New Delhi:

Eating in airports is expensive. Food products sold at airports are often overpriced, forcing many passengers to skip meals. But it could soon become easy on the pockets, with authorities planning economic zones that would sell food and drinks at an affordable price, sources said.

Unlike other airport restaurants, these areas will not have any seating arrangements. Passengers will have to collect their food from counters and eat at fast food tables. There will also be a takeaway service.

The Minister of Civil Aviation reached a consensus to start work on economic zones after several rounds of meetings. Discussions will now be held with Airport Authorities of India (AAI), airport food outlets as well as other agencies to manage such areas, they said.

Sources said such zones would first appear at newly built airports.

Several passengers have raised concerns about overpriced food items sold at airport outlets.

Former Union minister P Chidambaram, who was among them, said in an online post in September that a cup of tea – made with just “a tea bag and hot water” – cost 340 rupees at a well known cafe which has an outlet at Kolkata airport. In response to him, the airport said it had noticed the price discrepancy.