Airport Costs
January 25, 2007
With airport fees on the rise, EU Tranport Commissioner Jacques Barrot acknowledged that recently there had often been "a conflictual climate between airlines and airports."
He said that stepping up transparency on the one hand and introducing regulators to referee disputes on the other would create a "double system that should allow for fee costs to be moderate."
The European Commission presented draft legislation to make airport charges more transparent and non-discriminatory.
"Everything we've done here is designed to bring down the costs of airport fees and, hence, the costs of travelling by air for passengers," Transport Commissioner Jacques Barrot told a news conference.
The airport fees, which make up four to eight percent of airlines' operating costs, are paid for take-offs and landings, parking, security and passenger handling. The costs are passed on to passengers in fees that are added on to ticket prices.
According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), 15 of the 25 most expensive airports are in Europe, with Frankfurt and Athens airports among the top. Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport was singled out as being the worst offender for increasing its charges by 26.5 percent over five years.
Airlines are angry that airport fees have taken off in recent years while they have struggled to cut costs.
Independent regulator
Barrot said the independent regulator system was already in place and working in Britain and that governments should not be handed the role because they "sometimes favor one company or might want to privatize an airport... and to boost its revenues".
The commission came up with its proposals only after "extremely thorough talks" with airport authorities and airlines, Barrot stressed.
The airlines argued that many European airports had substantially increased their charges in recent years, and while they themselves had continued to offer low cost flights in a cut-throat industry.
The airports argue that the rising charges are forced on them by the need to adapt to accommodate increasing air traffic and meet new security requirements in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks in the United States.