"Narita Airport Cuts Rental Charges, Urged to Lower Landing Fees"

Friday, June 20, 2003

Narita Airport Cuts Rental Charges, Urged to Lower Landing Fees 
Bloomberg


The International Air Transport Association urged Japan's main international
airport at Narita to follow its 20 percent reduction in rental charges with
a lowering of its landing fees, the most expensive in the world. 

Narita cut its charges for renting office, lounge and counter space,
becoming the last major airport to join the effort to lower costs and help
airlines cope with the slump in demand caused by the SARS virus, the
association said. 

``It is encouraging that Narita is finally taking note of the overall cost
reduction that is occurring in the industry,'' the International Air
Transport Association said in a statement yesterday. Still, ``Narita's
landing charges are a disproportionate and onerous cost burden on carriers
serving Tokyo.'' 

Airport operators in Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Taipei have cut
landing and parking charges to help airlines cope with the slump in
passenger demand. 

Narita airport operator's head Masahiko Kurono said last month the airport
cannot respond to airlines' calls to reduce landing fees because the airport
itself was hurt by falling revenue because of the slump in demand caused by
the severe acute respiratory syndrome.


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