though, the matter has been still pending for a long time.
Over-Overcharge
A special leave petition (SLP) was filed by Air India on 24th January 2017 in The Supreme Court on DIAL for over-charging in the current period. Delhi International Airport Pvt Ltd (DIAL) is currently recovering Rs 300 crore per month as DIAL had been unjustly enriched by Rs 7,257.15 crore for generating revenue from tariff charges from 1st April 2014-30th June 2016. If DIAL continues to do this then by the end of March 2019 then Rs. 17,157.15crore would be collected against the target revenue of Rs. 7,709.61 crore (Rs 9,447.54 crore excess collection).
AERA has estimated that due to the higher charges by DIAL, the passengers flying in and out will be paying about Rs. 9,450cr extra in over three years.
Supreme Court’s Order
The Supreme Court gave an order on February 23, 2017, after hearing Air India’s petition:
After having a look at the facts and circumstances of this case, we request the AERA Tribunal to kindly take up the matter at an early so as to dispose of the same within a period of two months from today and list the matter in the last week of April 2017.
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