Thiruvananthapuram airport parking fees have come under pressure after the Trivandrum Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TCCI) asked the airport management to review and rationalise its tariff structure, citing substantially higher charges than those at Cochin International Airport Ltd (Cial).
In a letter to the chief airport officer, TCCI president S N Raghuchandran Nair sought a scientific assessment of the charges. The chamber said the review should consider operational and maintenance costs, passenger requirements, traffic volumes, exit times and tariffs at comparable airports.
According to the comparative statement enclosed with the representation, private four-wheelers at Thiruvananthapuram airport are charged Rs 300 for parking for up to two hours. The corresponding charge cited for Cial is Rs 100. For a period of four to 24 hours, the Thiruvananthapuram tariff is listed as Rs 1,000, compared with Rs 350 for 24 hours at Cial.
TCCI also flagged differences in charges for commercial four-wheelers. Its statement lists Thiruvananthapuram airport charges of Rs 200 for eight to 30 minutes, Rs 300 for 30 minutes to one hour and Rs 400 for one to two hours. Cial, by comparison, is cited as charging Rs 100 for parking for up to two hours.
The chamber said the gap between the two airports’ tariffs warranted a review of the existing structure. The comparison is significant for an airport access system where short visits, passenger transfers and vehicle movement are handled through separate drop-off, pick-up and parking arrangements.
TCCI also raised concerns about confusion between drop-off and pick-up lanes. It said some vehicles had allegedly been charged even though they had arrived only to drop passengers and were neither picking up passengers nor remaining parked. The chamber described the practice as unfair and sought clearer signage and improved lane guidance.
As part of its request, TCCI called for either a suitable exemption or a nominal charge for brief visits. The representation and comparative chart have been submitted to the airport management for consideration.
