AirAsia X, Malaysian-based low-cost carrier had begun to clear the pending airport service fee to Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) however, the airline is still left to pay Nrs 30 crores and is further delaying it.
The TIA authority has been reminding repeatedly but the airlines is requesting deadline extensions. The TIA office in a statement said that AirAsia has only cleared Rs10 crores 70 lakhs out of pending 40 crores 79 lakhs and 76 thousands despite numerous warnings.
As per the report, the total pending TIA airport service charge of AirAsia X is Rs27 crores 12 lakhs which accounts to a period of previous four years that includes landing and parking charge, air navigation service charge, airport development fee and other airport service charges..
Earlier 2 high officials of the airlines visited Nepal to discuss about the steps taken by TIA management and after the discussion they returned back to Malaysia making commitment to provide bank guarantee of 25 billion rupees within the Falgun 25. After that, AirAsia CEO mailed the TIA to extend the date stating that to provide more than 50 million Malaysian Ringgit, they have to ask for permission from operational committee. Before this, TIA had warned the airline to ban the flights to Nepal if they failed to pay the due amount.
The deadline was extended to 2nd of Chaitra, 2074 but the amount is not cleared although three months from the deadline has already passed.
AirAsia also hasn’t paid Rs7 crore 13 lakhs to Nepal Tourism Board. This amount relates to the tourism service charge collected by the airline from each foreign passengers.
According to the Airport Service Charge Regulation 2067, the responsibility of collecting airport service charge goes to the chief of the airport who has to submit statement to head office every month.
Likewise, those who fail to dispatch airport service charge within 60 days from the generation of bill then the airport chief can halt their business whereas in case of airline operators, the flight will be restricted.
In addition, the authority can blacklist the airline operators if they fail to pay the airport service charge and act beyond the rules, regulations and agreement of the authority. In such case, the business and airline operators will be restricted to run any businesses at the airport. So, the airport authority is preparing to initiate legal action on AirAsia X.
