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Air travellers have been paying an extra Rs 150 per ticket as congestion surcharge since last December. The Delhi High Court has now questioned the rationale behind it.

“When the Civil Aviation Ministry is to be blamed for the congestion in the air and on the ground, why should the passengers pay?” the court asked the ministry’s counsel, Anjana Gosain, on Tuesday.

The division bench of justices Swatanter Kumar and HR Malhotra asked the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to look into the matter and submit a report by April 17, suggesting what could be done.

The court was hearing a public-interest petition filed by lawyer Anup Bagai, seeking its intervention to end the travails of passengers due to the congestion at Delhi airport. The petition blamed inadequate airport infrastructure.

Asked what steps could be taken to reduce congestion at the airport, Gosain told the court that a third runway would be operational by 2008.

Various private airlines have justified the surcharge, saying their aircraft have to hover above airports for hours — and burn precious fuel in the process — because of the congestion below.

The ministry had opposed their move to impose it.

Kingfisher Airlines, Air Sahara and Jet Airways were the first to levy the surcharge. Indian (Airlines), however, did not levy the charge.

Email author: harish.nair@hindustantimes.com

Email author: sidhartha.roy@hindustantimes.com