GHIAL Proposes New Fees as RGIA Traffic Projected to Cross 51 Million

Annual passenger traffic at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) in Hyderabad is projected to cross 51 million by Financial Year 2030-31, prompting GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited (GHIAL) to propose a revision in passenger user charges to fund a major infrastructure expansion. The projections and tariff proposals were detailed in a consultation paper released by the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) for the Fourth Control Period.

The airport is currently nearing its designed capacity. The existing passenger terminal at RGIA has a capacity of 34 million passengers per annum (MPPA), while traffic is estimated to reach 30.48 million in FY 2025-26. The projected traffic of 51 million by FY 2030-31 marks a nearly 69% increase from the FY 2025-26 estimates.

According to the AERA consultation paper, the cumulative passenger traffic at the Hyderabad airport during the period from FY 2026-27 to FY 2030-31 is projected to reach 218.3 million. RGIA has also outperformed previous traffic forecasts. Against AERA’s earlier projection of 112.55 million passengers, the airport handled 118.12 million passengers, exceeding the forecast by approximately 5%.

To support the necessary infrastructure expansion and meet rising operational costs, GHIAL has proposed a significant revision in passenger user charges and other aeronautical tariffs for the period spanning FY 2026-27 to FY 2030-31.

Under the new tariff proposal, departing domestic passengers would pay a User Development Fee (UDF) of Rs 580, while arriving domestic passengers would be charged Rs 170, starting from September 1, 2026.

For international travel, GHIAL has proposed a UDF of Rs 1,150 for embarking passengers and Rs 350 for disembarking passengers. These proposed rates would remain unchanged through March 2030, before declining during the FY 2030-31 period.