European air traffic management agency Eurocontrol believes the time may have come to use new pricing methods to affect how airlines use the continent's congested airspace.
But it admits that any attempt to change the way air traffic control (ATC) charges are calculated in Europe is "very controversial and complicated". Measures being considered include lower prices for flying in less congested areas to encourage airlines to avoid busy areas, and variable peak and off-peak charges.
Eurocontrol's Possible Pricing Mechanism (PPM)taskforce is looking at economic incentives to encourage airlines to use airspace capacity more efficiently, says Eberhard Soehnle, head of system development division, at Eurocontrol's Central Route Charges Office.
Eurocontrol feels the current charging formula, which takes into account aircraft weight and distance flown, is becoming outdated, and does not reflect the true cost of the service provided.
While they might be more "cost-reflective", the charging proposals mean smaller aircraft will pay a lot more, while larger ones will pay less. The European Regions Airline Association (ERA) has criticised the proposed changes, saying that airlines operating aircraft up to an Airbus A320 could face average increases in ATC charges of 83%. The proposed changes "do nothing to improve the current ATC capacity and delay problems, but would simply redistribute the cost between the user community," said Mike Ambrose, ERA director general.
Eurocontrol is looking most closely at a two-part tarrif where there is a fixed rate per flight coupled with a variable rate per flight based on the existing charging formula. The larger the fixed part, and up to 50% has been suggested, the more smaller aircraft are hit.
Other options include geographical price differences, for example, raising the price of over-flying busy areas to encourage carriers to fly around them. There could also be a combination of these options with the two-part tariff one.
Eurocontrol recognises that the issue of charging is a minefield, but sees a need to address it in an effort to help alleviate Europe's worsening ATC delays.
However, Masimo Fusco, director of Eurocontrol's Central Routes Charges Office says it is too early to react to the proposals, and that there is still "a long way to go". His experts will report on the taskforce's proposals in November.
Source: Airline Business
