German airlines call for air traffic control fee cut
Germany's airline association is pressing the government to lower air navigation service charges, saying they have tripled in recent years and are hurting the country's competitiveness as an aviation hub.
The German airline association BDF is calling for a swift reduction in air navigation service charges in Germany. It is responding to a CDU leadership decision on 12 October that calls for lower fees in the short term and a cut to the aviation tax in the medium term. The association welcomed the plans and wants them implemented as early as 2027.
According to BDF managing director Michael Engel, approach and departure charges in Germany have tripled over the past few years. The association says relief of 100 million to 150 million euros is needed for 2027 to improve the competitiveness of the country's air transport sector.
The decision has to come soon. Fees for the coming year are set by December at the latest, leaving little time.
Approach and departure charges are set each year through a cost regulation issued by the Federal Ministry of Transport. The CDU resolution also provides for a medium-term reduction of the aviation tax, aimed in particular at strengthening domestic German air traffic and the international connections of German metropolitan regions.
Sources
- aerotelegraph.comDeutsche Fluggesellschaften fordern Senkung der Flugsicherungsgebühren um bis zu 150 Millionen Euro