When you’re at an airport, you might notice that water and snacks are very expensive. You could pay anywhere from ₹60 to ₹283 for the same bottle of water, depending on which airport you’re in. This happens because there are no set rules about how much things should cost at airports. Even though travelers know that prices are high, they still buy these items because they need them.
The high prices are mainly because airports have many costs to cover. They need to keep everything safe, which means having security checks and specially trained staff. They also need special tools to handle luggage and flights. All these extra costs make it necessary for shops in airports to charge more money for their products.
To help with these costs, airports use something called the “Street Pricing Plus” system. This means that shops can charge 10-15% more than what they’d charge outside the airport. This extra amount helps the shops pay for their higher expenses.
For example, at JFK Airport, a bottle of water can cost as much as ₹430. The people in charge of the airport say that the money they need to spend to keep everything running is why prices are so high. This includes costs for security and special storage areas.
Because of these many expenses, it becomes a cycle where prices keep going up. Shop owners have to follow strict rules, manage special stocks, and stay open longer to serve travelers. This is why the prices for simple things like water and snacks are always higher at airports.
