Arab Carriers Resent New Taxes and Seek Liberalization

Politicians viewing air transport as a soft target are the greatest threat to the air transport industry according to AACO.

The Arab Air Carriers Organization has 25 airline members from Algeria at the western end of North Africa to Yemen on the south tip of the Arabian Gulf. Some of its members have been directly impacted by the so-called Arab Spring uprisings.

By Ian Sheppard

November 12, 2011

Politicians viewing air transport as a soft target are the greatest threat to the air transport industry, according to Abdul Wahab Teffaha, secretary general of the Arab Air Carriers Organization (AACO). Speaking ahead of this week’s Dubai Air Show, Teffaha complained that seemingly arbitrary new taxes and fees are placing airlines under terrible pressure at a time when it is already hard to sustain a viable cost structure.

“There needs to be something done about taxes and charges,” Teffaha told AIN. “They are controlled by governments and they are unreasonable.” In his view, new or increased taxes on air transport pose even more of a challenge to carriers than factors such as rising fuel costs because, he claimed, they tend to come out of nowhere with politicians failing to provide any real justification or logic to support them.

The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background. The rest of this article continues for AIN Members with the full report, analysis and background.

AIN Products

SUBSCRIPTIONS

RESOURCES

ABOUT AIN