It may cease to be a smooth ride for airport developers across the country as the newly-formed airports’ regulator, Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA), plans to focus on comforts and conveniences provided to passengers at airports, penalising developers if found wanting.

The service quality parameters will specify a range of services which the airport provides and benchmark them. For instance, the time taken from when the passenger receives his boarding pass from the ticketing counter till the time he boards the aircraft should not exceed 20 minutes. “It is important that the passenger be made the focus. He should know what to expect at the airport,” AERA chairman Y S Bhave said.

The service parameters will specify time taken for baggage claim upon arrival, cleanliness at the airport and mandatory space per passenger at the airport. Global aviation body IATA has specified 24 square feet per passenger at an airport as comfortable.

Passengers pay Rs 225 as passenger service fee — as part of the ticket fare — for various passenger amenities at the airport, including security provided by the central industrial security force. Recently, amid much protest by consumer groups, the Delhi and Mumbai airports were allowed to levy development fees as a pre-development charge to meet the capital deficit.

Service level benchmarks would initially be drawn up for key 11 airports. “These parameters may vary from one airport to another depending upon the level of infrastructure and investment made,” Bhave said. The authority plans to float Request for Proposals (RFPs) for enumeration of these parameters.

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