After receiving notice to pay dues from Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, Tribhuvan international Airport (TIA) has received Rs1.74 arba from International airlines companies, domestic airline companies and stake holders at the airport. The remaining amount to be paid is Rs1.63 arba as the total due is Rs3.37 arba.
International airlines didn’t pay Rs2 arba in the fiscal 2073/74. The investigation was conducted with the coordination of Deputy Director General of Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, Birendra Prasad Shrestha. The investigation team has submitted the report to the Director General of the Director, Sanjeev Gautam.
In this period, International airlines companies have accrued Rs56.87 crore. They still have to raise Rs. 1.12 arba.
The maximum amount of money was paid by Nepal Airlines (NAC). NAC cleared the due amount of Rs10.2 crore.
Air Asia has accrued Rs. 9.3 crore whereas Turkish Airlines has paid Rs2.8 crore in the same period.
UAE based flydubai has filed a total of Rs2.42 crore. Himalayan Airlines, Nepali private international airline, has also paid 2.6 crore. Oman’s official airline Oman Air has paid Rs.1.7 crore. Likewise, other airline companies also cleared due accordingly however, they have not cleared it all.
Airline companies, along with service fees raised by the passengers, should pay for the airport development fee, landing and parking charges, air transport (communication transport equipment usage) fees, security fees, room counter fees, and to pay for the airport. While those airlines companies flown in Nepal brought about an annually 80 billion rupees to their country.
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.
Deputy Director General of CAAN Birendra Prasad Shrestha said, “We have circulated the airline operators to clear the dues by December 30 otherwise the operators will be restricted to conduct flights.”
