Wirraway
1st Jul 2004, 16:05
Fri "The Australian"
Higher fees a 'threat' to secondary airport service
By Steve Creedy
July 02, 2004
AIRSERVICES Australia has been warned that plans to raise fees significantly at controlled secondary metropolitan airports threaten the viability of general aviation and will drive out operators.
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association has negotiated a 14-day extension for submissions on the proposal and is urging industry members to have their say by the revised July 14 deadline.
The concession came after a meeting between AOPA president Ron Bertram and Airservices chief executive Bernie Smith.
Airservices is proposing to increases fees at secondary airports with control towers from a $7.42 terminal navigation charge to as much as $164.22 a tonne.
The new charges would see per tonne fees of $86.11 at Archerfield, $57.10 at Bankstown, $59 at Essendon, $45.46 at Moorabbin, $100.40 at Parafield and $41.14 at Jandakot. They would come into effect over a five-year period and will be subject to approval by the competition regulator.
Airservices is also proposing raising the charges for aviation fire fighting and rescue services.
AOPA says the move threatens services to regional communities, and emergency services such as air ambulances and rescue helicopters.
Regional airlines are also upset, with one estimating the fees could add up to $1 million a year to costs.
Mr Bertram said many businesses indicated they would have to move or abandon operations if the pricing structure went ahead. The general aviation industry was already under siege from increasing rental costs and the Government's "haphazard approach to aviation policy and airport sales". "The real issue is that the Government is dropping the subsidy. If the Government does this, it is going to take away the aviation infrastructure in the country."
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Higher fees a 'threat' to secondary airport service
By Steve Creedy
July 02, 2004
AIRSERVICES Australia has been warned that plans to raise fees significantly at controlled secondary metropolitan airports threaten the viability of general aviation and will drive out operators.
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association has negotiated a 14-day extension for submissions on the proposal and is urging industry members to have their say by the revised July 14 deadline.
The concession came after a meeting between AOPA president Ron Bertram and Airservices chief executive Bernie Smith.
Airservices is proposing to increases fees at secondary airports with control towers from a $7.42 terminal navigation charge to as much as $164.22 a tonne.
The new charges would see per tonne fees of $86.11 at Archerfield, $57.10 at Bankstown, $59 at Essendon, $45.46 at Moorabbin, $100.40 at Parafield and $41.14 at Jandakot. They would come into effect over a five-year period and will be subject to approval by the competition regulator.
Airservices is also proposing raising the charges for aviation fire fighting and rescue services.
AOPA says the move threatens services to regional communities, and emergency services such as air ambulances and rescue helicopters.
Regional airlines are also upset, with one estimating the fees could add up to $1 million a year to costs.
Mr Bertram said many businesses indicated they would have to move or abandon operations if the pricing structure went ahead. The general aviation industry was already under siege from increasing rental costs and the Government's "haphazard approach to aviation policy and airport sales". "The real issue is that the Government is dropping the subsidy. If the Government does this, it is going to take away the aviation infrastructure in the country."
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