Flights out of Lucknow to become more expensive beginning July 1

Lucknow, June 24 (HS): If it hasn't already, air travel from Lucknow has become prohibitively expensive, with the Airport Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) approving new user development fee (UDF) rates that would continue to grow for three years beginning July 1, according to airport authorities. UDF is a fee paid on passengers boarding for airport upkeep, operations, and development.

According to an airport spokeswoman, the Chaudhary Charan Singh airport administration filed for a raise in UDF rates in December, which the AERA has recently accepted.

"The domestic UDF has been raised from ?163 to ?750." Passengers travelling overseas will have to pay 1350 instead than the ?475 formerly paid as UDF. This increase will be phased in over the following three years, according to the official.

With a projected expenditure of ?10,700 crore, the official explained the increase in the building of terminals 3 and 4. "Despite this substantial investment, the UDF to be levied is significantly lower than in New Delhi or Mumbai."

With plans to boost international connection, the airport aims to lengthen its runway from 2,800 metres to 3,200 metres so that larger jets, such as the Boeing 747 and 757, can land comfortably. In addition, the airport will be getting 14 new aerobridges. Meanwhile, according to the official, Lucknow airport handled 54.84 lakh passengers in 2022-23, which is 22 lakh higher than the previous year. At the moment, the Lucknow airport operates 120 flights each day, 105 of which are domestic and 15 of which are international.

Hindusthan Samachar/Abhishek Awasthi