Passengers to pay airport development fee: Delhi HC

The Delhi High Court Wednesday dismissed the public interest petition challenging the collection of Airport Development Fee (ADF) from passengers departing from the Indira Gandhi International Airport here.

The division bench comprising Chief Justice Ajit Prakash Shah and Justice Manmohan, while dismissing the petition, said: "We find no irregularities attached to the imposition of ADF, therefore the petition is dismissed."

The court further said if Airport Authority of India (AAI) had to carry out the function of the airport for the welfare of passengers, it is right to charge the ADF from them.

The bench had reserved the order last week after hearing the arguments from the Airports Authority of India, Delhi International Authority Limited (DIAL) and Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL).

The public interest petition had challenged the ADF of Rs.200 on all outgoing domestic passengers and Rs.1,300 on international ones since March 1, 2009.

Apart from alleging that the money being charged for airport development work was "placing undue burden on travelling public", the petition also argued that in return for the payment the passenger is not being offered any extra facility or value by DIAL.

In March, the government asked all airlines flying out of Delhi to collect a development fee from the passengers while issuing tickets.