International Air Transport Association opposes move. It wants to either freeze or lower the rates for 2009, but 19 European member disagree
TIRANA, Dec. 1 – Albania is one of the 19 out of 34 Eurocontrol states choosing to increase overflight route fees in 2010, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said. The proposal by the 19 states will result in a 2.7 percent net increase in average unit rates in 2010 or $360 million.
Adjusting for the amount of traffic handled, the greatest impact of the increases will be felt by proposals for increases in Poland (18 percent), Romania (17 percent), Austria (14 percent), France (6 percent), the United Kingdom (5 percent) and Italy (4 percent).
IATA says that, with the full endorsement of the European Commission, it urged all providers of air navigation services in Eurocontrol to freeze or reduce unit rates in 2010. And 15 states opted to do so.
“I applaud the 15 states who plan to reduce or freeze their en route air navigation charges. But the savings they delivered were wiped out by the out-of-control monopolists completely divorced from reality, proposing increases in the middle of an unprecedented industry crisis. The impact of the 2.7 percent increase in unit rates is equal to adding 360 million to airline costs. That is not acceptable,” said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s Director General and CEO. “To survive we need to cut costs. That burden must be shared across the value chain – including our ANSPs partners. The unacceptable and out of touch proposals from 19 Eurocontrol states and their ANSPs demonstrate beyond doubt that we must urgently implement a robust performance framework under the Single European Sky regulations,” said Bisignani.
IATA represents some 230 airlines comprising 93 percent of scheduled international air traffic.
