Mangaluru: Commercial vehicles entering Mangaluru International Airport will now be subject to a revised access tariff, including a new Rs 50 charge for passenger drop-offs.

The revised charges came into effect on October 1 and apply only to commercial vehicles. Private vehicles are exempt from the new access fee, according to an airport official.

Under the revised tariff, commercial four-wheelers dropping off passengers will have to pay Rs 50 if they leave the airport within eight minutes. The airport has said the amount will ultimately be passed on to the passenger rather than being absorbed by the cab operator.

The pick-up charge for commercial vehicles has also been increased from Rs 180 to Rs 200.

For longer stays, commercial four-wheelers will be charged Rs 200 for up to 30 minutes, Rs 300 for 30 minutes to one hour, Rs 400 for one to two hours, Rs 500 for two to three hours, Rs 600 for three to four hours and Rs 1,200 for four to 24 hours.

The airport operator said access charges for commercial vehicles are a standard practice at airports and contribute towards the management and maintenance of landside facilities.

According to the operator, the airport incurs expenditure on security, electricity, infrastructure maintenance, traffic management and personnel, besides sanitation and other facilities for drivers and visitors.

The free period for private vehicles has also been reduced from 10 minutes to eight minutes, although private vehicles remain exempt from the revised access charges.