OREANDA-NEWS. May 13, 2010. Increasing efficiency of Russian airports, in particular, by attracting new carriers (both Russian and foreign), developing airport infrastructure and improving their competitive ability on the market of airport services is a pressing issue, reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

A possible avenue for enhancing airport efficiency is introducing a flexible tariff policy within the established system of government regulation of natural monopolies.

For instance, FAS Russia believes it is possible to apply decreasing coefficients to the tariffs (fees) for the airport services (the threshold level for which are set by the Russian Federal Tariff Service) for refueling landing when customers (air carriers) exercise freight operations.

Refueling landing of aircrafts in an airport (a transit landing for non-commercial purposes) is landing for refueling purposes, without changing load (loading or off-loading / discharging cargo and mail).

The main airport operator provides the following regulated services to air carriers in relation to freight operations: arrangements for the aircraft take-off, landing and parking; and aviation safety. At the same time, when air carriers make transit stops with non-commercial purposes, including refueling landing, the airport does not carry out a number of arrangements included in the services for the aircraft take-off, landing and parking and aviation safety. In this case it is possible that unified rates for all types of transportation set by the airport for these two services can exceed the cost of actually completed works (services).

No.599 Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of 22nd July 2009 approved the Rules for ensuring access to the services of natural monopolies (further on referred to as the Services) in airports (further on referred to as the Rules), that determined general principles and procedures for access of consumers to airport services.

To provide consumer access to airport services, the main operators (operators) are obligated, in particular, to prevent creating conditions that put a consumer (several consumers) in an unequal position in comparison with another consumer (several consumers) when providing airport services; pursue a unified price (tariff) policy for airport services rendered to consumers; ensure availability of information about the list of services rendered at the airport, service procedures, tariffs and charges.

Under Clause 35 of the Rules, the main operators (operators) make information about airport services available to consumers by publishing it on the official airport website and providing information upon consumer requests. The airport website should also have information about introduction of decreasing coefficients to the tariffs for the services of natural monopolies and procedures for applying the coefficients if consumers (air carriers) make technical landing when their civil aircrafts exercise transit freight operations.

Decreasing coefficients should be registered in accordance with the established procedures with the Tariff Registration Centre of the Transport Clearing Chamber.

Choosing a place for refueling landing of aircrafts for long haul flights through the Russian Federation, air carriers can choose airports (both Russian and foreign) suitable for refueling landing of specific aircrafts.

According to FAS Russia, a flexible tariff policy towards the airlines operating such flights will help airports attract new carriers, including foreign air carriers exercising freight operations, which will make Russian airports more competitive in comparison with foreign airports for refueling landing.

Increasing the scope of works for technical landing in an airport will ultimately reduce the costs of servicing regular passenger transportation, which will also bring new air carriers to the airport.

Under Article 4 of No.147-FZ Federal Law "On Natural Monopolies" of 17th August 1995, airport services are services of natural monopolies.

No.293 Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of "On Government Regulation and Control of Prices (Tariffs, Charges) for Natural Monopolies in Transport Terminals, Ports, Airports and Use of the Infrastructure of Inland Waterways" of 23rd April 2008 approved the List of the services natural monopolies in the airports, the prices (tariffs, charges) for which are regulated by the Government:

- Arrangements for take-off, landing and parking of aircrafts;

- Providing air-terminal complex;

- Aviation safety;

- Passenger services;

- Arrangements for providing aviation fuel for refueling the aircrafts;

- Aviation fuel storage.

Threshold tariffs for regulated services in the airports are set by the Russian Federal Tariff Service upon analysis of economic indicators of airport performance and the cost structure of airport services.

The tariffs which are set by the airport operator for the services rendered cannot exceed the tariffs set for the operator by the Russian Federal Tariff Service.

The tariffs and charges for the airport services for air transportation must be registered in accordance with the statutory procedures with the Tariff Registration Centre of the Transport Clearing Chamber.

The procedures for fixing the charge rates, in particular, for take-off and landing and aviation safety, are regulated by No.110 Order of the Russian Ministry of Transport "On Air Navigation and Airport Charges, and Aircraft Service Charges of Russian Operators in the Airports and the Air Space of the Russian Federation" of 2nd October 2000 and No.125 Order of the Federal Agency for Air Transportation (Rosaviatsia) "On Air Navigation and Airport Charges, and Aircraft Service Charges of Foreign Operators in the Airports and the Air Space of the Russian Federation" of 15th May 2000.