The former international airlines operating flights to Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) are yet to pay pending airport service charges of almost Nrs. 5 crore.
Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) and TIA Civil Aviation Office are unable to collect dues from the airlines whose flights have been terminated. Both the authorities haven’t shown concern towards collecting NRs. 4 crore 84 lakhs TIA service charge from almost 10 airline operators.
Those former airlines who have ended flights for TIA are not in contact at the moment. The airport charge includes landing, parking, air navigation, airport development fee and other related fees.
As per the record from Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Air Sahara JetLite, Austrian Airlines, Bahrain Air, Burma Airways, Colossus Air, GMG Airlines, Gulf Air, Hong Kong Express Airways, KingFisher Airlines, Lufthansa, Orient Thai Airlines, Pakistan Airlines, RAK Airways, Singapore Airlines, SpiceJet, TUI Airways and United Airways are left to pay the pending TIA service charges.
Likewise, 10 non-operating national airline companies are also left to pay almost Nrs. 8.5 crore to TIA. Necon Air is required to pay maximum of Nrs. 4.63 crore whereas Cosmic Air is left to pay Nrs. 3.33 crore.
Not only non-operational but various airline companies operating flights to and from the TIA are yet to pay NRs 2.35 Billion airport service fees.
Majority of the domestic and international airlines are hesitating towards paying the airport service charge of TIA. The TIACAO is seen feeble while collecting the service charges and is not being able to implement the airport service charge regulations.
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 business and 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. However, the aviation regulatory body and the TIA CAO are not being able to bring the regulation into practice.
