NMa: Amsterdam Airport Schiphol must lower its airport tariffs by €3.5 million

The Netherlands Competition Authority has ruled that Amsterdam Airport Schiphol needs to lower its airport tariffs that have been in effect since April 1st by €3.5 million. This is the outcome of a complaint filed with the NMa by Dutch airline KLM and BARIN, the trade organization for airlines active in the Netherlands. British airline easyJet had also filed a complaint with the NMa, concerning Schiphol's tariffs and conditions. The NMa is conducting further investigation into that complaint, which is expected to take three months to complete.

Schiphol charges airlines for their use of the airport through various tariffs, such as landing fees, and fees for passenger and baggage handling. Schiphol is now required to lower these tariffs, because it had wrongfully included in the airport tariffs part of the construction costs of a noise barrier near the Polderbaan runway. Under the Dutch Aviation Act, constructing a noise barrier (which is used to counter the noise of taxiing aircraft) is not considered an aviation activity, and its costs can therefore not be passed on to the airlines. In addition, Schiphol had also wrongfully included in the tariffs the recruitment and training costs of baggage-handling employees. As these are not considered aviation activities, their costs cannot be included in the tariffs. Finally, Schiphol cannot include in the new tariffs the costs of an accountant's report that related to an earlier tariff round.


The NMa has ruled against the complainants on several other counts, because Schiphol had correctly applied the law and the NMa-approved cost-allocation system.



Background tariff regulation at Schiphol
Under the Dutch Aviation Act, regulation of the tariffs and conditions of Schiphol came into effect in July 2006. The tariffs that Schiphol sets for its aviation activities need to be cost-oriented. Relevant costs can be determined using an NMa-approved cost-allocation system. Tariffs also need to be non-discriminatory and reasonable. Airlines that do not agree with the airport tariffs can file a complaint with the NMa.