Airlines owe Rs 3,030 crore to Airports Authority of India

The grounded Kingfisher Airlines owes Rs 294.57 crore, including interest.

Various airlines, including the defunct Kingfisher, owed Rs 3,030 crore (Rs 30.30 billion) to the Airports Authority of India (AAI) at the end of December last year, the government said on Thursday.

"The total dues from various airlines as on December 31, 2015 amount to Rs 2,793.04 crore (Rs 27.93 billion) towards aeronautical charges and Rs 236.60 crore (Rs 2.36 billion) towards non-aeronautical charges," Minister of State for Civil Aviation Mahesh Sharma told the Lok Sabha in a written reply.

He was responding to a query on whether various Indian and foreign airlines owe dues to AAI for availing of fuel and other facilities.

In a reply to a question on whether Kingfisher, SpiceJet and GoAir airlines owe money to AAI, the minister replied in the affirmative.

The grounded Kingfisher Airlines owes Rs 294.57 crore, including interest. As on December 31, 2015, SpiceJet and GoAir have to pay Rs 78.87 crore and Rs 50.89 crore, respectively, Sharma said.

"In the case of SpiceJet, the party is paying Rs 1.50 crore every day against which Rs 1.10 crore is adjusted against current operations charges and the balance towards overdues. Bank guarantee of Rs 82.50 crore is available for adjustment/encashment in case of default," the minister said.

With regard to GoAir, Sharma said the dues are centrally monitored on a weekly basis and notice is issued for settlement of overdues (in excess of bank guarantee).

"In the case of Kingfisher Airlines, recovery suit has been filed in the Mumbai High Court for the overdues and also criminal proceedings for cheques issued by Kingfisher Airlines amounting to Rs 136.22 crore in 2012 which was dishonoured by the bank," he noted.