The fee, which becomes effective on Wednesday, will see domestic passengers paying US$5 while international travellers fork out US$15 more.

CAAZ is seeking to raise US$400 million to spruce up deteriorating infrastructure.

Air travellers are already paying US$10 and US$25 airport passenger fee per domestic and international flight, respectively.

The new rules are contained in a Statutory Instrument of a Government Gazette published by Transport, Communication and Infrastructural Development Minister Nicholas Goche last Friday.

The regulations, to be cited as the Civil Aviation (Aviation Infrastructure Development Fund Fee) Regulations 2012 were made in terms of section 79 of the Civil Aviation Act.

“Subject to subsection (3) below, no person shall depart from any aerodrome on an aircraft unless he has paid the Aviation Infrastructure Fund fee (a) if he/she is a passenger on a domestic flight, in the sum of five United States dollars (b) if he/she is a passenger on an international flight, in the sum of fifteen United States dollars,” read the regulations.

“All airlines shall levy Infrastructure Development Fund fee on both the domestic and international tickets issued on and after 1st February 2012, pilots of non-scheduled and private flights shall collect the fees from their non exempt passengers and pay at the airport payment office before departure.”

The regulations will not, however, apply to children under the age of two years, persons approved by the Foreign Affairs Minister, a visiting Head of State and Government and his spouse and aircraft crew for public transport.

There are penalties for those who fail to comply with the new regulations.

A domestic passenger will be fined US$20 or one month in prison or both while a passenger on an international flight will be liable to a fine not exceeding US$75 or imprisonment not exceeding three months or both.

CAAZ had proposed US$10 for domestic passengers and US$30 on international passengers drawing a public outcry.

By Special correspondent