CAAS-IATA clash over Singapore charges
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The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) have openly clashed over the former’s decision to raise passenger service charge (PSC) and the passenger security charge (PSSC) at the country’s airports.
Business Times said the PSC would be raised the current SG$15 (US$10.50) to SG$20 at Changi Airport’s three terminals. The current SG$7 charge at the Budget Terminal will remain as well as the SG$10 charge at Seletar Airport.
The PSCC will be raised from the current SG$6 to SG$8 at Changi’s three terminal, the Budget Terminal and at Seletar Airport.
With the revision, passengers departing from Changi’s Terminal 1, 2 and 3 will pay a total of SG$28 in PSC and PSSC while those flying from the Budget Terminal and Seletar Airport will pay a total of SG$15 and SG$18 respectively. These new charges will come into effect on 1 January and apply to those buying tickets from 1 November, the paper said.
CAAS has said the hikes were necessary to cover rising operational costs. But IATA said it does not buy CAAS’ argument.
“It is very disappointing,” IATA spokesperson Albert Tjoeng was quoted saying. “CAAS could not have picked a worse time to implement this unilateral increase in charges. The airline industry is already fragile and the combination of high fuel prices and falling demand is hurting the industry even more than after 9/11 and SARS.”
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