Brussels Airport endorses the new tariff structure as decided by the Secretary of State for Mobility
13-Jan-2011 Today the Board of Directors of The Brussels Airport Company acknowledged the decision of State Secretary for Mobility, Etienne Schouppe, on the new airport tariffs for the coming five year period, from April 1, 2011 to March 31, 2016.
The airport tariffs proposed by Brussels Airport were the result of detailed consultations that took place between Brussels Airport and its airlines customers. The final negotiated proposal that was submitted to the Regulatory Service was supported by airlines representing over 90% of the passengers and cargo flying from Brussels Airport, and included a package of strategic investments. On December 14, 2010, the Regulatory Service announced its decision not to accept the final negotiated proposal. This unilateral decision compromised the planned development of airport operations, passenger facilities and service quality at Brussels Airport.
Following further discussions and investigation, Secretary of State Schouppe has decided to approve a yearly base tariff increase of CPI + 0.40%. These tariffs will be further raised over the period 2011-2016 by an annual average increase equivalent to 0.28% (in total CPI+0.68%) on the basis of investments in several development projects. As previously agreed with the airlines a specific tariff increase will be implemented during the period for the investment in Pier A West.
Brussels Airport's tariffs remain thereby very competitive and below the average of its peers.
The Board of Brussels Airport welcomes the final decision on the airport tariffs from the Secretary of State. This makes possible a further increase in the quality of the services to the passengers and the development of some landmark projects such as a connector building between Pier A and the terminal, the extension of the zone dedicated to the Africa flights and the extension of Pier A to the West.
The proposed investments within the coming five year period are key to the development potential of Belgian aviation in the medium to long term, and crucial for the future of Brussels Airlines - and the Star Alliance they recently became a member of - at Brussels Airport.
Belgian companies like JetairFly, Thomas Cook Airlines and Brussels Airlines will continue to find the support of a competitive and efficient home airport to operate from.
"We would like to express our appreciation to the airline associations BATA, AOC and ACMAB, for their constructive cooperation during the tariff consultation process. This new tariff package will indeed contribute to the further development of direct passenger and freight connections between Belgium and the rest of the world, and create many new job opportunities at and around the airport, as well as throughout the country", concludes Arnaud Feist, CEO of Brussels Airport.