Overview
- An Instagram video by Indian traveller Prashanth Shankara describing a surprise charge at Avianca check-in has refocused attention on El Salvador’s transit rule.
- The “Airport Improvement Fee” totals $1,130 per person, combining a $1,000 levy with a 13% tax, and it applies even when passengers only change planes in San Salvador.
- Airlines collect the payment before boarding for travellers holding passports from India and more than 50 African countries, regardless of stop duration.
- Salvadoran authorities say the money funds airport upgrades and better services, while the traveller suggested the policy aims to deter irregular migration.
- Introduced in 2023 and still in effect, the rule has caught many off guard with a cost near ₹1 lakh for Indians, prompting warnings to avoid routing through El Salvador.