Flight tickets will be dearer from April 1 as DGCA hikes security fee

The civil aviation regulator has hiked Aviation Security Fee for services like passenger screening and monitoring of areas at airports

Airline tickets are set to get costlier from Thursday as the civil aviation regulator has increased the aviation security fee payable for services such as screening of passengers and baggage and deployment of paramilitary forces at airports.

“Aviation Security Fee for the domestic passengers will be levied at the rate of Rs 200 per embarking passengers. For international passengers, it will be levied at the rate of $12 or equivalent Indian Rupees per embarking passenger,” the Directorate General of Civil Aviation said in an order.

The increase in ASF for domestic passengers is of Rs 40, over the existing rate of Rs 160. For international passengers, the charge has more than doubled from the earlier $5.20.

The new rates of ASF will be effective on tickets issued on or after April 1, 2021 at 00:01 hours, the civil aviation regulator said.

The ASF was last increased in September 2020.

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Children below the age of two years, diplomatic passport holders, airlines crew on duty, including sky marshals, personnel traveling on official duty on aircraft operated by the IAF, persons traveling for UN Peacekeeping Missions, transit passengers with onward journey within 24 hours and passengers departing from any airport due to involuntary rerouting are exempt from paying the ASF.

In India, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) is tasked with the security of airports across the country under the regulatory framework of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security.

As per International Civil Aviation Organisation policies, only the following security services can be included in the cost base for security charges: screening of passengers and baggage, security control of cargo, airport and airline personnel, monitoring of restricted areas and training.

The ICAO guidelines also state that passengers should not be charged for general security functions performed by states such as national intelligence, counter-terrorism and baseline policing activities that are over and above the level of security required at airports for normal business purposes.