West Bengal Chief minister Mamata Banerjee announced a three-year sales tax waiver on aviation turbine fuel in Bagdogra, making it the cheapest airport in the country for airlines to tank up.
Bengal is among the costliest states for ATF due to high taxes and airlines have repeatedly urged the government to lower it. The CM also slashed sales tax by 50% on additional ATF lifted by airlines from Kolkata airport.
Fuel comprises 40% of airlines’ operating costs. The zero tax option is likely to put Bagdogra airport on every airline’s radar. The north Bengal airport sees only about 22 flights a day, mostly ferrying Darjeeling and Sikkim-bound fliers. The waiver was extended to Cooch Behar and Durgapur airports as well, but flights are unlikely to scramble to them as the former is hamstrung with a short runway and the latter isn’t operational yet.
Bengal is among the costliest states for ATF due to high taxes and airlines have repeatedly urged the government to lower it. The CM also slashed sales tax by 50% on additional ATF lifted by airlines from Kolkata airport.
Fuel comprises 40% of airlines’ operating costs. The zero tax option is likely to put Bagdogra airport on every airline’s radar. The north Bengal airport sees only about 22 flights a day, mostly ferrying Darjeeling and Sikkim-bound fliers. The waiver was extended to Cooch Behar and Durgapur airports as well, but flights are unlikely to scramble to them as the former is hamstrung with a short runway and the latter isn’t operational yet.
The Air India cheap flights to CCU are available from cities like Lucknow, Hyderabad, Delhi, Chennai, Chandigarh, Mumbai, Bangalore, and others. Try to check out for the tickets a trifle early to search out packages and offers by the airlines.
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