Airlines' social media departments frequently outline the many fees that are assessed when purchasing a ticket, pointing out that many of these costs are collected on behalf of other organizations and then sent along. The total rate that passengers pay is less than what the airlines themselves make. Still, social media is buzzing with complaints about "overpriced" airline tickets, especially around festivals when air travel spikes.
A traveler from Lucknow to Bengaluru recently voiced his dissatisfaction with the several fees "levied by IndiGo" in an event of this kind. He remarked, "What is this 'Cute Fee'?" in a post on X. Are users charged for cuteness? Or do you charge only because you think your planes are adorable?"
Although the fundamental airfare—the amount a passenger pays for air transportation—is widely known, the government receives a substantial amount of income from the GST imposed on airline tickets. The GST funds support the growth of aviation infrastructure, giving travelers safer and more effective travel experiences.
There are a few additional fees, though, that travelers might not be aware of. So, these are the fees that are most frequently assessed:
Fee: The use of escalators, metal detectors, and other equipment at airports is subject to fees known as CUTE, or Common User Terminal Equipment costs. There are situations where the CUTE charge is also known as a passenger handling fee.
The Aviation Security Fee (ASF) is a charge that goes toward funding the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which is responsible for guarding the majority of the nation's main airports, with the exception of a handful that are under state police control and host flights under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS). Notably, there are differences in the ASF between local and foreign travelers. Except in some cases, ASF is only charged to passengers leaving; it is not charged to those entering. ASF does not apply to children under the age of two who travel on baby tickets and do not have a complete seat. Diplomatic passport holders, those flying on Indian Air Force duty, people going on United Nations peacekeeping operations, airline crew on duty, and sky marshals are also excluded.
Airports impose the User Development Fee (UDF) in an effort to boost their operator's revenue. The airport operator is guaranteed a reasonable rate of return on investment by the imposition of the UDF, which fills in any revenue gaps. The quantity of UDF differs across airports.
Regional Connectivity Tax: Except for routes in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Lakshadweep, this tax is assessed upon departure for aircraft with a maximum take-off weight (MTOW) over 40 tons.
Seat Fee: The purpose of this fee is to encourage affordable air travel by enabling airlines to provide more competitive ticket pricing to customers who don't care which seat they are assigned. The airline will ultimately assign a seat at no additional cost if the pricing for seat assignments is high and a passenger decides not to pick a seat at web check-in. Airlines have been requested by the Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs not to mark each seat as paid during the online check-in procedure. This approach has drawn criticism for compromising customer sovereignty and swaying judgment.
