IATA: EC needs to acknowledge competitive imbalance when considering airport charges

IATA director general and CEO Alexandre de Juniac reported (31-Oct-2017) a new IATA Economics study, produced as part of the body's preparations to discuss with the European Commission (EC) the need for stronger regulation of Europe's airports, demonstrates that not all sectors of the aviation value chain "face a similar competitive reality". The study shows airfares fell significantly in real terms over the last decade, while European airport charges more than doubled over the same period. Mr de Juniac noted the EC needs to balance a "passionate discussion on what is revenue for airports but costs for airlines and their passengers" which acknowledging that, in real terms, airport passenger charges increased 120% in the last decade and the real cost of travel dropped by 8%. [more - original PR]