Ahmedabad Airport Hikes Charter Flight Fees for Cricket World Cup

The Adani Group-owned Ahmedabad airport has proposed to increase user charges for charter flights during the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup. This has sparked a backlash from major airlines, who have called the move illegal and unaffordable.The Airport Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) has issued a notice stating that levying charges not approved by the authority is illegal. The notice also points out that some airports are imposing charges without seeking permission, which is unethical.The Ahmedabad airport's tariff list shows that it is demanding a minimum of Rs 265,000 for charter flights carrying more than 15 passengers, plus Rs 17,667 per passenger beyond that threshold. The airport is also imposing supplementary charges on special flights operated during the Indian Premier League.These charges are in addition to the landing and parking fees. Any flight that has not been registered with the airport operator for a specific season will be categorized as a charter.Airlines such as IndiGo, SpiceJet, and Vistara had bid based on previous charges for a Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) tender to ferry cricket teams during the tournament. The unexpected surge in airport charges makes these flights financially unviable, and the BCCI has refused to pay the extra charges. In response, airlines are operating special charter flights to accommodate cricket fans from around the world.