CAA revises landing charges

Foreign airlines using Islamabad, Lahore airports will be charged 25% more.

KARACHI: The landing slot charges for foreign airlines using Islamabad and Lahore airports have been increased by 25% during peak hours in a bid to discourage congestion, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said on Thursday.

Pakistan’s aviation regulator has also raised passenger embarkation fees, airport tax and security charges for both domestic and international passengers to make up for investments being made to upgrade airports.

“We were having trouble managing airline traffic at the Allama Iqbal International Airport, Lahore and Benazir Bhutto International Airport Islamabad. So it has been decided to discourage airlines from coming in during the peak four-hour time in the morning,” said a CAA official.

Middle East-based carriers prefer taking passengers from Pakistan’s northern airports in the morning to avoid night curfews in Europe.  The CAA says that variable landing charges have been raised across the board irrespective of historical slots available to the airlines at the two airports.

However, the move to increase embarkation fee and other charges on passengers is unexpected since Aviation Adviser Shujaat Azeem is a staunch believer that taxes discourage investment and passenger movement.

However, a CAA official said that fee and charge ranging from Rs20 to Rs3,000 (highest charge on business class passenger) will have minuscule impact on passengers paying tens of thousands on tickets.

“On the other hand, this will help CAA recover some of its cost. Remember we are not overcharging, considering the massive investments being made at airports across the country.” At Multan airport, embarkation charge for all international passengers has been fixed at Rs2,000.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 31^st, 2015.

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