The airport entry passes fee of Rs 5,000 levied, on all persons who are performing duties at the airport premises, which imposed from January 1, 2012, were unanimously rejected at a joint meeting of Airline Operators Committee (AOC) and Ground Handling Agents (GHA) held on Friday.
The situation seems assuming alarming proportions as the entire workforce at the airport has also joined hands with AOC and GHA and refused to oblige the authorities as they consider the levy as "undesirable" and "punitive," imposed without any plausible reason. Even the private contractor who provides workers to airlines and others at the airport like, money changers, restaurant employees and those manning the shops in the arcade have also decided not to pay the charges.
This levy has been imposed for the first time, as it never before pay the fee charged for the passes, which were issued by the Airports Security Force at free of cost. The validity of passes for the year 2011 had ended on December 31, 2011 but it was extended till February 15. After the extended date, if employees wearing 2011 passes, would not allowed entering the airport. They would stop providing services. The AOC and GHA are considering to going to the court in case of the levy would not withdraw.
According to rough calculations each of the three handling agencies, ie Gerry's Danata, Royal Airport Services, and Shaheen Airport Services will have to deposit around Rs 15 million as fee, which they consider is unbearable and an extra burden on their resources.
In view of the fact that over the past decade or so the several foreign carriers have stopped operations from Pakistan, manpower requirements had also been reduced, which in turn has badly affected the earnings of ground handling agencies.
Malaysian airline, which had operated daily flights to Karachi, was the latest, which stopped its operations last month. Cathy Pacific, which was reported to be considering closing down its operations, which Business Recorder reported on February 7, but they denied the report and explained that "there is absolutely no truth in this regard and we do not have any such plans."
Cathy Pacific, Country Manager, Pakistan, Feroze Jamal said, "Pakistan remains an important market for Cathy Pacific Airways and we will continue to operate here and serve the passengers by providing them world class service. "Cathy Pacific Airways began services to Pakistan in September 2000 and since than it has been providing quality service and connectivity to passengers."
Airline functionaries are of the opinion that Civil Aviation Authority, which is the regulatory body, must play its role in supporting their cause as the operators are finding it difficult to take this extra burden, which is being imposed without any logic or urgency.
Comments
Comments are closed for this article.