[Peetwo]

Via AOPA Oz:

AOPA Australia comments on Airservices Australia's announcement to reduce aviation charges for the first time from 1st July.


Aviation charges will be cut by two per cent next month following a price freeze in 2015 and the consolidation of an efficiency program at Airservices for the non-operational divisions of the organisation.

The program, which quarantined air traffic control and aviation rescue and fire-fighting services, delivered savings of more than $170 million, creating the headroom to reduce charges for the first time. The price cut will result in multi-million dollar savings for Australia’s airlines and aviation industry.  Airservices Chief Executive Officer Jason Harfield said, “We are passing on these savings to the aviation sector while not compromising operational safety and continuing to improve service delivery and invest in new technology to help the industry grow.

“Without the price freeze and changes introduced under our efficiency program, customers were facing price increases of 15 per cent from 2016, costing the aviation sector an extra $380 million over the period to 2020… I am very proud of the fact that Airservices is in a position to support the aviation sector in Australia, both through operational excellence and now through lower costs,” Mr Harfield concluded.

However, AOPA Australia Executive Director Benjamin Morgan did not think the savings went far enough, “Whilst saving $2 from every $100 spent with Airservices Australia is welcomed by our struggling aviation community at this time, a glaring fact remains: general aviation has been burdened with significant ADS-B cost imposts with aircraft owners shelling out tens of thousands of dollars, enabling Airservices Australia to make savings on legacy navigation aid maintenance and upkeep.  Airservices Australia should be doing the right thing by passing on an ADS-B rebate to owners (as in the US) who have upgraded, enabling them to share in the $170 million in savings,” he said. 

MTF...P2