Hyderabad, July 16 -- Passengers flying out of Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) in Hyderabad already pay the highest User Development Fee (UDF) in the country, Rs 700 for domestic travellers and Rs 1,500 for international flyers, but a proposed change in how airport tariffs are calculated could mean that fee does not climb further any time soon.

The Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) has floated a new tariff framework built around what it calls the User Pay Principle, under which passengers, airlines and other airport users would only be charged for infrastructure once it is completed, commissioned and actually in use. This marks a shift from the existing system, which allows airports to factor in projected capital ex...