The manager of Warsaw Chopin Airport is proposing to increase its charges to airlines by up to 30% in the middle of a crisis. It is IATA’s view that using utilizing emergency legislation developed to help airlines survive the COVID-19 crisis to increase costs is clearly outside the scope of the intention of the emergency legislation.
Of particular concern, the ‘recovery discounts’ scheme under which the highest increase in years is dressed up as ‘good news’ for airlines and passengers and misleads the public. PPL proposes to pick, at its whim, 10 destinations every year which will receive ‘strategic’ discounts for airlines flying those routes – while the others pay full price. Airlines are best positioned to develop route networks based on passenger and air cargo demand. Airports should focus on being cost-efficient for all destinations and airlines—not just a selected few. Discounts on inflated charges are not helpful. The regulator must not be misled into thinking that this in any way offsets the pain of the proposed increase.
The Polish CAA and Ministry of Transport must immediately reject the request and instruct PPL to work with the airlines on a mutually agreed recovery plan.
