The Hindu Business Line : No landing charges for small aircraft, copters

IN a move that is likely to give a boost to small aircraft and helicopter operations in the country and reduce domestic airfares, the Government has exempted helicopters and small aircraft seating up to 80 people from paying any landing charges.

In effect, the new Government order means that the four scheduled domestic airlines — Indian Airlines, Jet Airways, Air Sahara and Air Deccan — , which operate different versions of small aircraft, will not have to pay any landing charges. However, officials of the various airlines said that it would be difficult to immediately compute how much the new order would make air travel cheaper.

Sources indicated that landing and navigation charges together constitute about six to nine per cent of the total cost of operation of domestic airlines. However, with relief only being granted on landing charges, which is a small percentage of the total cost of operation, it was unlikely to make a major impact on domestic airfares.

Besides, the Government has also reduced landing charges by 15 per cent of the current rates for domestic flights. The airlines will be entitled to the reduced rates only if the airport charges are paid within the credit period of 15 days.

In addition, the route navigation facility charges (RNFC) have also been changed for small weight aircraft, i.e., for aircraft with maximum all-up-weight up to 10,000 kg, the charges are to be levied at 20 per cent of the applicable rates of the weight-cum-distance formula.

Similarly, for aircraft with maximum all up weight of more than 10,000 kg to 20,000 kg, the charges are to be levied at 40 per cent of the applicable rates.

The weight of the 18-seater Dornier aircraft that the Indian Airlines operates is 6,000 kg, while that of the ATR aircraft is about 17,000 kg.

Reacting to the latest move of the Government, the Chairman of the largest domestic helicopter operator, Pawan Hans Helicopters Ltd (PHHL), Mr Nagar V. Sridhar, told Business Line that the steps were likely to result in a saving of above Rs 1 crore annually on the entire fleet operated by the company.

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