There were bitter words last year between Hobart Airport and the airlines over proposed fee increases. It’s been done. HAC has hiked them from $7.99 to a stratospheric $13.72 per passenger. Nothing in the press so far, apart from the schedule of fees.
Hobart Airport arrival and departure fees for domestic aircraft, with effect from 11 May 2011 and until further notice:
FEES (Per Passenger, excluding GST)
arrival - $11.08 ($12.19 with GST)
security charge - $1.39
TOTAL- $13.72 incl. GST
departure - $11.08
security charge - $1.39
TOTAL - $13.72 incl. GST
http://hobartairport.com.au/corporate/doing-business-with-us/aviation-terms-and-conditions/
Background
Airport landing fee row
NICK CLARK
June 26, 2010 12:01am
HOBART International Airport and airlines are still at odds over landing charges after six months of negotiations.
The present airlines agreement, which includes landing charges, is due to expire on Wednesday.
However, airport chief executive Brett Reiss said yesterday the present pricing had been extended by three months to September while negotiations continued.
In March, Jetstar chief executive Bruce Buchanan warned the airline may switch flights to Launceston if Hobart Airport sought to increase landing charges by 50 per cent.
Its initial position was an increase from $7.99 per passenger to $12 per passenger.
“That is probably the most extreme price increase we have seen across any of the Australian airports,” he said.
Mr Buchanan said in March it appeared the airport owners overpaid for it and were trying to extract increased returns.
Hobart International Airport Pty Ltd is a joint venture comprising Macquarie Bank and the Retirement Benefits Fund, which paid $350 million for the airport in December 2007.
Mr Reiss said: “Constructive discussions with our airline partners are ongoing and significant progress has been made.”
The push for increased landing charges comes against a drop in passenger numbers, with 1.86 million passengers using Hobart Airport
in 2009-10.
A spokeswoman for Jetstar said negotiations would continue.
A spokesman for Virgin Blue said the talks were ongoing and it was hoped an agreeable resolution could be reached.
http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2010/06/26/154811_tasmania-news.html
HAC is so desperate for fees, they have also prohibited parking for drivers trying to avoid fees by waiting along Holyman Drive. See letter to editor.
Letter to Editor
The Mercury
13 May 2011
Parking Business
GILES Read apparently has only just experienced the cancerous spread of the “ya can’t park here and wait” zone between the Tasman Highway roundabout and Hobart Airport (Letters, 11 May).
Everyody should recognise that “what we have here is a failure to comunicate”.
What we have is a car park with an airport facility
Peter Wood
Lutana
Some questions:
Will the rise in per-passenger fees affect tourism? Have freight charges also increased?
It’s another rise in cost of living.
It’s part of the Aird legacy of plain stupid financial decisions. Make the RBF pay $200 million for an over-valued government-owned asset, with the $200 million passing to Treasury, after the usurers and advisers took their cut.
Ugh!
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