20000330

CAA cuts charges

by 50 pc for

local airlines on

domestic routes

RECORDER REPORT

KARACHI: To provide economic relief to the airlines operating on domestic routes, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has decided to cut down the navigational and avoi-bridge charges by 50 percent with effect from March 1, 2000.

CAA Director General Air Marshal Aliuddin hoped that the airlines would share this benefit with their passengers too. The ultimate aim of this decision was to provide better facilities to the passengers, he added.

The airlines operators have widely hailed this decision and were of the view that this would go a long way in making the airlines stronger and enabling them to provide better on-board facilities to the passengers travelling on domestic routes.

At present, five airlines Ñ PIA, Shaheen Air, Aero Asia, Bhoja Air and Safe Air Ñ are operating on the domestic routes. These airlines are collectively lifting about four million passengers annually on various domestic routes.