The Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (AERA) has warned of stringent action against airport operators/service providers if they imposed or levied charges for ‘Elite Meet & Greet’ service, categorised as a non-aeronautical service.
In an advisory, AERA said it had been reported by the stakeholders that some of the major airports were imposing or levying charges for ‘Elite Meet and Greet’ service which was otherwise optional for the charter/aircraft operators, and making them a pre-requisite for availing aeronautical services in respect of charter flights.
Making such non-aeronautical charges mandatory for availing aeronautical services amounted to altering the aeronautical charges and was a violation of the provisions of the AERA Act, 2008.
AERA clarified that Section 2(a) of the AERA Act, 2008, explicitly defined aeronautical services and did not entail availing any ‘Elite Meet and Greet’ service as a mandatory pre-requisite for operating the aircraft/charter at the airport.
Punitive actions
Airport operators resorting to such practices were in clear violation of the rules, the advisory said, and referred to provisions under Sections 38 and 40 of the Act that empowered AERA for initiating punitive actions on the airport operators/service providers for non-compliance of the prescribed guidelines.
Major airports were directed to desist from resorting to mandating availing of optional non-aeronautical services as a prerequisite for providing aeronautical service.
AERA is an independent economic regulator that aims at creating a level playing field, fostering healthy competition among all major airports, encouraging investment in airport facilities and regulating tariffs for aeronautical services.
