SUMMARY

A proposal before the aviation regulator could change what departing passengers at Bengaluru airport pay over the next few years. In a submission to the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India, Bengaluru International Airport Ltd said it has proposed an 18% cut in user development fees for departing passengers from September 2026.

The airport operator said lower charges in the near term could help support passenger traffic and make future tariff changes easier to absorb, as part of a broader effort to strengthen the airport's position as a major aviation hub.

What has been proposed?

BIAL has proposed cutting UDF for departing domestic passengers to ₹1,450 from ₹1,550 and for departing international passengers to ₹1,215 from ₹1,500.

When will the revised fees apply?

The reduced rates have been proposed for the period from September 2026 to March 2029. If approved, the revised user development fee (UDF) will apply from September 2026.

What happens after that?

From April 2029, the operator has proposed a further reduction to ₹1,245 for domestic passengers and ₹1,050 for international passengers.

How many passengers does the airport handle?

The Kempegowda International Airport, the country's third-busiest after Delhi and Mumbai, handled 44.16 million passengers in FY26. BIAL has planned an investment programme of ₹18,635 crore and said tariffs, including UDF, may be revised in later years if needed to recover capital expenditure. Even so, it has proposed lower UDF levels for a defined period, while keeping the fee within a range, even if later revisions become necessary.

How will this affect passengers?

Since UDF is included in the airfare, passengers would see the impact through the total ticket price paid for departing flights. Arriving passengers will continue to pay no UDF. The proposal focuses on lower departure charges for passengers while leaving room for future tariff revisions as Bengaluru airport recovers investment linked to expansion.

Why is the airport proposing the cut?

BIAL said lower passenger charges now would help cushion the effect of any future tariff revisions linked to the recovery of its planned investment and the commissioning of new infrastructure during the control period.

How does Bengaluru compare with other airports?

Industry experts said the proposal could make Bengaluru one of the lowest-charging private airports for departing passengers among major Indian metro airports, though Delhi and Mumbai would still have lower UDF levels.

Who runs the airport?

BIAL is managed by a consortium comprising Fairfax Financial Holdings, through FIH Mauritius, with 74%, Karnataka State Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation with 13%, and the Airports Authority of India with 13%.

Published on: Jun 25, 2026 10:08 AM IST