Attention flyers! Flight ticket costs to Delhi, Mumbai may increase 22x after this court order - What we know

Passengers who travel often from Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport or Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport are likely to witness a 22 times surge in their user charges, which is part of an airline ticket, reported the news portal Economic Times on 1 December 2025.
According to the agency report, this rise in user charges comes after a Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) order, which redefined the formula for calculating airline tariffs between the financial year 2009 and 2014.
As a result of this tribunal order, two of India's largest airports now owe more than ₹50,000 crore in dues for the period. According to the news report, the amount due is set to be collected in the form of passenger fees, landing and parking charges, which in turn make airline tickets more expensive for passengers.
The tribunal order, however, has been challenged in the Supreme Court by the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA), as well as domestic and foreign airlines, including Lufthansa, Air France, and Gulf Air. A bench of justices Aravind Kumar and Nilay Vipinchandra Anjaria will hear the case on Wednesday, the report said.
What may change for passengers?
People aware of the development told ET that if the order comes into force, the user development fee (UDF) imposed on domestic passengers at Delhi airport could rise to ₹1,261 from ₹129. For international passengers, the fee increases to ₹6,356 from ₹650. At Mumbai airport, this may increase to ₹3,856 from ₹175 for domestic passengers, and to ₹13,495 from ₹615 for international flyers.
TDSAT is the appellate tribunal that handles disputes and appeals concerning both telecom and airport economic regulation.
Following the development, government officials expressed concern that such a significant increase in charges would negatively impact passenger growth.
“Irrespective of the merits of the order, passengers shouldn’t become victims of protracted legal battles between airports and airlines,” a government official told ET. “This will be a body blow to passengers as overnight, there will be a massive ticket price increase. Airports are natural monopolies and airlines will have no other option but to pass on the charges to passengers,” the official noted.
The dispute started nearly twenty years ago, when the initial phase of airport privatisation happened in 2006. While AERA sets airport charges for five-year slots based on the operator’s investments and revenue, it was only established in April 2009. This was roughly three years after airport ownership transitioned from the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to DIAL and MIAL. DIAL is affiliated with GMR Group, whereas MIAL, now managed by Adani Group, was owned by GVK at that time.