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Airports hit back at airline claims of “outrageous” pricing
October 5th 2021
Airports Council International World (ACI World) has described comments by airlines that increased charges by airports and air navigation service providers (ANSPs) could stall recovery as disappointing and out of context. Read More » The International Air Transport Association (IATA) said overnight that confirmed airport and ANSP price increases already had hit $2.3 billion and further rises could be tenfold if proposals recently tabled by airports and ASNPs were granted. IATA director-general, Willie Walsh, called on the infrastructure providers to cut fees rather than increase them. “A $2.3 billion charges increase during this crisis is outrageous,’’ Walsh said. “We all want to put COVID-19 behind us. But placing the financial burden of a crisis of apocalyptic proportions on the backs of your customers, just because you can, is a commercial strategy that only a monopoly could dream up.”
ACI World director-general, Luis Felipe de Oliveira, said it was disappointing to hear the tone of the statements from IATA. Oliveira said a recent global survey of airport operators showed almost 70% had implemented some form of discount or incentive to address the impact of COVID-19 and support recovery. “Claims made about the airport industry are out of context and don’t reflect the efforts made by airports to support the aviation ecosystem during the pandemic,” he said. “Airports also have experienced enormous financial stress and have made drastic cuts to keep afloat. And in many jurisdictions, airports did not receive the same level of support compared with air carriers.”
