Commercial operators: Airport overhaul excessive
Aviation Industry Association (AIANZ) chief executive Simon Wallace today welcomed the commission’s final report.
He said the report reinforced concerns AIANZ expressed last year about Auckland Airport’s charging regime which had
“aviation operators and their customers bearing significant additional costs to fund the airport’s projects”.
Wallace said the proposed domestic airport expansion’s estimated cost of $7b was excessive.
“The cost of expansion would fall on all operators, not just larger airlines, but air ambulance and emergency services, commuter and regional carriers, freight activities and other general aviation activities by smaller aircraft such as survey operations,”
He added:
“AIANZ will be keeping a close eye to see how Auckland Airport responds to the Commerce Commission in lowering its unfair charges”.
Some in the sector, including Air New Zealand, have also complained in recent weeks about a range of other charges or levies.
These included costs imposed by the Aviation Security Service (AvSec), the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), as well as airport levies, fees, and charges.
Earlier this month, air traffic management service provider Airways NZ proposed an average annual price increase of 7.7% for airline customers from July 1.
Read the full NZ Herald article by John Weekes here.