ISLAMABAD: The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has been directed by a Senate panel to rationalise parking fees at the Islamabad International Airport (IIA) for those ferrying passengers to and from IIA as well its employees.

The Senate Standing Committee on Aviation on Wednesday also directed the CAA to consider the consumer price index to increase fees and taxes in the future.

On May 15, Senator Mian Ateeq Shaikh had raised a Point of Public Importance on parking and entry fees at the airport.

Senator Shaikh, who was invited to the meeting to defend his case, said car travelling to the airport is charged Rs90.

Senator discusses Point of Public Importance regarding Rs90 fee to enter airport

“It is unfortunate that people who go to pick or drop their loved ones are forced to pay. Initially the fee was Rs10, but it was increased to Rs30 a few years back and now it has been increased to Rs90. Maybe it will be increased to Rs500 in the coming years,” he said.

“Employees who serve at the airport used to pay Rs100 per month, but they now pay Rs600 per month. The CAA is doing this because airlines don’t pay their dues and now all the burden has been put on the poor.”

He added that MORE, a subsidiary of the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO), charges each vehicle Rs30 in toll tax when travelling to or returning from the airport. However, he said, the National Highway Authority has assured that the toll tax will be withdrawn soon.

CAA acting Director General Hasan Baig said cars are charged Rs90 to park for three hours, after which Rs30 are charged per hour.

The parking fee is the same across the country, Mr Baig said, and warned that companies may go to court if the charges are revised “as they were informed that the parking fee would be Rs90, and they had given bids as per the parking fee”.

Senator Shaikh said this was not a big issue and could be settled within hours if a subcommittee is formed to discuss the matter.

Committee chairman Senator Mushahidullah Khan directed for the parking fee to be rationalised and suggested that the matter be finalised in a subcommittee headed by Senator Azam Swati and including senators Shaikh and Shaheen Butt.

The committee also told the subcommittee to discuss the matter of upgrading the posts of BPS-17 superintendents in the authority and the issue of unions.

It asked the authority to take action and submit a report on the Airblue’s national and international flight schedule in the face of increasing delays and cancellations.

Published in Dawn, August 16th, 2018