European airlines call for review of airport charging systems

European airline passengers are paying excessive airport charges, particularly at monopoly airports and airports which operate under the so-called ‘dual till’ system, according to A4E. Under a dual till regime, profits from an airport’s commercial activities such as shopping or parking are not re-invested in lowering airport charges for consumers. This, A4E said, is despite the fact that this revenue would not be generated without the passengers in the first place. The ‘single till’ principle, by contrast, sees revenues from an airport’s non-aeronautical activities deducted from the airport’s revenue for aeronautical services before determining the level of airport charges. The dual till principle is particularly onerous in areas where a single airport effectively has a monopoly, A4E said. <br/>