'Why pay all taxes if...': Author questions charges for user development, aviation security in air tickets

Author and environmentalist Manoj Arora on Thursday questioned the layering of taxes and surcharges on domestic air travel, saying, "If a traveler is supposed to pay all this, then why do we pay all direct and indirect taxes?"

Arora shared a Ranchi–Delhi ticket receipt for two passengers that showed a base fare of Rs 8,204 but additional levies nearly doubling the cost. The final fare of Rs 12,080 included Rs 1,890 as user development fee, Rs 800 as convenience fee, Rs 472 as aviation security fee, and Rs 200 under the regional connectivity scheme.

Terminal equipment charges and GST added another Rs 1,514. "I only wanted a domestic flight, but it seems that Air India also offers space shuttles from Jamshedpur to Delhi. I mean what man… these top up fees are the new tax loot," he wrote.

One social media user who reacted to Arora’s post noted that add-ons inflated the fare by nearly half. "Breakdown shows the actual ticket is Rs 8,204, but add-ons push total to Rs 12,080. That is 47 percent extra in fees and taxes. User Development Fee itself is Rs 1,890, higher than aviation security and GST combined," the response read.

The user argued that such charges effectively shift airport financing from the government to passengers. "Government shifts airport financing to passengers, even though taxpayers already fund airport land and support AAI. These charges keep piling because airports are privatized under PPP model. Delhi and Hyderabad airports recover costs through UDF and terminal fees, approved by AERA. Airlines just pass them on," the comment added.

Unlike railways, where fares include all costs, air travel is increasingly fragmented through surcharges. "Unlike railways where fare covers everything, air travelers face fragmented charges, making it look like stealth taxation," the user wrote.

Concerns were also raised about the impact of add-ons on demand. "India's air travel penetration is still only 7 percent of population annually. With such high add-ons, first-time fliers hesitate. Contrast with US where TSA fee is fixed $5.60 per leg, not variable," the response observed.

Arora drew a parallel with road travel. "It's the same with highways… travelers keep funding highway via tolls, then why do we pay taxes?" he asked.