Thai airport fees halved to help struggling airlines

Thailand’s Civil Aviation Department has cut in half the landing and parking fees it charges airlines at over 20 regional airports in the country and has waived fees entirely at two airports in Thailand’s far south, to help airlines manage costs in the current difficult economic conditions.

Transport Minister, Santi Prompat, reported that he approved the reductions if fees, which went into effect yesterday, and are set to last for six months. The minister said that he expects the reductions will help airlines better deal with the high cost of fuel, which has significantly increased their operating costs.

Additional assistance measures are under consideration he added. For example, Aeronautical Radio of Thailand Co (Aerothai) will be making a slight reduction in traffic control fees.

Air traffic management procedures will also be improved in order to minimize the amount of time that planes spend waiting to take off and land, which will conserve on jet fuel.

The minister has also requested that Airports of Thailand (AoT) cut airline landing and parking fees at Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi airports in Bangkok.

The director-general of Thailand’s Civil Aviation Department, Chaisak Angsuwan, commented that the reductions in fees cuts would reduced his department’s income from approximately 30million baht per month to around 15 million baht.

The losses in income to the department will likely exceed 90 million baht over the next six months.

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